Hexfield Deck is for Kanban lovers and Markdown believers

Henri, the author of this article, is a passionate user of both Kanban and Markdown. He loves the simplicity and portability of Markdown, as well as the visual and organizational aspects of Kanban. He stumbled upon a tool called Hexfield Deck, which combines these two passions into one seamless experience.

Hexfield Deck takes a Markdown planner and transforms it into an interactive Kanban board within Visual Studio Code. The board consists of three columns: To Do, In Progress, and Done. Users can simply drag and drop cards between these columns, and the Markdown file updates in real-time. The board serves as a view of the Markdown file, and vice versa.

One of the best aspects of Hexfield Deck is that it keeps all tasks in a plain Markdown file, which can be edited, searched, and backed up just like any other text file. This means no proprietary productivity software or hidden data export buttons.

The tool also allows users to click on a card and instantly jump to the corresponding line in the Markdown file. Dragging cards between columns changes the checkbox status, and dragging between swimlanes moves tasks to different sections of the Markdown file. Changes are synced live, ensuring that the board and the source file are always in sync.

Henri found it surprising that it took 20 years for someone to come up with such a simple idea. He appreciates the simplicity and efficiency of the Markdown format, as it allows anyone to read and understand the tasks, whether they are a human or a computer.

The syntax of Hexfield tasks is minimal: they consist of three states - To do, In progress, and Done - represented by square brackets with a space between them. Users can also add metadata to tasks, such as project names, dates, priority levels, and estimates.

Hexfield Deck cleverly integrates various features into a single Markdown file. Headings in the file can become slates, rows, weeks, or categories, providing a flexible structure for organizing tasks. Users can filter, sort, and manage tasks using the board, while also benefiting from the simplicity of a text file.

For those who prefer a classic Kanban experience, Hexfield Deck offers the option to display the board in a traditional three-column layout. Users can also apply filters based on project, priority, due date, status, or estimate, and even sort tasks in various ways. Additionally, Hexfield Deck supports subtasks, quick addition of cards, and editing card information without needing to return to the source file.

The tool also includes a companion VS Code extension called Hexfield Text, which enhances the Markdown planner syntax with visual cues. This extension helps users quickly identify project tags, priorities, estimates, in-progress checkboxes, and due dates within the editor. It also integrates seamlessly with Hexfield planner files, allowing users to see the visual information alongside the text-based source.