Building Productivity Workflows with Plugins

Learn how to leverage Lokus plugins to create powerful productivity workflows. This tutorial covers plugin installation, usage, and combining multiple plugins for advanced automation.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to:

Discover and install plugins from the marketplace
Configure plugins for your specific needs
Create custom automation workflows with plugins
Combine multiple plugins for complex workflows
Troubleshoot common plugin issues
Build productivity systems that scale
Use MCP-enabled plugins with AI assistants
Optimize plugin performance

Prerequisites

Completed Building Your First Workspace or familiar with Lokus basics
Understanding of your productivity needs
45 minutes of focused time

Time Estimate

45 minutes - Build a complete plugin-powered workflow

Understanding Lokus Plugins

Before diving in, let’s understand what makes Lokus plugins powerful.

What Are Plugins?

Lokus plugins extend functionality without modifying the core application. They can:

Automate repetitive tasks - Save time on common operations
Add new features - Extend Lokus capabilities
Integrate services - Connect to external tools and APIs
Customize workflow - Adapt Lokus to your specific needs
Process data - Transform and analyze your notes
Enhance UI - Add custom views and panels

Plugin Types

UI Plugins:

Add custom views, panels, and buttons
Examples: Calendar views, Kanban boards, mind maps

Data Provider Plugins:

Fetch data from external sources
Examples: Weather data, stock prices, RSS feeds

Automation Plugins:

Create automated workflows and triggers
Examples: Auto-tagging, scheduled exports, backups

Editor Plugins:

Extend markdown editor capabilities
Examples: Custom syntax highlighting, auto-complete

Integration Plugins:

Connect Lokus to external services
Examples: Cloud sync, API integrations, webhooks

MCP Plugins:

Expose tools to AI assistants via Model Context Protocol
Examples: AI-powered search, intelligent summaries

Note: Info: Lokus v1.3.1+ includes a plugin system with VS Code-level extensibility. The Plugin Marketplace makes discovery and installation seamless.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Plugin Environment

Let’s prepare Lokus for plugin usage.

1.1 Enable Community Plugins

Open Settings (Cmd/Ctrl + ,)
Navigate to Plugins section
Toggle “Enable Community Plugins” to ON
Read and accept the security notice

Note: Warning: Community plugins run JavaScript code. Only install plugins from trusted developers. Review permissions before enabling.

1.2 Access the Plugin Marketplace

Click “Browse Marketplace” in Settings → Plugins
Or use Command Palette: “Open Plugin Marketplace”

The marketplace shows:

Featured - Curated high-quality plugins
Popular - Most downloaded plugins
New - Recently published plugins
Updated - Recently updated plugins
Categories - Organized by function

1.3 Understanding Plugin Information

Each plugin listing shows:

Basic Info:

Name and description
Author and version
Download count and rating
Last updated date

Detailed Info:

Permissions required
Dependencies
Size and performance impact
Compatibility (Lokus version)
Documentation link
Source code (GitHub)

Safety Indicators:

✓ Verified - Reviewed by Lokus team
⭐ Featured - High quality, well-maintained
🔒 Minimal Permissions - Limited access
📈 Popular - Many active users

Step 2: Installing Essential Productivity Plugins

Let’s install a core set of productivity plugins.

2.1 Task Management: Advanced Tasks

What it does: Enhanced task management with priorities, due dates, and recurring tasks.

Installation:

Search for “Advanced Tasks” in marketplace
Click “Install”
Click “Enable” after installation

Configuration:

Go to Settings → Advanced Tasks
Configure:
- Default priority: Medium
- Date format: YYYY-MM-DD
- Show in sidebar: ON
- Recurring task syntax: Enabled

Key Features:

- [ ] Task name @today - Due today
- [ ] Task name @high - High priority
- [ ] Task name @repeat(daily) - Recurring daily
- [ ] Task name @context(work) - Context tags
Kanban-style task board view
Calendar integration

Example Usage:

# My Tasks
 
## Work
- [ ] Review code PR @today @high
- [ ] Update documentation @tomorrow @medium
- [ ] Team meeting notes @repeat(weekly:monday)
 
## Personal
- [ ] Grocery shopping @weekend @context(errands)
- [ ] Workout @repeat(daily) @context(health)

2.2 Note Templates: Smart Templates

What it does: Create and insert note templates with dynamic variables.

