# Torudo
[](https://crates.io/crates/torudo)
A terminal-based todo.txt viewer and manager written in Rust with TUI interface.
## Features
- Project-based column view with priority sorting
- **Pick layout** (Todo mode, `v` to toggle): groups todos into `(A)` / `High` / `Low` / `No Energy` columns for GTD next-action pickup; composes with the `n` energy/time filter
- **GTD modes** (Inbox, Todo, Waiting, Ref, Someday) switchable with `Tab` / `Shift+Tab`
- **Vimium-like `f` jump**: press `f` to overlay short labels on every visible card and jump selection with one keystroke
- **External capture** via `torudo inbox add "..."` โ add items to the inbox from scripts, launchers, or editor bindings without the TUI running
- Vim integration and real-time file watching
- URL detection (๐) and browser open (`o`)
- Self-update via GitHub Releases (`torudo update`)
- [crmux](https://github.com/maedana/crmux) / Claude Code integration
## Demo
![gif][1]
## Installation
### Quick install
```sh
### From crates.io
```sh
cargo install torudo --locked
```
### Build from source
```sh
git clone https://github.com/maedana/torudo.git
cd torudo
cargo build --release
```
## Configuration
### Command Line Options
- `--todotxt-dir <PATH>`: Directory containing your todo.txt file (default: `~/todotxt`, fallback: `TODOTXT_DIR` env var)
- `--nvim-listen <PATH>`: Neovim socket path set by `nvim --listen` (default: `/tmp/nvim.sock`, fallback: `NVIM_LISTEN_ADDRESS` env var)
## Usage
### First Time Setup
When you run Torudo for the first time, it will check for the required directory and files:
1. If `~/todotxt` directory doesn't exist, it will ask permission to create it
2. If `todo.txt` doesn't exist, it will ask permission to create an empty file
3. If you decline either creation, the application will exit
This ensures you have control over where your todo files are stored.
### Basic Usage
```bash
# Run torudo (looks for todo.txt in $TODOTXT_DIR or ~/todotxt)
torudo
# Specify todotxt directory
torudo --todotxt-dir ~/my-todos
# Run with debug mode for detailed logging
torudo -d
# Specify Neovim socket path
torudo --nvim-listen /tmp/my-nvim.sock
```
### Working with Modes from Outside the TUI
Every GTD mode is reachable from the CLI without the TUI running, which makes torudo usable from launchers, shell scripts, editor keybindings, and agents. `<mode>` is one of `inbox`, `todo`, `waiting`, `ref`, `someday`.
```bash
# Capture a new task into the inbox
torudo inbox add "(A) Buy milk +grocery @home"
# Pipe the output through jq to grab the generated id
# Preserve an explicit id (otherwise a UUID is generated)
torudo inbox add "Fix #123 id:my-custom-id"
# List a mode โ plain todo.txt lines, or JSON for scripting
torudo inbox list
torudo todo list --json
# Set GTD tags on an item (--time short|medium|long, --energy low|high)
torudo todo set <id> --time short --energy low
# Move an item to another mode
torudo inbox promote <id> --to todo
# Complete an item โ moves it to done.txt with today's date (Todo / Waiting only)
torudo todo complete <id>
# Look at the archive, and undo a completion
torudo done list --json
torudo todo reopen <id>
```
`add`, `set`, and `promote` print the resulting item as JSON in the same format as `torudo current`; `set` and `promote` exit non-zero on an unknown id. When a TUI session is running, the file watcher picks up the change and the affected tab updates automatically.
### Driving torudo from Claude Code
This repository ships an [Agent Skill](skills/torudo/SKILL.md) that lets Claude Code run the
above for you in plain language โ "inboxใซ็ไนณใ่ฒทใใ่ฟฝๅ ใใฆ", "็ญๆ้ใปไฝใจใใซใฎใผใซใใฆ
todoใซ็งปใใฆ", or a bare URL, in which case Claude resolves a readable title (using a
host-specific CLI when one exists, otherwise fetching the page) and confirms the line before
adding it. It also writes the `- [ ]` checklist in `todos/{id}.md` for an item, and can start
work on a task โ creating the git worktree, opening a terminal tab there, and launching a
Claude session for it. That last part additionally needs
[git-wt](https://github.com/k1LoW/git-wt) and [herdr](https://herdr.dev); without them the
capture and triage parts still work.
```bash
# Install globally
npx skills add maedana/torudo --skill torudo -g
```
Or copy `skills/torudo/SKILL.md` to `~/.claude/skills/torudo/SKILL.md` by hand.
