feat(notes): notes get their own list, a day log and an Enter chain

The editor was reachable from one button that only appeared in My Day,
which is how it got forgotten. It is now a permanent sidebar entry next
to My Day and Planned, and it fills the tasks island rather than the
details pane, because a note list is content.

Inside, the date picker is gone: today sits at the top with the capture
box, older days follow as dated groups. Enter in a note saves it and
opens the next one, Shift+Enter breaks the line so notes can be several,
Backspace on an empty note deletes it and steps back up. Deleting also
has a visible hover button instead of only "clear the text and hope".
Agent-written notes carry a marker.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/DetailsIslandViewModel.cs

@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
     private readonly IDbContextFactory<ClaudeDoDbContext> _dbFactory;
     private readonly IWorkerClient _worker;
     private readonly IServiceProvider _services;
-    private readonly INotesApi _notesApi;
     private readonly MergeCoordinator _merge;
 
     // ── Section view models ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -39,29 +38,20 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
     private readonly Action<string, string?> _workerPlanningMergeAbortedHandler;
     private readonly Action<string> _workerPlanningCompletedHandler;
 
-    [ObservableProperty] private bool _isNotesMode;
     [ObservableProperty] private bool _isPrepMode;
 
-    public bool IsTaskDetailVisible => !IsNotesMode && !IsPrepMode;
+    public bool IsTaskDetailVisible => !IsPrepMode;
 
-    /// <summary>Centered placeholder shown when no task is selected — hidden in Notes/Prep mode,
+    /// <summary>Centered placeholder shown when no task is selected — hidden in Prep mode,
     /// where <see cref="IsTaskDetailVisible"/> is already false.</summary>
     public bool IsEmptyStateVisible => Task is null && IsTaskDetailVisible;
 
-    partial void OnIsNotesModeChanged(bool value)
-    {
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsTaskDetailVisible));
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsEmptyStateVisible));
-    }
-
     partial void OnIsPrepModeChanged(bool value)
     {
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsTaskDetailVisible));
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsEmptyStateVisible));
     }
 
-    public NotesEditorViewModel Notes { get; private set; } = null!;
-
     // Current task row (set by IslandsShellViewModel via Bind)
     [ObservableProperty]
     [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(EnqueueCommand))]
@@ -324,13 +314,11 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
         IDbContextFactory<ClaudeDoDbContext> dbFactory,
         IWorkerClient worker,
         IServiceProvider services,
-        INotesApi notesApi,
         MergeCoordinator merge)
     {
         _dbFactory = dbFactory;
         _worker = worker;
         _services = services;
-        _notesApi = notesApi;
         _merge = merge;
 
         Monitor = new TaskMonitorViewModel(dbFactory, worker);
@@ -374,8 +362,6 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
             if (e.PropertyName == nameof(OperationStatus.IsRunning)) ParkReviewCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged();
         };
 
-        Notes = new NotesEditorViewModel(_notesApi);
-        Notes.ErrorReported += msg => { if (ShowErrorAsync is not null) _ = ShowErrorAsync(msg); };
         Subtasks.CollectionChanged += (_, _) => NotifyStepsChanged();
         Subtasks.CollectionChanged += (_, _) => Merge.SyncChildOutcomes(HasChildOutcomes, Subtasks.Count);
         Attachments.CollectionChanged += (_, _) => OnPropertyChanged(nameof(FilesBadge));
@@ -592,18 +578,9 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
         catch { }
     }
 
-    public void ShowNotes()
-    {
-        Bind(null, "notes");
-        IsPrepMode = false;
-        IsNotesMode = true;
-        _ = Notes.LoadDayAsync(DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.Today));
-    }
-
     public void ShowPrep()
     {
         Bind(null, "prep");
-        IsNotesMode = false;
         IsPrepMode = true;
         _ = Prep.LoadLastPrepLogIfEmptyAsync();
     }
@@ -612,7 +589,6 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
     /// logged with the bind timing so rebind churn can be attributed to a trigger.</param>
     public void Bind(TaskRowViewModel? row, string source = "?")
     {
-        IsNotesMode = false;
         IsPrepMode = false;
         _loadCts?.Cancel();
         _loadCts?.Dispose();

