Templates Overview

Version: 1.3.1 | Status: Production Ready

Templates in Lokus provide reusable structures for common note types, saving time and ensuring consistency across your workspace. From meeting notes to project plans, templates help you start with the right structure every time.

Revolutionary Template System - 90+ Features

Lokus features the most powerful template system in any note-taking app, with 90+ built-in functions for date operations, text manipulation, and dynamic content generation. Version 1.3 introduces a file-based architecture and enterprise-grade features.

File-Based Storage Advantage

Templates are stored as individual .md files with YAML frontmatter in your workspace’s templates/ directory:

Edit anywhere: Use any text editor, sync with Git, version control friendly
Portable: Copy templates between workspaces as simple markdown files
Transparent: No proprietary format - just markdown with frontmatter
Backup-friendly: Standard files that work with any backup solution
Git-friendly: Track changes, collaborate, and share via Git repositories

Example template file structure:

---
id: daily-standup
name: "Daily Standup Notes"
category: Work
tags: [meeting, daily, standup]
createdAt: 2025-11-06T00:00:00.000Z
updatedAt: 2025-11-06T00:00:00.000Z
---
 
# Daily Standup - {{date.format('MMMM do, yyyy')}}
 
## What I did yesterday
{{cursor}}
 
## What I'll do today
 
## Blockers

Core Features: 90+ Functions

70+ Date Operations - Most comprehensive date handling available:

Advanced formatting with date-fns patterns
Method chaining: {{date.add(7, 'days').format('MMMM do, yyyy')}}
Relative dates: tomorrow, yesterday, nextWeek, nextMonday
Date arithmetic: add(), subtract(), addMonths(), subtractYears()
Boundaries: startOfWeek, endOfMonth, startOfYear
Properties: week, quarter, weekday, daysInMonth, isLeapYear
Comparisons: isBefore, isAfter, isSameDay, isSameWeek
Differences: differenceInDays, differenceInWeeks, differenceInMonths

60+ Text & Data Filters - Transform any value with pipe syntax:

String: upper, lower, capitalize, title, slug, truncate, trim, replace, reverse
Array: join, first, last, length, sort, unique, reverse, slice
Number: round, floor, ceil, abs, format (with commas), toFixed
Date: dateFormat, timeAgo, fromNow, relative
Utility: default, json, typeOf, isEmpty
Chaining: {{name | trim | upper | truncate(20)}}

Conditionals - Full if/else/elseif logic:

{{#if priority == 'High'}}
⚠️ HIGH PRIORITY
{{else if priority == 'Medium'}}
Standard priority
{{else}}
Low priority
{{/if}}

Loops - Iterate over arrays with special variables:

{{#each tasks}}
{{@index + 1}}. {{this.title}} ({{@first ? 'FIRST' : ''}})
{{/each}}

Special variables: @index, @first, @last, @length, @key

JavaScript Sandbox - Execute safe JavaScript for complex logic:

{{js: return Math.random() > 0.5 ? 'Yes' : 'No'}}
{{js: return new Date().getFullYear()}}

Template Includes - Compose templates from reusable parts:

{{include:header}}
{{include:footer}}
{{include:greeting:name=John,time=morning}}

HTML to Markdown - Automatic conversion of HTML content to clean markdown

Duplicate Detection - Prevents accidental template overwrites with warnings

Real-World Use Cases

Before Templates:

# Meeting Notes - [manually type date]
Date: [manually type date]
Attendees: [manually type names]
 
## Agenda
1. [manually create structure]
...

After Templates:

# Meeting Notes - Wednesday, November 6th, 2025
Date: 2025-11-06
Attendees: John, Sarah, Mike
 
## Agenda
1. [cursor automatically positioned here]
2.
3.
 
## Action Items
- [ ] Task | Owner: | Due: November 13th

Universal Template System

Templates work everywhere in Lokus:

Note templates for structured documents
Daily note templates with automatic date variables
Project templates with multi-file scaffolding
Meeting templates with attendee tracking
Custom templates for any use case
Template inheritance for building on base templates
Template composition to combine multiple templates

Intelligent Insertion

Multiple ways to use templates:

Command palette (Cmd/Ctrl + K → “Create Template”)
Slash commands in editor
Quick template picker from selection
Right-click menu in editor
Keyboard shortcuts for frequently used templates
Auto-apply based on context

Template Management

Complete control over your templates:

Create from UI with visual editor
Edit templates with live preview
Organize in categories (Personal, Work, Development, etc.)
Export as markdown files
Import from files or repositories
Version control with Git
Duplicate and customize existing templates

What Are Templates?

Templates are pre-formatted notes with placeholders, predefined properties, and standard sections that you can quickly apply when creating new content. Whether you’re documenting meetings, planning projects, or tracking daily tasks, templates streamline your workflow.

