Task Management System

Lokus includes a powerful, integrated task management system that seamlessly connects your notes with a visual kanban board. Create, organize, and track tasks directly from your writing workflow.

Overview

The task management system consists of three main components:

• Task Creation Widget - Create new tasks with !task
• Task Import Widget - Reference existing tasks with @task
• Kanban Board - Visual task organization and management

Creating Tasks

Using the Task Creation Widget

Type !task (with a space) anywhere in your notes to trigger the task creation widget.

!task 

Widget Features

• Smart Input: Type your task description
• Task Types: Press Tab to cycle through task types:
  • Urgent - High priority tasks requiring immediate attention
  • Question - Tasks that need clarification or research
  • In Progress - Tasks currently being worked on
  • Todo - Standard tasks to be completed

Keyboard Shortcuts

Example Usage

Writing my project plan...

!task Review project requirements with team

This creates: Review project requirements with team

Importing Existing Tasks

Using the Task Import Widget

Type @task (with a space) to open the task import widget and reference existing tasks.

@task 

Widget Features

• Search & Filter: Type to search through existing tasks
• Live Results: See matching tasks as you type
• Keyboard Navigation: Use arrow keys to navigate results

Keyboard Shortcuts

Example Usage

In today's meeting we discussed:

@task Fix authentication bug

Let's prioritize this for the next sprint.

Kanban Board

Mini Kanban (Sidebar)

Access the mini kanban view from the sidebar:

1. Click the Tasks tab in the left sidebar
2. Or click the grid icon (⌗) in the main navigation

Features

• Compact View: See all tasks at a glance
• Quick Actions: Create, edit, and move tasks
• Status Columns: Tasks organized by status
• Open Full View: Click "Open Full Kanban" for expanded view

Full Kanban (Main Editor)

Open the full kanban board as a tab in the main editor:

1. Click Open Full Kanban from mini kanban
2. Or open via Command Palette (⌘K → "kanban")

Features

• Drag & Drop: Move tasks between columns
• Task Details: Rich task information and metadata
• Bulk Operations: Select and modify multiple tasks
• Status Management: Visual task progression

Status Columns

Interactive Task Elements

Tasks inserted in your notes become interactive elements that connect directly to the kanban board.

Task Element Features

• Visual Styling: Tasks appear with distinctive styling and status icons
• Clickable: Click any task to jump to the kanban board
• Status Indicators: Color-coded status badges
• Hover Effects: Visual feedback on interaction

Example

Meeting Notes - September 13, 2025
 
Action items from today:
Review Q4 budget proposal
Update user documentation  
Schedule team retrospective
 
Next week's priorities:
Research new deployment options

Workflow Integration

Note-to-Task Workflow

1. Write Notes: Use natural writing flow
2. Identify Tasks: Mark action items with !task
3. Organize Visually: View and organize in kanban
4. Reference Later: Use @task to reference across notes

Task-to-Note Workflow

1. Plan in Kanban: Organize tasks visually
2. Detail in Notes: Add context and details
3. Cross-Reference: Link related tasks and notes
4. Track Progress: Update status and move tasks

Best Practices

Task Creation

• Be Specific: Write clear, actionable task descriptions
• Use Appropriate Types: Match task type to urgency and nature
• Context Matters: Create tasks where they naturally fit in your notes

Task Organization

• Regular Reviews: Check kanban board regularly
• Status Updates: Keep task statuses current
• Archive Completed: Remove or archive finished tasks

Integration Tips

• Meeting Notes: Use !task for action items during meetings
• Project Planning: Create tasks for project milestones
• Daily Workflow: Reference tasks with @task in daily notes

Keyboard Shortcuts

Task Creation Widget

Task Import Widget

Kanban Navigation

Technical Implementation

Architecture

The task management system is built using:

• TipTap Extensions: Custom editor extensions for task widgets
• Tauri Backend: Rust-based task persistence and CRUD operations
• React Components: Modern UI components with drag-and-drop support
• Real-time Sync: Bi-directional sync between editor and kanban

Data Storage

• Local Database: Tasks stored locally for privacy and speed
• File Integration: Tasks linked to specific files and locations
• Session Persistence: Task states preserved across app restarts

Performance Features

• Lazy Loading: Widgets and kanban components loaded on demand
• Efficient Rendering: Minimal re-renders with optimized React components
• Debounced Operations: Search and filter operations optimized

Testing

The task management system includes comprehensive test coverage:

• 21 Unit Tests: Core functionality and edge cases
• 16 E2E Tests: Complete user workflows and interactions
• Error Handling: Graceful handling of failures and edge cases

Test Scenarios Covered

• Task creation with all status types
• Task import and search functionality
• Widget keyboard navigation and shortcuts
• Kanban board interactions and drag-drop
• Error handling and recovery
• Cross-browser compatibility

Getting Started

Quick Start

1. Open any note in Lokus
2. Type !task to create your first task
3. Press Tab to explore different task types
4. Press Enter to create the task
5. Click the grid icon (⌗) to view your kanban board

Advanced Usage

1. Create multiple tasks in different notes
2. Use @task to reference existing tasks
3. Organize tasks visually in the kanban board
4. Click task elements to navigate between notes and board

Tips & Tricks

Productivity Tips

• Batch Creation: Create multiple tasks quickly using !task repeatedly
• Context Switching: Use task elements as bookmarks to jump between contexts
• Status Tracking: Update task statuses to visualize progress
• Search Integration: Use import widget to find and reference old tasks

Advanced Workflows

• Project Management: Create project-specific notes with task breakdowns
• Meeting Management: Use task creation during meetings for real-time action items
• Daily Reviews: Reference important tasks in daily notes with @task
• Status Reports: Use kanban view to generate progress reports

The task management system transforms Lokus from a simple note-taking app into a comprehensive productivity tool, seamlessly blending writing and task organization.