A plain text task list with Todo.txt

Most task managers eventually become another system to manage. Todo.txt takes the opposite approach: the entire list is an ordinary text file.

You can open it in any editor, keep it in a synced folder, process it with command-line tools, or use one of the apps built around the format. If the app disappears, the list remains readable. I like that property more than any animated checkbox.

The format stays out of the way

Each line is one task. The Todo.txt format adds structure through a few conventions:

• Put a priority such as (A) at the beginning.
• Use x at the beginning for a completed task.
• Add a creation date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
• Prefix projects with + and contexts with @.

For example:

(A) 2024-03-15 Finish article +blog @computer
(B) Call the dentist @phone
x 2024-03-14 Send invoice +admin

These are still normal lines of text. Search for +blog to see a project or @phone to find tasks you can do while holding a phone. No database migration required.

Where it works well

Todo.txt is a good fit if you want portability, fast keyboard input, and a format you can automate. Git can even keep a history, although I would be careful about committing private tasks to a public repository.

It is less convincing if you need shared boards, rich reminders, attachments, or complex recurring tasks. You can bolt those features on, but eventually you have recreated a task manager in shell scripts. That may be fun. It may not be productive.

I would start with a todo.txt file and the basic conventions, then add an app only when a real need appears. The main benefit is not the syntax. It is knowing that the tasks belong to you, not to whichever app currently displays them.