First Steps
Welcome to tududi! This guide will walk you through the essential features and help you get productive quickly.
Your First Login
After installation, navigate to your tududi instance and log in with the credentials you set during setup:
- Email: The value you set for
TUDUDI_USER_EMAIL - Password: The value you set for
TUDUDI_USER_PASSWORD
Once logged in, you'll see the main task view. Let's explore!
Understanding the Interface
Main Navigation
The left sidebar contains your main navigation:
- Today - Tasks due today or overdue
- Upcoming - Tasks with future due dates
- Someday - Tasks without due dates (your backlog)
- Inbox - Items captured from Telegram awaiting processing
- Projects - All your projects
- Areas - High-level life/work categories
- Notes - Standalone notes and documentation
- Tags - Browse by tag
Top Bar
- Search - Universal search across tasks, projects, notes, and tags
- User Menu - Access settings, profile, and logout
- Theme Toggle - Switch between light and dark mode
Creating Your First Task
The most basic action in tududi is creating a task.
Quick Task Creation
- Click the "+ New Task" button (or press
Ctrl/Cmd + N) - Enter a task name, for example: "Buy groceries"
- Press Enter to create
That's it! Your task is now in the "Someday" view.
Adding Task Details
Click on a task to expand its details panel:
- Due Date - Click the calendar icon to set a due date
- Priority - Set Low (0), Medium (1), or High (2) priority
- Description - Add detailed notes about the task
- Project - Assign to a project (we'll create one next)
- Tags - Add tags for organization
- Status - Set task status (0-4) or archive
Status Levels:
- 0: Not started
- 1: In planning
- 2: In progress
- 3: Review/blocked
- 4: Nearly complete
- Archive: Remove from active views but keep for reference
Organizing with Projects
Projects group related tasks together. Perfect for anything with multiple steps.
Create Your First Project
- Click "Projects" in the sidebar
- Click "+ New Project"
- Enter a name, for example: "Home Renovation"
- Optionally set:
- State - Idea, Planned, In Progress, On Hold, Complete, Archived
- Description - Project details
- Area - Assign to an area (we'll cover this next)
- Tags - Add project tags
Add Tasks to a Project
Method 1: From Task Details
- Click on any task
- In the details panel, click the Project dropdown
- Select your project
Method 2: From Project View
- Open a project
- Click "+ Add Task" within the project
- Task is automatically assigned to this project
Project Views
Projects have multiple view modes:
- Card View - Visual cards with status, progress, and quick actions
- List View - Compact list with inline editing
- Sort Options - Order by name, due date, created date, or priority
Grouping with Areas
Areas are high-level categories for your projects. Think of them as life domains.
Common Area Examples
- Personal - Personal projects and tasks
- Work - Professional projects
- Health - Fitness, wellness, medical
- Finance - Budget, investments, financial planning
- Learning - Courses, skills, education
Create Your First Area
- Click "Areas" in the sidebar
- Click "+ New Area"
- Enter a name, for example: "Work"
- Optionally add a description
Assign Projects to Areas
- Open a project
- Click the Area dropdown
- Select an area
Now your projects are organized by life domain!
Organizing with Tags
Tags provide flexible, cross-cutting organization. Use them for contexts, priorities, or any custom categorization.
Tag Ideas
- Contexts:
@home,@office,@phone,@computer - Energy Levels:
#quick-win,#deep-work,#low-energy - Categories:
#urgent,#important,#research,#creative - Time-based:
#morning,#evening,#weekend
Adding Tags
To a Task:
- Click on a task
- In the details panel, find the Tags section
- Type a tag name and press Enter
- Tags are created automatically if they don't exist
To a Note:
- Open a note
- Use the tags section
- Add tags the same way as tasks
Browsing by Tag
- Click "Tags" in the sidebar
- Click on any tag to see all tagged items
- Filter by task or note type
Using Custom Views
Views let you create filtered, personalized task lists.
