# Task Notes

Task notes in Super Productivity are integrated, context-aware documentation that complement rather than replace external documentation tools. They are designed for immediate task-related information capture and retrieval during both planning and execution, so you can keep context in one place without switching to a separate app.

The app also supports **project notes**—notes attached to a project rather than a single task—for project-wide context. See [[4.06-Project-View]]. This concept focuses on **task notes**: the notes field on a task, used in the task detail panel and in focus mode. See [[4.09-Task-Attributes]] for how notes fit into the task model.

## Role Compared to External Documentation Tools

Task notes provide lightweight, task-attached documentation that stays within the workflow. The note is always available when you open the task or work on it in focus mode, so you do not have to leave the app to look up what you wrote. External tools (for example Jira, GitHub, or your own wikis) handle broader project documentation, specs, and long-lived knowledge; Super Productivity’s notes are for **immediate** context: what you want from this task, how you plan to do it, and what you capture while working. The app can sync data (including notes) via WebDAV or Dropbox for backup, but the primary role of task notes is immediate, task-contextual documentation rather than a full knowledge base.

## Planning Vs Execution Usage

Task notes support both planning and execution, with different emphasis in each phase.

**Planning phase:** When you create or open a task, you can use a **default note template** (configurable in [[3.02-Settings-and-Preferences]]) to guide structured thinking. The template can include prompts such as “How can I best achieve it now?” and “What do I want?” so new tasks start with a consistent structure. The template is only a starting point—you can edit or replace it. That gives you structure when you want it without forcing a rigid format.

**Execution phase:** During work, notes act as a **dynamic working document**. In focus mode, you can view and edit the task’s notes in place, so you can update them in real time without leaving the task context. You can add checklists, capture decisions, or jot down next steps as you go. The inline markdown editor supports both structured checklists (which the app can treat as a checklist in the UI) and free-form content, so you can mix lists and prose as needed.

## Structured Vs Free-form: How the Design Balances Both

The note system balances structure and flexibility so notes can serve as both planning aids and flexible execution documents.

1. **Template-guided structure** — The default note template gives new tasks a consistent starting shape (for example planning questions). The template is editable per task, so you keep structure where it helps and drop it where it does not.

2. **Markdown flexibility** — Notes support standard markdown: headings, lists, bold, links, and so on. You can write free-form text or use list syntax that the app can treat as a checklist. You are not locked into a fixed form.

3. **Context-aware storage** — Notes are stored as simple text attached to a specific task (or, for project notes, to a project). That keeps them easy to find and keeps the data model simple—no heavy schema, just content tied to the right context.

4. **Minimal schema** — The note model stays minimal: content, optional image reference, and basic metadata. That avoids over-structuring and keeps notes fast to use for ad hoc capture while still supporting templates and checklists when you want them.

The result is that notes can act as structured planning tools and as flexible execution documents without the overhead of a complex note schema.

## Sync and Backup

Task and project notes are part of your Super Productivity data. When you use sync (for example WebDAV or Dropbox), notes are included in the synced data, so they are backed up and available on other devices. Sync supports backup and continuity; it does not change the main purpose of notes, which remains immediate, task- and project-contextual documentation rather than a substitute for a full external knowledge management system.

## Related

- [[4.09-Task-Attributes]] — How the notes attribute fits into the task model
- [[4.06-Project-View]] — Project notes (project-level context)
- [[3.02-Settings-and-Preferences]] — Default note template and related settings
- [[3.03-Keyboard-Shortcuts]] — Shortcuts such as “Add new note” and “Show/Hide Notes”
- [[2.08-Choose-Sync-Backend]] and [[2.09-Configure-Sync-Backend]] — Sync and backup (notes included in synced data)
