# Glossary of Operon terms

Short definitions for the words used across these docs. When a term has its own page, follow the link for the full explanation.

## Tasks

- **Inline task**: a Markdown checkbox line that carries Operon metadata, living inside a normal note. See [Inline tasks](/docs/docs-011-inline-tasks/).
- **File task**: a Markdown note that is itself a task, with its fields in frontmatter and the body as a working document. See [File tasks](/docs/docs-013-file-tasks/).
- **operonId**: the durable identity given to every Operon task, so the same task stays recognizable across every surface. See [Task identity and operonId](/docs/docs-015-task-identity-and-operonid/).
- **Parent task / subtask**: a task can contain other tasks, forming a tree. See [Parent and sub-tasks](/docs/docs-016-parent-and-sub-tasks/).
- **Occurrence**: a single instance generated by a recurring task. See [Recurring tasks](/docs/docs-033-recurring-tasks/).

## Fields and customization

- **Canonical field**: an Operon field with one fixed meaning (status, priority, scheduled date, due date, parent task, and so on), reused across every surface.
- **Key mapping**: the link between a canonical field and the property name written in your Markdown, both inline `{{key:: value}}` and file-task frontmatter. See [Key mappings](/docs/docs-039-key-mappings/).
- **Custom key**: a canonical key you define yourself when the built-in mappings are not enough. See [Custom keys](/docs/docs-040-custom-keys/).
- **Pipeline**: a workflow a task moves through, made of ordered statuses. See [Pipelines and statuses](/docs/docs-037-pipelines-and-statuses/).
- **Status**: the current stage of a task within its pipeline.
- **Priority**: how important a task is, used for sorting and filtering. See [Task priorities](/docs/docs-038-task-priorities/).

## Views and surfaces

- **Filter**: a saved query over task fields that defines which tasks are shown.
- **Filter View**: the surface that displays a filter's results. See [Filter View](/docs/docs-025-filter-view/).
- **Dynamic file task filter**: an automatic filter shown inside a file task note, locked to that file's `operonId`, that lists its subtasks. See [Dynamic file task filter](/docs/docs-026-dynamic-file-task-filter/).
- **Task Finder**: fast search to jump to a single task by its text. See [Task Finder](/docs/docs-027-task-finder/).
- **Calendar**: tasks placed on dates and times. See [Calendar overview](/docs/docs-028-calendar-overview/).
- **Kanban**: tasks shown as cards in property-based columns and optional rows called swimlanes. See [Kanban overview](/docs/docs-030-kanban-overview/).
- **Kanban preset**: a saved board setup with its filter, column and swimlane properties, value selections, sorting, appearance, and dimensions. See [Kanban presets](/docs/docs-153-kanban-presets/).
- **Canvas Task Card**: an interactive representation of an Inline Task or File Task on an Obsidian Canvas, linked to its source by `operonId`. It is a view of the task, not a third task type. See [Canvas Task Cards](/docs/docs-141-canvas-task-cards/).
- **Excalidraw Task Card**: an interactive view of an Inline Task or File Task inside an Excalidraw drawing. It follows the source task while the drawing stores its placement. See [Excalidraw Task Cards](/docs/docs-147-excalidraw-task-cards/).

