Inline vs file tasks
Operon gives you two shapes for a task, and the most common beginner question is which one to use. The short answer: start inline, and promote to a file task only when the work needs its own room. You are not locked in either way.
The quick rule
- If the task fits in one line and a few fields, use an inline task.
- If the task needs sections, references, decisions, or many subtasks, use a file task.
Most tasks are small, so most tasks should start inline.
Side by side
| Inline task | File task | |
|---|---|---|
| Lives in | a line inside a note | its own Markdown note |
| Fields stored in | {{key:: value}} on the line |
frontmatter |
| Best for | quick actions, capture, checklist items | drafts, projects, research, routines |
| Room for a body | no | yes, the whole note |
| Friction | very low | a little more |
Both are real Operon tasks. Both have an operonId, both appear in every view, and both support status, priority, dates, recurrence, and time tracking. The difference is how much space the work gets, not how "important" it is.
The same task, both shapes
Here is one task, "Write the quarterly report," written each way. The fields carry the same meaning; only the container changes. Both use the {{operonId}} template variable, so pasting either one mints a real id. See operonId template variables.
As an inline task, one line in a note:
- [ ] Write the quarterly report {{operonId:: {{operonId}}}} {{status:: Project.InProgress}} {{priority:: A}} {{dateDue:: 2026-06-30}}
As a file task, a note whose frontmatter holds the same fields and whose body is free for the work:
---
operonId: {{operonId}}
Status: Project.InProgress
Priority: A
dateDue: 2026-06-30
---
The inline line is the whole task; the file task adds an entire note body below the frontmatter for sections, references, and subtasks. That body space is the only thing the inline form gives up.
When to promote
Move a task from inline to a file when you notice the signs:
- You keep writing notes about the task in other notes.
- It needs an outline, references, or decisions recorded.
- It is growing real subtasks, not just a quick checklist.
- It repeats with the same structure every time.
When that happens, run Create file task on the line, or Edit or convert to file task. Operon carries the task's identity and fields forward. See Converting inline and file tasks.
When to shrink back
The reverse is just as valid. If a file task has done its job and the extra context is no longer useful, run Convert file task to inline task to collapse it back to a single line. Let work expand and contract with its needs.
Do not overthink the first choice
The first shape is a starting point, not a verdict. Pick inline when in doubt. Operon is built so the wrong first guess costs you one command to fix.