Installation:

Search for “Smart Templates”
Install and enable

Configuration:

Settings → Smart Templates
Set template folder: Templates/
Enable auto-suggestions: ON
Configure variables:
- {{date}} - Current date
- {{time}} - Current time
- {{title}} - Note title
- {{workspace}} - Workspace name

Create Your First Template:

Create Templates/Meeting Notes.md:

---
template: meeting-notes
---
 
# {{title}}
 
**Date:** {{date}}
**Time:** {{time}}
**Attendees:**
 
## Agenda
 
1.
 
## Discussion Notes
 
 
 
## Action Items
 
- [ ]
 
## Follow-up
 
Next meeting:

Usage:

Create new note
Command Palette: “Insert Template”
Select “Meeting Notes”
Variables auto-populate

2.3 Productivity: Daily Notes Pro

What it does: Enhanced daily notes with templates, navigation, and streaks.

Installation:

Search for “Daily Notes Pro”
Install and enable

Configuration:

Settings → Daily Notes Pro
Configure:
- Daily notes folder: Journal/
- Date format: YYYY-MM-DD
- Template: Templates/Daily Note.md
- Auto-open at startup: ON
- Show streak counter: ON

Create Daily Note Template:

Create Templates/Daily Note.md:

---
date: {{date}}
day: {{dayofweek}}
---
 
# {{date}} - {{dayofweek}}
 
## 🎯 Top 3 Goals
1.
2.
3.
 
## ✅ Completed Tasks
- [ ]
 
## 📝 Notes
 
 
## 💡 Insights
 
 
## 🔗 Related
- [[Previous Day|{{yesterday}}]]
- [[Next Day|{{tomorrow}}]]
 
---
**Streak:** {{streak}} days

Features:

Quick navigation: Prev/Next day buttons
Calendar view: Visual month overview
Streak tracking: Motivating consistency
Search in journal: Find past entries
Export journal: PDF or markdown

2.4 Knowledge Management: Link Explorer

What it does: Visualize and analyze note connections.

Installation:

Search for “Link Explorer”
Install and enable

Features:

Backlink panel: See all notes linking here
Forward links: See all links from this note
Orphan detection: Find unlinked notes
Link suggestions: AI-powered related notes
Graph visualization: Interactive network view

Usage:

Click Link Explorer icon in sidebar
View connections for current note
Click links to navigate
Use “Suggest Links” for AI recommendations

2.5 Automation: Auto Organizer

What it does: Automatically organize notes based on rules.

Installation:

Search for “Auto Organizer”
Install and enable

Configuration:

Create organization rules in Settings → Auto Organizer:

Rule 1: Auto-tag by content

name: "Tag work notes"
trigger: content_contains
patterns: ["meeting", "project", "deadline"]
action: add_tags
tags: ["work"]

Rule 2: Auto-move by tag

name: "Move work notes to folder"
trigger: has_tag
tag: "work"
action: move_to_folder
folder: "Work/"

Rule 3: Auto-archive old tasks

name: "Archive completed tasks"
trigger: tag_and_age
tag: "done"
days_old: 30
action: move_to_folder
folder: "Archive/"

Step 3: Creating Workflow Combinations

Now let’s combine plugins into powerful workflows.

3.1 The Daily Productivity Workflow

Goal: Start each day organized and focused.

Plugins Used:

Daily Notes Pro
Advanced Tasks
Smart Templates
Link Explorer

Setup:

Morning Routine Template:

Create Templates/Morning Routine.md:

# Morning Routine - {{date}}
 
## ☀️ Daily Review
- [[Yesterday|{{yesterday}}]] - What did I accomplish?
- [[Goals]] - What are my priorities?
 
## 📋 Today's Plan
 
### Top 3 Goals
1. {{goal1}}
2. {{goal2}}
3. {{goal3}}
 
### Tasks from Yesterday
{{yesterday_incomplete_tasks}}
 
### Scheduled Tasks
- [ ] @9am: Morning standup @work
- [ ] @2pm: Code review @high @work
- [ ] @4pm: Plan tomorrow
 
### Time Blocks
| Time | Activity |
|------|----------|
| 9-11am | Deep work |
| 11am-12pm | Meetings |
| 1-3pm | Deep work |
| 3-4pm | Admin |
| 4-5pm | Planning |
 
## 🧠 Focus
Today's focus area:
 
---
**Energy Level:** [1-10]
**Mood:**

Automation Rule:

Settings → Auto Organizer:

name: "Create daily note at 6am"
trigger: scheduled
time: "06:00"
action: create_from_template
template: "Morning Routine"
folder: "Journal/"

Task Integration:

Settings → Advanced Tasks:

auto_pull_tasks: true
sources:
  - "Projects/**/*.md"
  - "Work/**/*.md"
show_in_daily: true

Workflow:

Lokus opens, daily note auto-created
Review yesterday’s note via [[Previous Day]] link
Incomplete tasks auto-populate from yesterday
Use Link Explorer to find related project notes
Plan day with time blocks
Update task priorities as needed

3.2 The Research & Writing Workflow

Goal: Efficiently research and write content.