Key Features

Pre-built templates for common use cases
Custom templates with your own structure
Variable substitution for dynamic content
Template categories and organization
Quick access via command palette
Template sharing with your team

Using Templates

Creating Notes from Templates

Create a new note from a template using multiple methods:

Method 1: Command Palette

Press Cmd/Ctrl + P
Type “new from template”
Select template
Fill in variables
Create note

Method 2: File Menu

File → New from Template
Browse template gallery
Select template
Configure options
Create note

Method 3: Keyboard Shortcut

Press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + N
Quick template picker appears
Type to filter templates
Select and create

Quick Template Access

Templates integrate seamlessly into your workflow:

Command Palette: Fast search and selection
File Explorer: Right-click context menu
Keyboard Shortcuts: One-key access to favorites
Slash Commands: Type /template-name in editor
Auto-apply Rules: Automatic template based on location or tags

Template Categories

Organizing Your Templates

Group templates by category for easy access:

Built-in Categories:

Personal - Daily notes, journal entries, goal setting
Work - Meetings, projects, status updates
Development - Code documentation, bug reports, release notes
Research - Research notes, literature reviews, citations
Content - Blog posts, articles, tutorials
Custom - Your own categories

Category Configuration:

categories:
  - name: Personal
    icon: User
    templates: [daily-note, journal, goal-setting]
  - name: Work
    icon: Briefcase
    templates: [meeting-notes, project-plan]

Template Gallery

Browsing Templates

Access the template gallery to discover and preview templates:

Gallery Features:

Preview templates before using
Search by name or content
Filter by category
Sort by popularity or recent use
View template details and metadata
Quick apply with one click

Template Details:

Name and description
Category and tags
Variables required
Preview of rendered output
Usage count and last modified date

Template Preview

See exactly what your note will look like:

Preview Features:

Rendered markdown preview
Variable list with descriptions
Required vs optional fields
Sample output with example data
Structure and section overview

Exporting Templates

Share your templates with others:

Export Options:

Single template file (.json)
Template pack (multiple templates)
Include dependencies and assets
Export with usage examples

Export Format:

{
  "name": "Meeting Notes",
  "version": "1.0",
  "category": "Work",
  "template": "...",
  "variables": [...],
  "examples": [...]
}

Importing Templates

Add templates from others:

Import Process:

File → Import Template
Select template file
Review template content
Choose category
Confirm import

Template Sources:

Local files (.json, .md)
URLs (direct links)
Template marketplace
Git repositories

Template Marketplace

Community template sharing:

Features:

Browse community-created templates
Search and filter by category
Rate and review templates
Download and install instantly
Submit your own templates
Track popular and trending templates

Configuration

Template Settings

Configure templates in Settings > Templates:

General:

Default template folder location
Template file extension (.md, .mdx)
Variable syntax style
Auto-complete templates in editor

Behavior:

Auto-fill known variables (date, author, etc.)
Show variable descriptions in prompts
Validate required fields before creation
Remember last used template

Display:

Template gallery layout (grid/list)
Sort order (name, date, usage)
Filter defaults
Preview style and size

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
New from Template	Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + N
Template Gallery	Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + T
Quick Template	Cmd/Ctrl + T
Insert Snippet	/ then type
Edit Template	Cmd/Ctrl + E (in template)

Use Cases

Personal Productivity

Templates for:

Daily planning and reflection
Weekly reviews and goal tracking
Goal setting and habit tracking
Journaling and gratitude logs
Time blocking and scheduling

Team Collaboration

Templates for:

Meeting notes and minutes
Project kickoffs and charters
Status updates and reports
Retrospectives and postmortems
Decision logs and ADRs

Content Creation

Templates for:

Blog posts and articles
Documentation and guides
Tutorials and how-tos
Case studies and portfolios
Social media content

Software Development

Templates for:

Bug reports and issues
Feature requests and specs
Code reviews and pull requests
Release notes and changelogs
Architecture documentation

Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper? Explore these related pages:

Advanced Template Features - Master conditionals, loops, filters, and JavaScript execution
Template Variables - Learn about all available variables and dynamic content
Template Types - Explore built-in templates for every use case
Creating Templates - Build your own custom templates from scratch
Advanced Templates Tutorial - 30-minute hands-on tutorial
Template Gallery - 10+ copy-paste ready templates
Editor Features - Master the template editor
Tasks Integration - Use templates with task management

Examples Variables

Templates Overview

Revolutionary Template System - 90+ Features

File-Based Storage Advantage

Core Features: 90+ Functions

Real-World Use Cases

Universal Template System

Intelligent Insertion

Template Management

What Are Templates?

Key Features

Using Templates

Creating Notes from Templates

Quick Template Access

Template Categories

Organizing Your Templates

Template Gallery

Browsing Templates

Template Preview

Sharing Templates

Exporting Templates

Importing Templates

Template Marketplace

Configuration

Template Settings

Keyboard Shortcuts

Use Cases

Personal Productivity

Team Collaboration

Content Creation

Software Development

Next Steps