Task List Kanban Plugin: Task & Project Management For Obsidian

TL;DR

Task List Kanban is free and open source, and it aggregates checkbox tasks from an Obsidian Vault into a single Kanban board automatically.

Briefing Cornell Notes

Briefing

Task List Kanban is a free, open-source Obsidian plugin that turns every checkbox task in an Obsidian Vault into a single Kanban board—automatically—so users can prioritize work without duplicating tasks across multiple tools. The core promise is simple: create tasks anywhere in the Vault, and they instantly appear in the Kanban view, where hashtags determine which column they belong to and where drag-and-drop updates the underlying note.

Installation is straightforward: enable the plugin from Obsidian’s Community Plugins browser, then create a Kanban board by right-clicking the folder where the board should live. Each board starts with default columns (including “uncategorized” and “done”), and users can add or remove columns as needed. Column behavior is controlled through board settings, including whether tasks are collected from a specific folder (“folder scope”) or from the entire Vault (“every folder”). This folder-scoped approach matters because it supports both general task tracking and project management: keep each project’s notes in its own folder, then generate a Kanban board inside that folder so only that project’s tasks show up.

Tasks flow into the board through hashtags. When a task has no matching hashtag, it lands in “uncategorized.” Add a hashtag that matches a column name (for example, #plan or #upnext), and the task moves into that column automatically. Moving tasks is equally direct: drag a task card between columns, and the plugin updates the source note by adding or removing the relevant hashtag. Completing work is handled by moving cards into “done,” which marks completion by removing the active column hashtag. For cleanup, the plugin can archive completed tasks: moving them into an archive action tags them with #archive and removes them from the Kanban view so they don’t clutter ongoing planning.

Beyond basic movement, the plugin supports quick task creation and editing directly from the Kanban interface. Users can add new tasks via the board UI, but the workflow is faster when tasks are written directly into the note files (including checkbox syntax). The plugin also supports multiple tags on tasks, enabling users to label tasks by project (e.g., #projectA and #projectB) in addition to workflow status tags like #plan.

For project management, Task List Kanban adds filtering. A user can filter the Kanban board by content (searching task text) or by tag. Tag filtering is especially useful: selecting #projectA shows only tasks tagged for that project, while selecting multiple project tags narrows results to tasks matching those tags.

A notable limitation is lack of deep integration with Obsidian’s separate Tasks plugin. Even after installing Tasks and setting due dates and priorities, those details don’t render in the Kanban view. The workflow remains functional, but sorting by due date or priority would require tighter coupling between the two plugins—something the creator explicitly hopes to see in future development.

Cornell Notes

Task List Kanban is a free Obsidian plugin that automatically aggregates checkbox tasks from an Obsidian Vault into a Kanban board. Tasks are assigned to columns using hashtags that match column names (e.g., #plan), and dragging cards between columns updates the underlying note by adding/removing those hashtags. Folder scope lets users build boards for a single project folder (project management) or for the entire Vault (general task tracking). The plugin also supports archiving completed tasks with #archive and filtering tasks by tag (like #projectA/#projectB) to show only relevant work. It currently lacks strong integration with Obsidian’s Tasks plugin, so due dates and priorities set there don’t drive Kanban sorting or display.

How does a checkbox task get into the correct Kanban column?

A task appears in the Kanban board based on its hashtags. If a task has no hashtag matching any configured column, it lands in the default “uncategorized” column. If the task includes a hashtag that matches a column name (for example, #plan or #upnext), the plugin automatically places it in that column. Dragging the task to another column updates the source note by removing the old column hashtag and applying the new one.

What’s the difference between “folder scope” and “every folder,” and why does it matter?

In board settings, “folder scope” restricts task collection to tasks created in files within the board’s chosen folder (e.g., a project’s folder). “Every folder” collects tasks from anywhere in the Vault. Folder scope is the key to project management: keep each project’s notes in its own folder, then create a Kanban board inside that folder so only that project’s tasks appear.

How does completion work, and how are completed tasks removed from the board?

Completion is handled by moving tasks into the “done” column. When a task is dragged to “done,” the plugin marks it as done by removing the workflow hashtag (the column tag). To prevent the “done” column from becoming crowded, the plugin can archive completed tasks: it tags them with #archive and removes them from the Kanban view so they no longer appear in any column.

How can users manage multiple projects within the same Kanban board?

Users can add multiple tags to tasks. For example, a task can include both a workflow tag like #plan and a project tag like #projectA or #projectB. Then the board’s filter can show only tasks for a selected project tag. Filtering by tag is more precise than filtering by content because it doesn’t require searching task text.

What filtering options exist, and when should each be used?

Filtering can be done by content or by tag. Content filtering searches for matching text in tasks (e.g., typing “checklist” shows only checklist items containing that text). Tag filtering shows tasks based on hashtags (e.g., selecting #projectA shows only tasks tagged with #projectA). Tag filtering is best for project management because it cleanly separates work by label.

What limitation remains when using Obsidian’s Tasks plugin alongside Task List Kanban?

Even after installing and enabling Obsidian’s Tasks plugin and setting fields like due date and priority, those details don’t render or influence the Kanban view. The tasks still appear, but Kanban doesn’t sort or display due-date/priority metadata from Tasks, leaving the workflow more manual than an integrated solution would allow.

Review Questions

If a task has hashtag #plan but you drag it to the “done” column, what changes in the underlying note?
How would you set up two separate Kanban boards to manage two projects without mixing their tasks?
When would tag-based filtering be preferable to content-based filtering in this plugin?

Key Points

1
Task List Kanban is free and open source, and it aggregates checkbox tasks from an Obsidian Vault into a single Kanban board automatically.
2
Hashtags determine column placement: a task with a hashtag matching a column name (e.g., #plan) lands in that column.
3
Drag-and-drop updates the source note by adding/removing the relevant column hashtag, keeping the Kanban view and notes in sync.
4
Board settings let users choose “folder scope” (project-specific) or “every folder” (Vault-wide) task collection.
5
The plugin supports archiving completed tasks with #archive to remove them from the Kanban view and reduce clutter.
6
Multiple tags enable project labeling (e.g., #projectA/#projectB) and tag-based filtering to show only relevant tasks.
7
Deep integration with Obsidian’s Tasks plugin is limited: due dates and priorities set there don’t currently drive Kanban display or sorting.

Highlights

Any checkbox task created anywhere in the Vault can appear in the Kanban board without duplicating it—hashtags control the column assignment.

Folder scope turns Kanban into a project-management tool: one board per project folder keeps tasks separated automatically.

Moving a card to “done” marks completion by removing the workflow hashtag, and archiving uses #archive to hide completed work.

Tag filtering can slice the board by project labels like #projectA and #projectB, while content filtering searches task text.

Even with Obsidian’s Tasks plugin installed, due dates and priorities don’t render in Kanban, limiting sorting by schedule or urgency.

Topics

Obsidian Plugins
Kanban Workflow
Hashtag Columns
Project Management
Task Filtering

Mentioned

Prakash Joshi