- **Canvas and Excalidraw Task Pool**: a floating list for finding existing tasks and adding their cards to either surface. Modes are Overdue, Unscheduled, All, Finished, and Pinned. It is independent of the Calendar Task Pool. See [Canvas and Excalidraw Task Pool](/docs/docs-148-canvas-and-excalidraw-task-pool/).
- **Canvas and Excalidraw Property Value Pool**: a floating panel for finding and favoriting reusable property values to apply to task cards. Unlike Task Pool, it supplies values rather than tasks. See [Canvas and Excalidraw Property Value Pool](/docs/docs-145-canvas-and-excalidraw-property-value-pool/).
- **Operon group**: a Canvas group whose title contains one property rule, applied to a task when its card is dropped into the group. It is not a task type or a parent–child relationship. See [Operon Groups in Canvas](/docs/docs-146-operon-groups-in-canvas/).
- **Group Mismatches**: the Canvas destination for existing cards that no longer match a single-value group when no suitable normal destination is available. It can contain value-specific subgroups; list groups do not trigger this automatic routing. See [Operon Groups in Canvas](/docs/docs-146-operon-groups-in-canvas/).
- **Embedded Task Card**: a live card for one existing task inside a note, created with an `operon` block containing `view: card` and `taskId`. Removing the embed leaves the task intact. See [Embedded Task Cards](/docs/docs-142-embedded-task-cards/).
- **Table**: tasks shown as rows and columns, like a spreadsheet, for comparing, sorting, grouping, and summarizing many fields at once. See [Table overview](/docs/docs-105-table-overview/).
- **Gantt**: a timeline opened beside an Operon Table, with each task row aligned to its dates, duration, and dependencies. It is a mode of the Table, not a separate Operon view. See [Gantt view](/docs/docs-139-gantt-view/).
- **Task Tree**: a read-only Table column that expands a task's parent and subtask hierarchy as contextual rows without changing the preset's filtered result. See [Table columns](/docs/docs-106-table-columns/).
- **Table preset**: a saved table setup, its filter, columns, grouping, sorting, summaries, Task Tree expansion, and Gantt layout, that you switch between. See [Table presets](/docs/docs-109-table-presets/).
- **Table file**: a Table preset stored as its own `.table` file in your vault, which you can open, rename, move, and back up like any note. See [Table files](/docs/docs-114-table-files/).
- **Favorite preset**: a preset marked with a star for quick access. Table, Calendar, and Kanban favorites appear as shortcuts in the view's toolbar; saved filters can be favorited too. See [Table presets](/docs/docs-109-table-presets/).
- **Column summary**: a value rolled up at the foot of a table column, such as a count, a sum, or the earliest date, shown per group and for the whole table. See [Table summaries](/docs/docs-108-table-summaries/).
- **Pinned Task Dock**: a surface that keeps chosen tasks always in view, as a floating dock or a side panel. See [Pinned Task Dock](/docs/docs-032-pinned-task-dock/).
- **Status Dock**: the compact desktop surface for the timer, shared FlowTime breaks, overdue and today task lists, recent saved sessions, current and upcoming calendar tasks, and duplicate-ID warnings. Unlike the Pinned Task Dock, it follows tracking and scheduling state rather than a manually pinned list. See [Status Dock](/docs/docs-152-status-dock/).
- **Contextual menu**: the right-click and hover menu of task actions, with a configurable, context-aware action list. See [Contextual menu actions](/docs/docs-042-contextual-menu-actions/).

## Time

- **Rolling days**: the default date range for Time Grid and Time Tracker Grid presets, using a visible day count and the selected date's position rather than fixed week boundaries. See [Calendar presets and time grid](/docs/docs-029-calendar-presets-and-time-grid/).
- **Calendar week**: a date range for the normal Time Grid and Time Tracker Grid on desktop and tablet, bounded by the configured Week start and navigated in seven-day steps. Hiding weekends removes Saturday and Sunday from that same week. The compact mobile layout keeps its own ranges. See [Calendar presets and time grid](/docs/docs-029-calendar-presets-and-time-grid/).
- **Reminder**: a notification Operon raises about an open task at a chosen moment, separate from the task's due date. See [Reminders](/docs/docs-116-reminders/).
- **ReminderDatetimes**: the field holding reminders set at a fixed moment, which never move when the task's dates change.
- **ReminderRules**: the field holding reminders defined as an offset from one of the task's own dates, so they move when that date moves. See [Reminder rules](/docs/docs-117-reminder-rules/).
- **Task Occurrence Date**: the recorded date of an existing recurring task, stored in `repeatOccurrenceDate`. It describes that task, not a forecast of its successor. See [Recurring tasks](/docs/docs-033-recurring-tasks/).
- **Repeat reference date**: the recurrence picker's saved reference, which uses the same stored field as Task Occurrence Date for valid dates. It remains a separate filter and sort option. See [Recurrence picker](/docs/docs-064-recurrence-picker/).
- **Reminder reference date**: the task date a reminder rule counts back from, one of `dateDue`, `dateScheduled`, `dateStarted`, `datetimeStart`, or `datetimeEnd`. This is separate from the recurrence reference.
- **Offset**: how long before its reference date a reminder rule fires, written as `1d`, `2h`, `30m`, or a combination.
- **Time tracking**: recording effort against a task, so duration becomes part of its history. See [Time tracking](/docs/docs-034-time-tracking/).
- **TrackTime**: the count-up mode of time tracking, a stopwatch running on a task.
- **FlowTime**: the countdown mode of time tracking, a timed focus session with breaks and an overtime notice. See [FlowTime focus sessions](/docs/docs-035-flowtime-focus-sessions/).

## Plugin

- **Operon**: the task and project management system these docs describe. The Obsidian plugin id is `operon`.
- **Task Creator**: the guided dialog that builds a task for you. See [Task Creator](/docs/docs-020-task-creator/).
- **Task Editor**: the panel that opens a task to view and change its fields. See [Task Editor](/docs/docs-021-task-editor/).

## Related

- [Operon Docs MOC](/docs/docs-001-operon-docs-moc/)
- [Operon core concepts](/docs/docs-005-operon-core-concepts/)
- [Operon system map](/docs/docs-004-operon-system-map/)