Sleek
Sleek is an open-source todo.txt task manager for Windows, macOS and Linux. This page covers projects, contexts, priorities, recurring tasks, plain-text storage, safe writes and sync conflicts.
What Sleek provides
Sleek reads and writes the plain-text todo.txt format, adding projects, contexts, priorities, due dates, recurring tasks, groups and search. The text remains portable, but custom properties and recurring-task syntax may appear as ordinary text in another client, so compatibility should be checked with a copy.
Treat synchronization as a write conflict
Safe writes reduce partial-file risk, but they do not turn simultaneous edits into a conflict-free workflow. Keep version history, pause other editors when testing a sync directory and inspect conflict copies before archiving or bulk-renaming tasks.
Maintenance note
This page reviews Sleek for plain-text task portability, recurring rules, archive workflows and synchronization hygiene. Content review date: 2026-08-23.
Save to your cloud drive
Open the cloud drive to get the file directly, or save it for convenient access on another device.
Quark Cloud Drive
RecommendedSave Sleek to this cloud drive
Baidu Netdisk
Save Sleek to this cloud drive
Sleek todo.txt and sync conflict guide
Copy a test todo.txt, create a few tasks with projects and contexts, verify another text editor can read them and only then test recurring tasks, archives and synchronization.
Before you start
- Prepare a UTF-8 test todo.txt and retain an untouched copy.
- If using a sync directory, enable version history and pause edits on other devices.
- Note the extension syntax that other todo.txt clients must preserve.
Installation steps
- 01
Install the matching build
Install Sleek for the platform and architecture, launch it and confirm the version, file encoding and task-file path before opening the only copy.
- 02
Open and edit a test file
Create tasks with priority, project, context and due date in a copy, then open the file in a plain-text editor to verify it remains readable.
- 03
Configure groups and safe writes
Create project or context groups, save useful searches and keep safe writes enabled unless a documented compatibility test and backup justify a change.
Quick start
- 01
Establish consistent task syntax
Use a stable convention for projects, contexts, dates and key-value tags and verify filtering and ordering before importing a larger list.
- 02
Test recurring tasks
Add a recurring rule to a test item, complete it and check the generated next date; preserve a copy before renaming or deleting properties in bulk.
- 03
Archive and verify portability
Move test completed items to done.txt, open both files in another compatible client and text editor and check encoding, line endings, order and sync state.
Usage tips
- Plain text is portable, but clients differ in recurring rules, custom properties and archive behavior.
- Avoid simultaneous writes from several devices even when the sync service supports version history.
- Keep todo.txt and done.txt backed up separately from the live sync directory.
Troubleshooting and uninstall
Why are tasks duplicated or missing after sync?
Stop multi-device edits, inspect conflict copies and version history, compare the most recent backup and only then resolve or archive the main file.
Why does another client show tags as plain text?
Check UTF-8, line endings and support for Sleek's extension syntax with a copy; do not bulk-convert the primary task file before verifying compatibility.
- Back up task and archive filesSave todo.txt, done.txt and associated files, confirm they open independently and record the sync directory and extensions in use.
- Wait for writes and uninstallLet Sleek finish writing and synchronization, exit it and uninstall through the platform; remove configuration only after deciding which searches and interface settings matter.
Frequently asked questions
Does Sleek store tasks in a proprietary database?
No. It uses todo.txt plain text, though recurring rules, custom properties and extensions may not render the same way in every client.
Can todo.txt live in a synced folder?
It can, but simultaneous writes may create conflicts or overwrite changes. Keep version history, avoid concurrent editing and preserve backups.
Does safe write eliminate sync conflicts?
No. It helps write completeness but does not coordinate independent editors or resolve competing versions.
Does the download require an extraction code?
The Quark entry does not require one; the four-character code for the Baidu entry is shown beside its download entry.