todo.txt is a plain-text file format and philosophy for managing tasks and to-do lists.
The format solves the problem of task management becoming locked into proprietary applications by using a simple, human-readable text structure that any editor can open and modify. The approach works by defining a minimal set of conventions for how tasks are written in plain text: each line represents one task, with optional metadata like priority, completion status, project tags, and context labels embedded directly in the line using simple syntax. This keeps the data portable, version-controllable, and independent of any particular tool.
The format suits anyone who wants their task data to remain accessible and not trapped in a closed system. It works well for developers and technical users comfortable with text editors, for teams that version-control their task lists, and for people who want to switch tools without losing their data. The philosophy emphasizes simplicity and human readability over feature richness, making it ideal for those who prefer lightweight solutions to heavy project management software.
Development of the project shows consistent engagement with the community through issue discussions and documentation refinement. The maintainers respond to user questions and clarifications about the format specification. Updates to the repository focus on improving the primer documentation and addressing edge cases in how the format should be interpreted. The project maintains a stable specification while remaining open to community feedback on implementation details and best practices.