Create a Custom View
- Go to any task list (Today, Upcoming, Someday)
- Apply filters (project, area, tag, status, etc.)
- Click "Save View"
- Name your view, for example: "Work Tasks - High Priority"
- Optionally pin the view for quick access
Pin Views for Quick Access
Pinned views appear in your sidebar for instant access.
To pin a view:
- Create or open a saved view
- Click the pin icon
- View appears in sidebar
Common View Examples:
- "Today - Work Only" - Today's tasks filtered by work area
- "High Priority Upcoming" - Upcoming tasks with priority 2
- "Quick Wins" - Tasks tagged
#quick-win - "Waiting For" - Tasks in status 3 (review/blocked)
Working with Subtasks
Break complex tasks into manageable steps.
Create Subtasks
- Open a task
- Click "Add Subtask"
- Enter subtask name
- Add as many subtasks as needed
Subtask Features
- Progress Tracking - Visual progress bar shows completion percentage
- Independent Due Dates - Each subtask can have its own due date
- Reordering - Drag and drop to reorder subtasks
- Navigation - Click subtask to view full details
- Completion - Check off subtasks as you complete them
Pro Tip: Use subtasks to break down any task that takes more than one session to complete.
Setting Up Recurring Tasks
Automate repetitive tasks with sophisticated recurring patterns.
Create a Recurring Task
- Create or open a task
- In the details panel, find "Recurrence"
- Click "Set Recurrence"
- Choose pattern:
- Daily - Every day or every N days
- Weekly - Specific days of the week
- Monthly - On specific date or last day of month
- Monthly on Weekday - E.g., "First Monday" or "Last Friday"
- Set options:
- Interval - Every 1 week, every 2 weeks, etc.
- Based on - Completion date or due date
- End date - Optional end to the recurrence
- Save
How Recurring Tasks Work
- Automatic Generation - New task instances are created based on your pattern
- Parent-Child Linking - Generated tasks link back to the original
- Edit Recurrence - Change recurrence settings from any instance
- Complete One, Next Appears - Completing a task generates the next occurrence
Example: "Weekly team meeting" set to recur every Monday
- Complete Monday's task → Next Monday's task is automatically created
- Due date-based: Task always created for upcoming Monday
- Completion-based: Task created 7 days after completion
Creating Notes
Notes capture documentation, ideas, and reference material.
Standalone Notes
- Click "Notes" in sidebar
- Click "+ New Note"
- Enter title and content
- Add tags for organization
- Optionally attach to a project
Project Notes
Notes attached to projects serve as documentation:
- Open a project
- Click "Notes" tab
- Click "+ Add Note"
- Create note (automatically associated with project)
Use Cases:
- Project requirements and specifications
- Meeting notes and decisions
- Research and reference links
- Ideas and brainstorming
- Documentation and how-tos
Managing Your Inbox
The inbox is your capture system for quick ideas, especially from Telegram.
Processing Inbox Items
- Click "Inbox" in sidebar
- Review each item
- For each item, decide:
- Convert to Task - Create a task with this content
- Convert to Project - This needs multiple steps
- Convert to Note - This is reference material
- Delete - Not needed anymore
Inbox Zero Workflow:
- Process inbox daily
- Don't leave items sitting for more than 24 hours
- Make quick decisions: task, project, note, or delete
- Keep inbox empty for mental clarity
Keyboard Shortcuts
Speed up your workflow with keyboard shortcuts:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl/Cmd + N | New task |
Ctrl/Cmd + K | Quick search |
Ctrl/Cmd + / | Show keyboard shortcuts |
Escape | Close dialog/panel |
Enter | Save when editing |
Tip: Press
Ctrl/Cmd + /in the app to see all available shortcuts.
Completing and Archiving Tasks
Mark a Task Complete
Quick Method:
- Click the checkbox next to any task
Detail Method:
- Open task details
- Click "Complete" button
- Task moves to archive
Viewing Completed Tasks
- Open any view (Today, Upcoming, Someday)
- Click "Show Completed" toggle
- See completed tasks with completion dates
Archive vs. Delete
- Complete - Task is done, keep for reference
- Archive - Remove from active views, keep in database
- Delete - Permanently remove (can't be undone)
Best Practice: Complete tasks when done, archive when no longer relevant, delete only if created by mistake.
