1.1 Summary

Org-mode is a mode for keeping notes, maintaining ToDo lists, and doing project planning with a fast and effective plain-text system.

Org-mode develops organizational tasks around NOTES files that contain lists or information about projects as plain text. Org-mode is implemented on top of outline-mode, which makes it possible to keep the content of large files well structured. Visibility cycling and structure editing help to work with the tree. Tables are easily created with a built-in table editor. Org-mode supports ToDo items, deadlines, time stamps, and scheduling. It dynamically compiles entries into an agenda that utilizes and smoothly integrates much of the Emacs calendar and diary. Plain text URL-like links connect to websites, emails, Usenet messages, BBDB entries, and any files related to the projects. For printing and sharing of notes, an Org-mode file can be exported as a structured ASCII file, as HTML, or (todo and agenda items only) as an iCalendar file. It can also serve as a publishing tool for a set of linked webpages.

An important design aspect that distinguishes Org-mode from for example Planner/Muse is that it encourages to store every piece of information only once. In Planner, you have project pages, day pages and possibly other files, duplicating some information such as tasks. In Org-mode, you only have notes files. In your notes you mark entries as tasks, label them with tags and timestamps. All necessary lists like a schedule for the day, the agenda for a meeting, tasks lists selected by tags etc are created dynamically when you need them.

Org-mode keeps simple things simple. When first fired up, it should feel like a straightforward, easy to use outliner. Complexity is not imposed, but a large amount of functionality is available when you need it. Org-mode can be used on different levels and in different ways, for example as:

     • outline extension with visibility cycling and structure editing
     • ASCII system and table editor for taking structured notes
     • ASCII table editor with spreadsheet-like capabilities
     • TODO list editor
     • full agenda and planner with deadlines and work scheduling
     • environment to implement David Allen's GTD system
     • simple hypertext system, with HTML export
     • publishing tool to create a set of interlinked webpages

Org-mode's automatic, context sensitive table editor with spreadsheet capabilities can be integrated into any major mode by activating the minor Orgtbl-mode. Using a translation step, it can be used to maintain tables in arbitray file types, for example in LaTeX.

There is a website for Org-mode which provides links to the newest version of Org-mode, as well as additional information, frequently asked questions (FAQ), links to tutorials etc. This page is located at http://orgmode.org/.