tasks

# Obsidian Task Management ## When to Use This Skill | Use this skill when... | Use the alternative instead when... | |---|---| | Listing open `- [ ]` tasks across the vault, or toggling/completing them | Editing arbitrary note content rather than checklist lines — use `vault-files` | | Filing a task on a daily note via the running Obsidian CLI | Tracking work in `taskwarrior` outside Obsidian — use a `taskwarrior-plugin` skill | | Verifying which tasks Obsidian itself indexes as open | Searching for arbitrary text patterns including non-task content — use `search-discovery` | List, filter, and update tasks across the Obsidian vault using the official CLI. ## Prerequisites - Obsidian desktop 1.12.7+ installer with CLI enabled - Obsidian must be running ## The Two Commands The CLI exposes exactly two task commands. There is no create command — tasks are **content**, so you add one by appending a `- [ ]` line with `append` / `daily:append` (see `vault-files`). | Command | Purpose | |---------|---------| | `tasks` | List / filter / count tasks | | `task` | Show or update **one** task, addressed by location | ## List Tasks ```bash # All tasks in the vault obsidian tasks # Incomplete only / completed only obsidian tasks todo obsidian tasks done # Scope to a file obsidian tasks file=Recipe obsidian tasks path="Projects/Sprint.md" # Scope to the active file or today's daily note obsidian tasks active obsidian tasks daily # Counts instead of rows obsidian tasks total obsidian tasks daily total # Group by file with line numbers (the agentic default — # gives you the path:line that `task` needs to update) obsidian tasks verbose # Structured output (default format is plain text) obsidian tasks format=json obsidian tasks format=tsv obsidian tasks format=csv # Filter by a custom status character; quote shell-special ones obsidian tasks 'status=?' obsidian tasks status=- ``` Filters combine: `obsidian tasks file=Recipe todo verbose`. ## Show or Update a Task `task` addresses a single checklist line by location — either a combined `ref=path:line`, or `file=`/`path=`/`daily` plus `line=`. ```bash # Show task info obsidian task file=Recipe line=8 obsidian task ref="Recipe.md:8" # Toggle completion obsidian task ref="Recipe.md:8" toggle obsidian task daily line=3 toggle # Set an explicit state obsidian task file=Recipe line=8 done # → [x] obsidian task file=Recipe line=8 todo # → [ ] obsidian task file=Recipe line=8 status=- # → [-] obsidian task daily line=3 done ``` `done`/`todo`/`status=` set a state outright; `toggle` flips whatever is there. Use `status=` for custom markers your theme or plugin renders (`-` cancelled, `/` in progress, `?` question, etc.). ## Workflow Patterns ### Capture a task to today's daily note ```bash obsidian daily:append content="- [ ] Review PR #42" ``` ### Find an open task, then complete it ```bash # 1. Locate it — verbose gives path and line number obsidian tasks todo verbose # 2. Update by that location obsidian task ref="Projects/Sprint.md:14" done ``` ### Close out every task in today's daily note ```bash obsidian tasks daily todo verbose # then, per reported line: obsidian task daily line=<n> done ``` ### Count outstanding work ```bash obsidian tasks todo total obsidian tasks daily todo total ``` ## Agentic Optimizations | Context | Command | |---------|---------| | List tasks (structured) | `obsidian tasks format=json` | | Open tasks only | `obsidian tasks todo` | | Locate tasks (path + line) | `obsidian tasks verbose` | | Tasks in one file | `obsidian tasks file=X` | | Today's tasks | `obsidian tasks daily` | | Outstanding count | `obsidian tasks todo total` | | Complete a task | `obsidian task ref="path.md:N" done` | | Toggle a task | `obsidian task ref="path.md:N" toggle` | | Custom status | `obsidian task file=X line=N status=-` | | Quick capture to daily | `obsidian daily:append content="- [ ] task"` | ## Related Skills - **vault-files** — Append task lines to notes and daily notes (there is no `task` create command) - **search-discovery** — Find notes containing tasks, or search task text - **properties** — Track task metadata in frontmatter instead of checklist lines