Todo.txt is a popular, minimalistic todo list format in which the data is stored in a simple text file. Since todo.txt is both machine and human-readable, you can check out your tasks with a simple text editor from any OS, synchronize it with cloud sync tools such as Dropbox, etc.
Of course, you can easily manage your Todo.txt tasks with a simple text editor, but using a tool such as QTodoTxt simplifies things, providing a better overview of your tasks by using colored priorities and due dates as well as a sidebar treeview which allows you to quickly access contexts and projects.
Since QTodoTxt is cross-platform, it means you can manage your tasks from Linux, Windows and Mac OS X (the app isn't available for mobile devices, but there are other Todo.txt clients for that) and even though the application itself doesn't sync your tasks, that can be done by using Dropbox, Owncloud, Megasync, Copy or other similar tools - when QTodoTxt prompts you to save the todo.txt file, simply save it in your Dropbox/Copy/etc. folder and that's it!
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| QTodoTxt - Completed tasks |
In case you're wondering how the tasks from the screenshots above (both pending and completed tasks) look like in plain text, here it is:
(A) Write about QTodoTxt @WebUpd8 due:2014-10-07
(B) 2014-10-08 Buy milk +store
(B) Test task http://www.webupd8.org @WebUpd8
x 2014-10-07 2014-10-06 Completed task example 1 @WebUpd8
x 2014-10-07 Completed task example 2 +store due:2014-10-08QTodoTxt features:
- filter tasks;
- treeview of your projects and contexts;
- supports due date (add "due:YYYY-MM-DD" to your todo list): when a task is less than 1 week, the due date uses orange and when the task is for today, the due date is colored in red;
- supports FutureTasks;
- can archive completed tasks;
- can automatically add created date;
- autosave option;
- option to hide future tasks;
- autocomplete;
- keyboard shortcuts;
- more.
Note that the application comes with a tray icon which unfortunately doesn't work properly in Unity (the icon is displayed but it doesn't do anything when clicked). If you're looking for a Todo.txt Ubuntu AppIndicator, try Todo Indicator.
Before using QTodoTxt, you may want to read its user documentation (includes keyboard shortcuts and some useful tips). Also read about the todo.txt format, HERE.
Download QTodoTxt
There are QTodoTxt binaries available for Ubuntu/Debian/Linux Mint and derivatives (in my test, the application worked in Ubuntu 14.10 and 14.04 but failed to start in Ubuntu 12.04!), Windows, Mac OS X as well as a generic Linux .tar.gz archive:
Optionally, Ubuntu/Debian/Linux Mint users can install QTodoTxt by using its official repository (this way, you'll get automatic QTodoTxt updates). To add the repository and install QTodoTxt, use the commands below:
echo "deb http://dl.bintray.com/mnantern/deb /" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/qtodotxt.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install qtodotxtArch Linux users can install QTodoTxt via AUR (but it's an old version at the time I'm writing this article).
To download the source code, report bugs, etc., see the QTodoTxt GitHub page.