Plugins Used:

Link Explorer
Smart Templates
Auto Organizer
Word Count Stats (from previous tutorial)

Setup:

Research Note Template:

Create Templates/Research Note.md:

---
type: research
source: {{source_url}}
author: {{author}}
date_accessed: {{date}}
tags: [research, {{topic}}]
---
 
# {{title}}
 
**Source:** [{{source_title}}]({{source_url}})
**Author:** {{author}}
**Date:** {{date}}
 
## Summary
 
[Brief 2-3 sentence summary]
 
## Key Points
 
1.
2.
3.
 
## Quotes
 
> "[Quote 1]" (p. X)
 
> "[Quote 2]" (p. Y)
 
## My Thoughts
 
 
 
## Connections
 
Related to:
- [[]]
- [[]]
 
Contradicts:
- [[]]
 
## Next Actions
 
- [ ] Follow up on {{topic}}
- [ ] Check cited sources
 
---
**Tags:** #research #{{topic}}

Writing Project Template:

Create Templates/Writing Project.md:

---
type: writing_project
status: draft
word_count_goal: 2000
deadline: {{deadline}}
---
 
# {{title}}
 
**Status:** 📝 Draft
**Goal:** {{word_count_goal}} words
**Deadline:** {{deadline}}
**Current Count:** {{current_word_count}}
 
## Outline
 
### Introduction
[Hook, thesis, overview]
 
### Body
#### Point 1
Sources: [[]], [[]]
 
#### Point 2
Sources: [[]], [[]]
 
#### Point 3
Sources: [[]], [[]]
 
### Conclusion
[Summary, implications, call to action]
 
## Research Sources
 
{{backlinks}}
 
## Draft
 
 
 
## Revision Notes
 
- [ ] Fact-check all claims
- [ ] Improve transitions
- [ ] Strengthen conclusion
 
---
**Progress:** {{progress_percentage}}%

Automation Rules:

# Auto-tag research notes
name: "Tag research notes"
trigger: frontmatter_has
field: type
value: research
action: add_to_folder
folder: "Research/"
 
# Track writing progress
name: "Update writing stats"
trigger: file_modified
file_type: writing_project
action: update_frontmatter
field: current_word_count
value: "{{word_count}}"

Workflow:

Find source → Create research note from template
Extract key points and quotes
Use Link Explorer to find related research
Start writing project from template
Link research notes into writing project
Auto-organization moves files to proper folders
Word count updates automatically
Link Explorer shows all connected research

3.3 The Project Management Workflow

Goal: Track projects from inception to completion.

Plugins Used:

Advanced Tasks
Daily Notes Pro
Link Explorer
Smart Templates
Kanban Board (if available)

Setup:

Project Template:

Create Templates/Project.md:

---
type: project
status: active
priority: medium
start_date: {{date}}
due_date: {{due_date}}
team: []
---
 
# {{project_name}}
 
**Status:** 🟡 Active
**Priority:** Medium
**Owner:** {{owner}}
**Team:** {{team_members}}
**Timeline:** {{start_date}} → {{due_date}}
 
## 📋 Overview
 
### Goals
1.
2.
3.
 
### Success Criteria
- [ ]
- [ ]
- [ ]
 
## 📊 Project Phases
 
### Phase 1: Planning
**Timeline:** Week 1-2
- [ ] Define requirements @owner
- [ ] Create timeline @owner
- [ ] Assign tasks @owner
 
### Phase 2: Execution
**Timeline:** Week 3-8
- [ ] Development @team
- [ ] Testing @team
- [ ] Documentation @team
 
### Phase 3: Launch
**Timeline:** Week 9-10
- [ ] Final testing @team
- [ ] Deploy @owner
- [ ] Monitor @team
 
## 📝 Meeting Notes
 
- [[{{project_name}} - Kickoff Meeting]]
- [[{{project_name}} - Weekly Sync]]
 
## 📎 Resources
 
- [[Project Plan]]
- [[Technical Specs]]
- [[Design Mockups]]
 
## 🔍 Related Projects
 
{{links:type=project}}
 
## 📈 Progress
 
**Completion:** {{progress}}%
 
Last updated: {{date}}

Weekly Review Template:

Create Templates/Weekly Review.md:

# Weekly Review - Week {{week_number}} {{year}}
 
**Period:** {{week_start}} → {{week_end}}
 
## 🎯 Goals Review
 
| Goal | Status | Notes |
|------|--------|-------|
| {{goal1}} | {{status1}} | |
| {{goal2}} | {{status2}} | |
| {{goal3}} | {{status3}} | |
 
## ✅ Completed This Week
 
{{completed_tasks:week}}
 
## 🚧 In Progress
 
{{active_tasks}}
 
## 📊 Project Status
 
{{projects_summary}}
 
## 💡 Insights & Learnings
 
 
 
## 📅 Next Week Plan
 
### Top 3 Priorities
1.
2.
3.
 
### Key Tasks
- [ ] @high
- [ ] @medium
- [ ] @medium
 
---
**Previous:** [[Week {{prev_week}}]]
**Next:** [[Week {{next_week}}]]

Task Dashboard:

Settings → Advanced Tasks → Views:

# Create custom view: Project Dashboard
name: "Project Dashboard"
filters:
  - tag: project
  - status: active
sort: priority
group_by: project_name
show_progress: true

Workflow:

Create project from template
Break down into tasks with @owner tags
Link tasks to daily notes
Use Kanban board for visual tracking
Daily standup reviews tasks for today
Weekly review template auto-generates progress
Link Explorer shows project dependencies

Step 4: Advanced Plugin Combinations

Let’s explore sophisticated multi-plugin workflows.

4.1 The Content Creation Pipeline

Plugins: Smart Templates + Auto Organizer + Link Explorer + Word Count

Use Case: Blog post from idea to publication

Workflow:

Idea Capture (Template: Quick Idea)

# {{title}}
Date: {{date}}
Type: Blog idea
 
## The Idea
[One paragraph description]
 
## Why It Matters
[Target audience + value]
 
## Next Steps
- [ ] Research @research
- [ ] Outline @writing

Auto-organization moves to Ideas/ folder
Research Phase (Auto-creates research notes)
- Link Explorer finds related content
- Research notes link back to idea
Writing Phase (Template: Blog Post)
- Word Count tracks progress
- Link Explorer shows research sources
- Auto-saves drafts to Drafts/
Review Phase (Checklist template)
- Grammar check
- Link validation
- Image optimization
Publication (Auto-moves to Published/)

4.2 The Learning & Knowledge System

Plugins: Link Explorer + Daily Notes + Smart Templates

Use Case: Building a personal knowledge graph

Workflow:

Capture - Quick notes in daily note
Process - Convert to permanent notes with template
Connect - Link Explorer suggests related notes
Review - Weekly review template surfaces old notes
Synthesize - Create index notes linking themes

Example Permanent Note Template:

---
type: permanent_note
topic: {{topic}}
created: {{date}}
---
 
# {{concept_name}}
 
## Definition
 
[In your own words]
 
## Key Ideas
 
-
-
-
 
## Examples
 
 
## Connections
 
**Related concepts:**
{{link_suggestions:same_topic}}
 
**Builds upon:**
- [[]]
 
**Leads to:**
- [[]]
 
**Contradicts:**
- [[]]
 
## Sources
 
{{backlinks:type=source}}
 
## My Understanding
 
[Your synthesis and thoughts]
 
---
**Last reviewed:** {{date}}

4.3 The Team Collaboration Workflow

Plugins: Advanced Tasks + Auto Organizer + Link Explorer

Use Case: Coordinating team projects

Workflow:

Shared Project Note (Template: Team Project)

# {{project_name}}
 
## Team
- @alice (Lead)
- @bob (Dev)
- @carol (Design)
 
## Tasks
- [ ] Setup environment @bob @today
- [ ] Create mockups @carol @this-week
- [ ] Review architecture @alice @high
 
## Decisions Log
{{date}}: Decided to use React for frontend (@alice)
 
## Meeting Notes
- [[Team Sync - {{date}}]]

Personal Task View (Auto-filter)
- Advanced Tasks filters by @yourname
- Shows only your assignments

Daily Standups (Template auto-generates)

# Standup - {{date}}
 
## @alice
- ✅ Completed design review
- 🚧 Working on API integration
- 🚫 Blocked: Need staging environment
 
## @bob
{{auto_generate:from=Advanced Tasks}}
 
## @carol
{{auto_generate:from=Advanced Tasks}}

Dependency Tracking (Link Explorer)
- See which tasks block others
- Visualize project graph

Step 5: Plugin Performance Optimization

Ensure plugins don’t slow down Lokus.