src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/ListsIslandViewModel.cs

@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ public sealed record MergeHelperRequest(string ListId, IReadOnlyList<string> Tas
 
 public sealed partial class ListsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
 {
+    /// <summary>The day-log list. A smart list with no tasks in it: selecting it makes the tasks
+    /// island show the notes editor instead of rows.</summary>
+    public const string NotesListId = "smart:notes";
+
     private readonly IDbContextFactory<ClaudeDoDbContext> _dbFactory;
     private readonly IServiceProvider? _services;
     private readonly IWorkerClient? _worker;
@@ -255,6 +259,7 @@ public sealed partial class ListsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
         "smart:my-day"    => "vm.lists.smartMyDay",
         "smart:important" => "vm.lists.smartImportant",
         "smart:planned"   => "vm.lists.smartPlanned",
+        NotesListId       => "vm.lists.smartNotes",
         "virtual:queued"  => "vm.lists.virtualQueue",
         "virtual:running" => "vm.lists.virtualRunning",
         "virtual:review"  => "vm.lists.virtualReview",
@@ -279,6 +284,7 @@ public sealed partial class ListsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
             new ListNavItemViewModel { Id = "smart:my-day",    Name = Loc.T("vm.lists.smartMyDay"),      Kind = ListKind.Smart,   IconKey = "Sun" },
             new ListNavItemViewModel { Id = "smart:important", Name = Loc.T("vm.lists.smartImportant"),  Kind = ListKind.Smart,   IconKey = "Star" },
             new ListNavItemViewModel { Id = "smart:planned",   Name = Loc.T("vm.lists.smartPlanned"),    Kind = ListKind.Smart,   IconKey = "Calendar" },
+            new ListNavItemViewModel { Id = NotesListId,       Name = Loc.T("vm.lists.smartNotes"),      Kind = ListKind.Smart,   IconKey = "Text" },
             new ListNavItemViewModel { Id = "virtual:queued",  Name = Loc.T("vm.lists.virtualQueue"),    Kind = ListKind.Virtual, IconKey = "Inbox" },
             new ListNavItemViewModel { Id = "virtual:running", Name = Loc.T("vm.lists.virtualRunning"),  Kind = ListKind.Virtual, IconKey = "Activity" },
             new ListNavItemViewModel { Id = "virtual:review",  Name = Loc.T("vm.lists.virtualReview"),   Kind = ListKind.Virtual, IconKey = "Eye" },

src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/NotesEditorViewModel.cs

@@ -1,25 +1,57 @@
 using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
+using ClaudeDo.Ui.Localization;
+using ClaudeDo.Ui.Services;
 using ClaudeDo.Ui.Services.Interfaces;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;
 
 namespace ClaudeDo.Ui.ViewModels.Islands;
 
+/// <summary>Date separator between the note groups. Rows carry these inline (like the task list's
+/// HeaderRow) so one ItemsControl renders today and the history without a nested control per day.</summary>
+public sealed class NoteDayHeaderViewModel
+{
+    public DateOnly Day { get; }
+    public string Label { get; }
+    public bool IsToday { get; }
+
+    public NoteDayHeaderViewModel(DateOnly day, DateOnly today)
+    {
+        Day = day;
+        IsToday = day == today;
+        Label = day == today ? Loc.T("notes.today")
+              : day == today.AddDays(-1) ? Loc.T("notes.yesterday")
+              : day.ToString("dddd, dd.MM.");
+    }
+}
+
 public sealed partial class NoteBulletViewModel : ViewModelBase
 {
-    public string Id { get; }
+    /// <summary>Empty until the note is persisted — a row the user started but hasn't typed into
+    /// yet exists only in the list, so an abandoned Enter leaves nothing behind in the database.</summary>
+    public string Id { get; set; }
+
+    public DateOnly Day { get; }
+    public bool FromAgent { get; }
+    public bool IsNew => Id.Length == 0;
 
     [ObservableProperty] private string _text;
 
