A command-line application for organizing and managing personal notes and tasks. Notes and tasks are stored as plain text files in the filesystem, each with a unique ID, name, created timestamp, and last edited timestamp. Tasks also include status tracking (open, completed, abandoned).

The same binary serves both functions - invoked as note for notes and task for tasks (via symlink).

• Simple file-based storage: Platform-appropriate storage (Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%, Unix: ~/.local/share/)
• Unique identification: Each note/task has a unique sequential numeric ID
• Timestamp tracking: Track when notes/tasks were created and last edited
• Text search: Search across note/task names and content
• Editor integration: Uses your $EDITOR with platform-specific defaults
• Task status management: Change task status between open, completed, and abandoned
• Status filtering: List tasks by status
• Cross-platform support: Works on Windows, Linux, and macOS with appropriate defaults
• Shell completion: Auto-complete support for bash, zsh, fish, and powershell

git clone https://github.com/wltechblog/notes.git cd notes go build -o note sudo cp note /usr/local/bin/ # or copy to ~/.local/bin/ sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/note /usr/local/bin/task

make build # Build binary make install # Install to ~/.local/bin/ (also creates 'task' symlink)

The installation creates a single binary named note with a symlink named task. Both commands access the same binary but show different available commands.

task new "Buy groceries" # Create task with name task new # Create task with timestamp as name

Tasks start with open status by default.

task list # List all tasks

Outputs tasks in format: ID | Name | [status] | Created: date | Updated: date

task list --status open # List only open tasks task list --status completed # List only completed tasks task list --status abandoned # List only abandoned tasks task list -s completed # Short form

task status <id> <status> # Change task status task status 1 completed # Example: mark task 1 as completed task status 2 abandoned # Example: mark task 2 as abandoned

Valid statuses: open, completed, abandoned (run task status --help for details)

task search "keyword" # Search by keyword task search "meeting" # Example: find all meeting tasks

Performs case-insensitive search across task names and content.

task delete <id> # Delete a task by ID task delete 1 # Example: delete task 1

Deleting a task removes the task file.

task edit <id> # Edit the content of a task task edit 1 # Example: edit task 1

Opens $EDITOR with the task content. Updates the task's content and last edited timestamp.

The application is designed to work on both Windows and Unix-like systems:

• Data storage locations:
  • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\notes\ and %LOCALAPPDATA%\tasks\
  • Linux/macOS: ~/.local/share/notes/ and ~/.local/share/tasks/
• Editor detection:
  • Windows: Defaults to notepad if $EDITOR not set
  • Unix: Defaults to vi if $EDITOR not set
• GUI editor support:
  • VS Code, Notepad++, Sublime Text are detected and launched with --wait flag on Windows
• File permissions:
  • Platform-appropriate permissions are set for directories and files

note new "my note" # Create note with custom name note new # Create note with timestamp as name

Opens $EDITOR (defaults to vi if not set) with an empty buffer. If you save with content, the note is created. If you exit with an empty buffer, no note is saved.

note list

Outputs notes in format: ID | Name | Created: date | Updated: date

note search "keyword" # Search by keyword note search "meeting" # Example: find all meeting notes

Performs case-insensitive search across note names and content.

note edit <id> # Opens $EDITOR with note content note edit a1b2c3d4 # Example: edit specific note

Updates the note's content and last edited timestamp when saved.

note delete <id> # Delete a note by ID note delete a1b2c3d4 # Example: delete specific note

Enable command-line completion for your shell. The task command completion works the same way as note:

Add to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile:

# For auto-completion source <(note completion bash) source <(task completion bash)

Or for persistent completion:

note completion bash > ~/.local/share/bash-completion/completions/note task completion bash > ~/.local/share/bash-completion/completions/task

Add to your ~/.zshrc:

# For auto-completion source <(note completion zsh) source <(task completion zsh) # Or add to your completion functions directory note completion zsh > ~/.zsh/completion/_note task completion zsh > ~/.zsh/completion/_task

Add to your ~/.config/fish/completions/ directory:

note completion fish > ~/.config/fish/completions/note.fish task completion fish > ~/.config/fish/completions/task.fish

Add to your PowerShell profile:

note completion powershell | Out-String | Invoke-Expression task completion powershell | Out-String | Invoke-Expression

Or save and source from your profile:

note completion powershell > note.ps1 task completion powershell > task.ps1

Notes are stored as plain text files in ~/.local/share/notes/:

~/.local/share/notes/ ├── 1.txt ├── 2.txt ├── 3.txt ├── .counter # Tracks next ID └── ... 

Each note file contains:

Created: 2026-01-15T10:49:30-07:00 Updated: 2026-01-15T10:49:56-07:00 Name: my note This is note content... 

Tasks are stored as plain text files in ~/.local/share/tasks/:

~/.local/share/tasks/ ├── 1.txt ├── 2.txt ├── 3.txt ├── .counter # Tracks next ID └── ... 

Each task file contains:

Created: 2026-01-15T10:49:30-07:00 Updated: 2026-01-15T10:49:56-07:00 Status: open NoteID: Name: Buy groceries This is task content... 

The NoteID field is reserved for future note integration and is currently empty.

This software is licensed under the GNU GPL 2.0.