5.1 Monitor Plugin Performance

Open Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + P)
Type “Show Plugin Performance”
View metrics:
- Load time
- Memory usage
- CPU usage
- Event listeners

Red flags:

Load time > 500ms
Memory usage > 50MB
High CPU during idle

5.2 Optimize Plugin Usage

Disable Unused Plugins:

Settings → Plugins
Disable plugins you don’t actively use
Keep < 10 plugins enabled for best performance

Configure Refresh Intervals:

Settings → [Plugin Name] → Refresh Interval
Increase intervals for non-critical plugins
Disable auto-refresh for static content

Use Lazy Loading:

Settings → Plugins → Advanced
Enable “Lazy load plugins”
Plugins load only when needed

Clear Plugin Caches:

Settings → Plugins → Advanced
Click “Clear All Plugin Caches”
Do this monthly for best performance

5.3 Troubleshooting Plugin Issues

Plugin won’t enable:

Check Lokus version compatibility
Look for dependency conflicts
Review console for errors (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + I)

Plugin causing crashes:

Disable via Safe Mode (Hold Shift during startup)
Report issue to plugin developer
Wait for update or find alternative

Conflicts between plugins:

Disable plugins one by one
Identify which combination causes issue
Check plugin documentation for known conflicts

Best Practices

Do’s

✓ Start minimal - Install plugins one at a time

✓ Read documentation - Understand capabilities fully

✓ Configure carefully - Set up properly before using

✓ Review permissions - Know what plugins access

✓ Keep plugins updated - Updates include fixes and features

✓ Backup before experimenting - Test new plugins safely

✓ Use plugin presets - Save configurations for workflows

Don’ts

✗ Install everything - Only install what you need

✗ Ignore performance - Monitor plugin impact

✗ Skip updates - Old versions have bugs and security issues

✗ Trust blindly - Review code and permissions

✗ Overcomplicate - Start simple, add complexity gradually

✗ Ignore conflicts - Resolve plugin conflicts promptly

Practice Exercise

Goal: Build your own productivity workflow

Task: Create a morning routine workflow that:

Opens today’s daily note
Shows incomplete tasks from yesterday
Displays your top 3 goals
Creates a time-blocked schedule
Links to active projects

Steps:

Install required plugins (Daily Notes Pro, Advanced Tasks)
Create morning routine template
Set up automation rule for 6am creation
Test the workflow for 3 days
Refine based on what works

Bonus: Add Link Explorer to suggest related notes based on your goals.

Troubleshooting

Plugin Not Showing Up After Install

Solution:

Reload Lokus (Cmd/Ctrl + R)
Check Settings → Plugins → Enabled plugins
Verify compatibility with your Lokus version
Check console for errors

Template Variables Not Working

Solution:

Ensure Smart Templates plugin is enabled
Check variable syntax: {{variable_name}}
Review plugin settings for variable definitions
Some variables require specific frontmatter

Automation Rules Not Triggering

Solution:

Verify Auto Organizer is running (status in settings)
Check rule syntax and conditions
Ensure trigger conditions are met
Review logs in Settings → Auto Organizer → Logs

Performance Degradation

Solution:

Disable plugins one by one to identify culprit
Clear plugin caches
Reduce refresh intervals
Consider alternative lighter plugins

Next Steps

This Week

Install 3-5 essential plugins for your workflow
Create templates for common tasks
Set up one automation rule
Test workflow for productivity gains

This Month

Experiment with plugin combinations
Build 2-3 custom workflows
Optimize plugin performance
Share workflows with community

Continue Learning

Related Tutorial: Plugin Development - Build your own
Related Tutorial: Advanced Search - Power user techniques
Resource: Plugin API Documentation
Community: Plugin Showcase Forum

Summary

In this tutorial, you learned:

How to discover and install plugins from the marketplace
Configuring plugins for your specific workflow needs
Creating powerful automation with plugin combinations
Building three complete workflows (daily productivity, research & writing, project management)
Advanced multi-plugin combinations for complex use cases
Optimizing plugin performance for speed
Troubleshooting common plugin issues
Best practices for sustainable plugin usage

You now have the skills to build custom productivity workflows using Lokus plugins. The plugin ecosystem is constantly growing - explore the marketplace regularly for new tools that can enhance your workflow.

Resources:

Estimated Completion Time: 45 minutes Difficulty: Intermediate Last Updated: November 2025

Plugin Development Multimedia Research