-    public NoteBulletViewModel(string id, string text)
+    public NoteBulletViewModel(string id, DateOnly day, string text, bool fromAgent = false)
     {
         Id = id;
+        Day = day;
         _text = text;
+        FromAgent = fromAgent;
     }
 }
 
 public sealed partial class NotesEditorViewModel : ViewModelBase
 {
+    /// <summary>How far the history scrolls back. Older notes stay in the database and in the week
+    /// report; they are simply not worth the round trip in a day log.</summary>
+    public const int HistoryDays = 14;
+
     private readonly INotesApi _api;
 
     public NotesEditorViewModel(INotesApi api) => _api = api;
@@ -27,32 +59,58 @@ public sealed partial class NotesEditorViewModel : ViewModelBase
     // Raised when a worker call fails so the host VM can surface it (e.g. via ShowErrorAsync).
     public event Action<string>? ErrorReported;
 
-    public ObservableCollection<NoteBulletViewModel> Bullets { get; } = new();
+    /// <summary>Raised after a row is inserted so the view can move the caret into it.</summary>
+    public event Action<NoteBulletViewModel>? FocusRequested;
+
+    /// <summary>NoteDayHeaderViewModel | NoteBulletViewModel, newest day first.</summary>
+    public ObservableCollection<object> Rows { get; } = new();
 
-    [ObservableProperty] private DateOnly _currentDay = DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.Today);
     [ObservableProperty] private string _newBulletText = "";
+    [ObservableProperty] private bool _isEmpty = true;
 
-    public DateTime CurrentDate
+    public DateOnly Today { get; private set; } = DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.Today);
+
+    /// <summary>Loads today plus <see cref="HistoryDays"/> days of history.</summary>
+    public async Task LoadAsync()
     {
-        get => CurrentDay.ToDateTime(TimeOnly.MinValue);
-        set { var d = DateOnly.FromDateTime(value); if (d != CurrentDay) _ = LoadDayAsync(d); }
+        Today = DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.Today);
+        List<DailyNoteDto> notes;
+        try
+        {
+            notes = await _api.ListBetweenAsync(Today.AddDays(-HistoryDays), Today);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            ErrorReported?.Invoke(ex.Message);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Rows.Clear();
+        // Today always gets a header, even with nothing under it — it is where typing lands.
+        Rows.Add(new NoteDayHeaderViewModel(Today, Today));
+        foreach (var n in notes.Where(n => Day(n) == Today).OrderBy(n => n.SortOrder))
+            Rows.Add(Bullet(n));
+
+        foreach (var group in notes.Where(n => Day(n) != Today)
+                     .GroupBy(Day).OrderByDescending(g => g.Key))
+        {
+            Rows.Add(new NoteDayHeaderViewModel(group.Key, Today));
+            foreach (var n in group.OrderBy(n => n.SortOrder))
+                Rows.Add(Bullet(n));
+        }
+
+        RefreshEmpty();
     }
 
-    public string CurrentDayLabel => CurrentDay.ToString("dddd, dd.MM.yyyy");
+    private static DateOnly Day(DailyNoteDto n) => DateOnly.Parse(n.Date);
 
-    public async Task LoadDayAsync(DateOnly day)
-    {
-        CurrentDay = day;
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CurrentDate));
-        OnPropertyChanged(nameof(CurrentDayLabel));
-        Bullets.Clear();
-        foreach (var dto in await _api.ListAsync(day))
-            Bullets.Add(MakeBullet(dto.Id, dto.Text));
-    }
+    private static NoteBulletViewModel Bullet(DailyNoteDto n) =>
+        new(n.Id, Day(n), n.Text, n.FromAgent);
 
-    private NoteBulletViewModel MakeBullet(string id, string text) =>
-        new(id, text);
+    private void RefreshEmpty() => IsEmpty = !Rows.OfType<NoteBulletViewModel>().Any();
 