### Updating
```bash
# Check for updates
torudo update --check
# Update to latest version
torudo update
# Force re-download
torudo update --force
```
### Keyboard Controls
Press `?` in the TUI or run `torudo -h` to see all keyboard shortcuts.
### Todo.txt Format
Torudo supports the standard todo.txt format:
```
(A) Call Mom +family @phone
x 2024-01-15 2024-01-10 (B) Review quarterly report +work @office
(C) Buy groceries +personal @errands
Learn Rust programming +learning @coding id:abc123
```
Features supported:
- Priority levels: `(A)`, `(B)`, `(C)`
- Completion status: `x` prefix with completion date
- Creation date: `YYYY-MM-DD` format
- Projects: `+project_name`
- Contexts: `@context_name`
- Unique IDs: `id:unique_identifier` (automatically added if missing)
- Key/value tags: `key:value` pairs (e.g. `t:2026-05-30`, `due:2026-06-01`) are parsed into a dedicated field; URLs in the description are not misdetected as tags
### Todo Sorting
Todos are automatically sorted within each project column using the following priority:
1. **Priority level**: (A) items first, then (B), then (C)
2. **File line number**: Within the same priority level, todos maintain their original file order
This ensures high-priority items are always visible at the top while preserving your intended ordering for items of the same priority.
### Display Features
- **Threshold dates** (`t:YYYY-MM-DD`): future items sort to bottom and render dimmed
- **Overdue highlighting** (`due:YYYY-MM-DD`): items past due render with a red border
- **Detail md preview** (Todo / Waiting tabs): top 3 unchecked `- [ ]` from `todos/{id}.md` shown inline on each card
- **Detail md badge** (Todo / Waiting tabs): right-aligned `{done}/{total} {elapsed}` (e.g. `2/7 5m`) on each card; updates live
- **Dynamic text wrap** with per-item height calculation
### Vim Integration
If you have Neovim running with a socket, Torudo can automatically open todo detail files when navigating. Each todo item can have an associated markdown file in `$TODOTXT_DIR/todos/{id}.md`.
### Todo Detail Frontmatter
Todo detail files (`todos/{id}.md`) support YAML frontmatter with a `cwd` field to specify the working directory for `clp`/`cli` claude launch:
```markdown
---
cwd: /home/user/src/my-project
---
# Task details here
```
The `cwd` field is required for `clp`/`cli` โ an error is shown if it is not set.
## File Structure
Torudo keeps one todo.txt-format file per GTD mode plus a `done.txt` archive. Each file holds plain todo.txt lines; `todos/{id}.md` holds optional long-form detail for individual items.
```
~/todotxt/
โโโ inbox.txt # Inbox โ capture target (also `torudo inbox add`)
โโโ todo.txt # Todo / Next actions (`x` completes here)
โโโ waiting.txt # Waiting for (`x` also completes here)
โโโ ref.txt # Reference material
โโโ someday.txt # Someday / maybe
โโโ done.txt # Archive of items completed from todo.txt
โโโ todos/ # Individual todo detail files
โโโ abc123.md
โโโ def456.md
```
Only `todo.txt` is created at first launch; the other mode files are created lazily the first time something lands in them (e.g. via the `s` send-to prefix or `torudo inbox add`). Completing an item with `x` works in Todo and Waiting modes (completed items are moved to `done.txt`); to complete an item from Inbox / Ref / Someday, send it to Todo first with `st`.
**If you prefer the classic todo.txt / done.txt workflow**, just stay in Todo mode and ignore the other tabs โ none of the GTD mode files are created until you write to them, and every existing key (`x`, `hjkl`, `o`, โฆ) behaves exactly as before. GTD is opt-in, not required.
## Development
### Running in Development
```bash
cargo run
# With debug mode
cargo run -- -d
```
### Running Tests
```bash
cargo test
```
### Code Quality
```bash
cargo clippy
cargo fmt
```
## Roadmap
Ideas that are on the table but not yet implemented. Order does not imply priority.
- Show PR status for todos linked to a git working tree (new frontmatter field pointing at the working tree path)
- `torudo w sync` subcommand: when invoked from inside a git working tree, automatically fill the currently selected todo's frontmatter with that path (no more hand-editing)
## License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
## Contributing
1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Run tests and linting
5. Submit a pull request
## Acknowledgments
- Inspired by the todo.txt format by Gina Trapani
- Built with [Ratatui](https://github.com/ratatui-org/ratatui) for the terminal UI
- Uses [crossterm](https://github.com/crossterm-rs/crossterm) for cross-platform terminal handling
[1]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/maedana/torudo/main/docs/demo.gif