Sharing Projects (Team Collaboration)
Invite others to collaborate on projects.
Share a Project
- Open a project
- Click the Share button
- Select a user from the dropdown
- Choose permission level:
- Read only - Can view, can't edit
- Read & write - Can view and edit
- Click "Share"
The user now sees this project in their projects list!
Manage Shares
From the Share dialog:
- View all users with access
- See their permission levels
- Revoke access anytime
Important: Only the project owner can share or revoke access.
For more details, see the Project Sharing Guide
Settings and Preferences
User Settings
Access via user menu (top right):
- Profile - Update name, email, password
- Preferences - Default views, sorting, date formats
- Theme - Light, dark, or system default
- Language - Choose from 24 supported languages
Telegram Settings
Set up task capture via Telegram:
- Go to Settings → Telegram
- Enter your Telegram bot token (get from @BotFather)
- Click "Setup Telegram"
- Start chatting with your bot
Messages to your bot create inbox items automatically!
For detailed setup, see Telegram Integration
Tips for Success
Start Small
Don't migrate your entire task list on day one. Start with:
- Today's tasks
- One active project
- Your most urgent items
Build your system gradually as you learn the interface.
Use Areas Wisely
Don't create too many areas. Start with 3-5 major life domains:
- Work
- Personal
- Health
Add more only when genuinely needed.
Tag Sparingly
Tags are powerful but can become overwhelming. Start with a few essential tags:
- Context tags (
@home,@office) - Energy tags (
#quick-win,#deep-work)
Add more tags only when you find yourself repeatedly filtering for something.
Review Weekly
Set up a weekly review routine:
- Process inbox to zero
- Review upcoming tasks
- Update project statuses
- Archive completed items
This keeps your system clean and trustworthy.
Recurring Tasks for Routines
Use recurring tasks for:
- Weekly planning sessions
- Monthly reviews
- Regular errands (grocery shopping, etc.)
- Routine maintenance tasks
Automate the routine to focus on the important.
Common Workflows
Daily Review
1. Check "Today" view
2. Process inbox items
3. Mark completed tasks as done
4. Adjust priorities as needed
5. Review tomorrow's tasks in "Upcoming"
Weekly Planning
1. Review last week's accomplishments
2. Archive completed projects
3. Check "Upcoming" for next week
4. Adjust project priorities
5. Set 3-5 most important outcomes for the week
6. Create custom view: "This Week's Focus"
Project Kickoff
1. Create new project
2. Assign to appropriate area
3. Add project notes with:
- Goals and objectives
- Success criteria
- Resources and links
4. Break down into tasks
5. Set due dates
6. Share with collaborators if needed
Quick Capture (with Telegram)
1. Idea comes to mind → Send message to Telegram bot
2. Later: Open tududi inbox
3. Process item: Convert to task/project/note
4. Assign details (project, due date, priority)
5. Delete from inbox
Troubleshooting
Can't see tasks I created
- Check you're in the right view (Today/Upcoming/Someday)
- Tasks without due dates go to "Someday"
- Check filter settings (clear all filters)
Tasks not appearing in "Today"
- Verify the task has a due date
- Check the due date is today or earlier
- Refresh the page
Shared project not visible
- Verify you've been given access
- Refresh the page
- Check with the project owner that share was completed
Lost my password
- Contact your system administrator (if multi-user)
- For self-hosted single-user: Reset via database or create new user with admin privileges
Next Steps
Now that you're familiar with the basics, explore:
- Project Sharing - Detailed collaboration guide
- Telegram Integration - Advanced capture workflows
Get Help
- Discord Community: Join Discord
- Reddit: r/tududi
- GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
Welcome to tududi - start building your perfect productivity system!