+    /// <summary>The box above the list: Enter files the note under today and keeps the box focused,
+    /// so a burst of notes is one uninterrupted stream of typing.</summary>
     [RelayCommand]
     private async Task AddBullet()
     {
@@ -60,9 +118,10 @@ public sealed partial class NotesEditorViewModel : ViewModelBase
         if (text.Length == 0) return;
         try
         {
-            var dto = await _api.AddAsync(CurrentDay, text);
-            if (dto is not null) Bullets.Add(MakeBullet(dto.Id, dto.Text));
+            var dto = await _api.AddAsync(Today, text);
+            if (dto is not null) Rows.Insert(1, Bullet(dto));
             NewBulletText = "";
+            RefreshEmpty();
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
@@ -70,21 +129,68 @@ public sealed partial class NotesEditorViewModel : ViewModelBase
         }
     }
 
-    [RelayCommand] private Task PrevDay() => LoadDayAsync(CurrentDay.AddDays(-1));
-    [RelayCommand] private Task NextDay() => LoadDayAsync(CurrentDay.AddDays(1));
-    [RelayCommand] private Task Today() => LoadDayAsync(DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.Today));
+    /// <summary>Enter inside a note: save it, then open an empty row underneath and focus it.</summary>
+    [RelayCommand]
+    private async Task SplitBullet(NoteBulletViewModel? b)
+    {
+        if (b is null) return;
+        await CommitBullet(b);
+        if (!Rows.Contains(b)) return;   // committing an emptied note removed it
+
+        var fresh = new NoteBulletViewModel("", b.Day, "");
+        Rows.Insert(Rows.IndexOf(b) + 1, fresh);
+        FocusRequested?.Invoke(fresh);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Backspace in an already-empty note: drop it and put the caret in the one above.</summary>
+    [RelayCommand]
+    private async Task DeleteBullet(NoteBulletViewModel? b)
+    {
+        if (b is null) return;
+        var index = Rows.IndexOf(b);
+        await RemoveAsync(b);
+
+        for (var i = index - 1; i >= 0; i--)
+            if (Rows[i] is NoteBulletViewModel previous)
+            {
+                FocusRequested?.Invoke(previous);
+                return;
+            }
+    }
 
     [RelayCommand]
     private async Task CommitBullet(NoteBulletViewModel? b)
     {
         if (b is null) return;
         var text = b.Text?.Trim() ?? "";
-        if (text.Length == 0)
+        try
         {
-            await _api.DeleteAsync(b.Id);
-            Bullets.Remove(b);
-            return;
+            if (text.Length == 0)
+            {
+                await RemoveAsync(b);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (b.IsNew)
+            {
+                var dto = await _api.AddAsync(b.Day, text);
+                if (dto is not null) b.Id = dto.Id;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                await _api.UpdateAsync(b.Id, text);
+            }
         }
-        await _api.UpdateAsync(b.Id, text);
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            ErrorReported?.Invoke(ex.Message);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private async Task RemoveAsync(NoteBulletViewModel b)
+    {
+        if (!b.IsNew) await _api.DeleteAsync(b.Id);
+        Rows.Remove(b);
+        RefreshEmpty();
     }
 }

src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/TasksIslandViewModel.cs

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ using ClaudeDo.Data.Models;
 using ClaudeDo.Data.Repositories;
 using ClaudeDo.Ui.Localization;
 using ClaudeDo.Ui.Services;
+using ClaudeDo.Ui.Services.Interfaces;
 using ClaudeDo.Ui.ViewModels.Modals;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 using TaskStatus = ClaudeDo.Data.Models.TaskStatus;
@@ -62,18 +63,10 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
 
     public event EventHandler? FocusAddTaskRequested;
     public event EventHandler? TasksChanged;
-    public event Action? NotesRequested;
     public event Action? PrepRequested;
     public event Action<string>? ErrorReported;
     public void RequestFocusAddTask() => FocusAddTaskRequested?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
 
-    [RelayCommand]
-    private void OpenNotes()
-    {
-        SelectFrom(null, "notes");
-        NotesRequested?.Invoke();
-    }
-
     [RelayCommand]
     private void ShowPrepLog() => PrepRequested?.Invoke();
 
