Hexfield Deck turns a structured Markdown planner into an interactive kanban board: your task file remains the source of truth, and board edits write back to it. That makes it a fit for people who want visual task management without moving their plans out of plain text. The project documents a VS Code workflow; whether an Obsidian plugin is currently released is unclear.
What Hexfield Deck does
Jim Lindblom’s repository describes Hexfield Deck as a “Markdown-powered kanban task board for VS Code and Obsidian.” Its documented setup and usage instructions are for VS Code. The key idea is that the board is an interface to a Markdown planner, not a separate task database: tasks are parsed from the file, and supported board actions update that file.
The standard board groups tasks into To Do, In Progress, and Done columns. A swimlane view organizes status columns within rows. You can move cards between statuses and rows, edit task details, and have changes written to Markdown immediately. The board also refreshes as the file changes. Project repository
How the Markdown planner is structured
A planner uses YAML frontmatter and Markdown headings to describe its board, then checkbox lines to represent tasks. The guide’s quick-start example includes a planner type, week, year, and tags in the frontmatter. The documented task markers are:
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[ ]for To Do[/]for In Progress[x]for Done[-]for Won’t Do[!]for Blocked
Tasks can include optional inline details: project tags, bracketed ISO-style due dates, priority marks (!!!, !!, or !), estimates such as est:2h, and // comments. In the documented structure, H1 headings name Slates and H2 headings define Rows or swimlanes. Lower-level headings do not change the board structure. A file with no H1 can still be parsed as one implicit Slate, which supports older-format files. User guide and format examples Implementation plan
Views, editing, and finding tasks
Choose a board layout
Use the standard kanban presentation for status columns, or the swimlane presentation when organizing tasks by rows matters. Dragging a card can change its checkbox status or move it to another row.
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Filter and sort the board
The guide documents filters for project, status, priority, due date, and estimate, along with sorting and text search. It also describes progress display, subtasks, and quick-add. Won’t Do and Blocked cards are hidden by default under the guide’s filter behavior, so check the status filter if a task appears to be missing.
Edit a card or return to its source
Context-menu edits let you change task information from the board. To inspect or edit the underlying Markdown directly, open a task’s source line in the editor. This is useful when you want the convenience of moving cards but still need the file’s exact text and metadata.
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Install and open it in VS Code
The repository documents two installation routes: install a VSIX from Releases, or build and package the project from source. Its instructions then use the command Hexfield Deck: Open Board to open a planner.
- Get the VSIX from the project’s Releases page, or follow the repository’s source-build instructions.
- For a VSIX, open VS Code’s Command Palette and run Extensions: Install from VSIX…, then select the downloaded file.
- Open a planner Markdown file in VS Code.
- Run Hexfield Deck: Open Board from the Command Palette.
The project’s repository feature list identifies v0.7.0, while the guide contains a v0.8.0 version-history entry. Those project pages do not establish which release is latest, so check Releases for the version currently available. The README also describes Obsidian support in its introduction while listing the Obsidian plugin as “Coming Soon”; the implementation plan treats that plugin as a future phase. The available project documentation therefore does not confirm a released Obsidian plugin. Repository and setup information Guide and version history
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When Hexfield Deck makes sense
Hexfield Deck is worth considering if you want an editor-integrated board and prefer keeping task data in readable Markdown. The combination is especially relevant if you already organize work with headings, checkbox states, and lightweight metadata, or if editing the planner file directly is as important to you as dragging cards.
It is less suitable if you need a confirmed, ready-to-install Obsidian plugin, or if your workflow depends on capabilities beyond those documented in the project guide. The available materials describe the file format, board interactions, and VS Code installation, but do not establish product adoption, productivity gains, pricing, or release availability outside the documented routes.
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- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
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Troubleshoot common board problems
Cards not appearing?
Check that the file follows the planner’s expected Markdown structure and that task lines use recognized checkbox markers. Also inspect filters, particularly status: Won’t Do and Blocked tasks are hidden by default under the documented behavior.
Drag & drop not working?
Confirm that you opened the planner with Hexfield Deck: Open Board in VS Code, then check that the file and headings are structured as expected. The guide lists drag-and-drop troubleshooting, but the available information does not identify one universal cause for a failed move.
Metadata not showing?
Use the guide’s supported inline conventions for project tags, due dates, priorities, estimates, and comments. If a value still does not appear, inspect the task text and active filters in the board.
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