@@ -118,8 +111,17 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
     private bool _hasCompleted;
     [ObservableProperty] private bool _showOpenLabel;
     [ObservableProperty] private string _completedHeader = "";
-    [ObservableProperty] private bool _showNotesRow;
     [ObservableProperty] private bool _isMyDayList;
+
+    /// <summary>The notes list is content, not a task list — the island swaps its rows for the
+    /// notes editor instead of showing an empty task list.</summary>
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    [NotifyPropertyChangedFor(nameof(IsTasksEmptyHintVisible))]
+    [NotifyPropertyChangedFor(nameof(IsTasksEmptyRepoHintVisible))]
+    private bool _isNotesList;
+
+    /// <summary>Null only in tests that construct the island without a notes API.</summary>
+    public NotesEditorViewModel? Notes { get; }
     [ObservableProperty]
     [NotifyPropertyChangedFor(nameof(IsTasksEmptyRepoHintVisible))]
     private bool _isLetClaudeVisible;
@@ -128,7 +130,7 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
 
     /// <summary>No visible tasks below the add-task row — every item lands in one of
     /// Overdue/Open/Completed, so all-false here always means the list has zero items.</summary>
-    public bool IsTasksEmptyHintVisible => !HasOverdue && !HasOpen && !HasCompleted;
+    public bool IsTasksEmptyHintVisible => !HasOverdue && !HasOpen && !HasCompleted && !IsNotesList;
 
     /// <summary>Extra empty-state line for a User list with no linked working dir, where the
     /// execution features (queue, Let Claude handle it, Quick session) are unavailable. Derived
@@ -182,10 +184,20 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
 
     private readonly EventHandler _langChangedHandler;
 
-    public TasksIslandViewModel(IDbContextFactory<ClaudeDoDbContext> dbFactory, IWorkerClient? worker = null)
+    public TasksIslandViewModel(
+        IDbContextFactory<ClaudeDoDbContext> dbFactory,
+        IWorkerClient? worker = null,
+        INotesApi? notesApi = null)
     {
         _dbFactory = dbFactory;
         _worker = worker;
+        if (notesApi is not null)
+        {
+            Notes = new NotesEditorViewModel(notesApi);
+            Notes.ErrorReported += msg => ErrorReported?.Invoke(msg);
+            if (worker is not null)
+                worker.NotesUpdatedEvent += () => { if (IsNotesList) _ = Notes.LoadAsync(); };
+        }
         _completedHeaderRow = new() { ActionCommand = ClearCompletedCommand };
         CompletedHeader = Loc.T("vm.tasksIsland.completedHeader");
         if (_worker is not null)
@@ -417,14 +429,14 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
         HasOpen       = false;
         HasCompleted  = false;
         ShowOpenLabel = false;
-        ShowNotesRow  = false;
         if (listChanged) SelectFrom(null, "list-change");
         if (list is null) { IsLetClaudeVisible = false; IsQuickClaudeVisible = false; IsMergeReviewsVisible = false; LoadTask = Task.CompletedTask; return; }
 
         HeaderTitle = list.Name;
         HeaderEyebrow = DateTime.Now.ToString("dddd · MMM dd", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture).ToUpperInvariant();
-        ShowNotesRow = list.Id == "smart:my-day";
         IsMyDayList  = list.Id == "smart:my-day";
+        IsNotesList  = list.Id == ListsIslandViewModel.NotesListId;
+        if (IsNotesList && Notes is not null) _ = Notes.LoadAsync();
         IsLetClaudeVisible = list.Kind == ListKind.User && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(list.WorkingDir);
         IsQuickClaudeVisible = IsLetClaudeVisible;
         IsMergeReviewsVisible = list.Id == "virtual:review";

src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs

@@ -340,7 +340,6 @@ public sealed partial class IslandsShellViewModel : ViewModelBase, IDisposable
         Lists.SelectionChanged += (_, _) => Tasks.LoadForList(Lists.SelectedList);
         Lists.SelectionChanged += (_, _) => _ = RefreshStaleWorkerCheckAsync();
         Tasks.SelectionChanged += (_, _) => Details.Bind(Tasks.SelectedTask, Tasks.SelectionSource);
-        Tasks.NotesRequested += () => Details.ShowNotes();
         Tasks.PrepRequested += () => Details.ShowPrep();
         Tasks.ErrorReported += FlashFooterError;
         Lists.ErrorReported += FlashFooterError;