Workfile is a project specification file with extension .work or .workfile *In the future, for different usecases of Workfiles, separate extensions shall be recommended. *
It is a Markdown compatible text file, that contains an overall project milestones including assignments, priorities, deadlines, tasks etc in a single text file.
There are several project management tools available today. Each one has its pros and cons. A varying range of such tools exist because we have our own preferences. Workfile doesn't claim the best way to manage a project, but it definitely provides a different approach to project definition - better call it a Common Sense approach.
We go on a shopping with a shopping list. Workfile starts with something as simple as a text file where you simply remember and list down the things you want to do. Workfile is inspired by that instinct.
Want to move a project file from a product to another ? Workfile specification can be for one of those several usecases.
https://workfile.herokuapp.com/
First draft - 11th April, 2020
- A workfile is written in a simple text format very much inspired by the markdown format.
- A workfile has its extension .work
- Each line in a workfile has a distinct purpose. It has to be one of the variables that defines a project
- The spec follows the syntax as TOKEN_CHARACTER Corresponding information eg.
# Namespace / Project Name,@u:username, etc - Multiline description is supported. Each line starting without any special token represents the description and description is supported by projects, tasks and milestones
- Namespace : Department or something similar
- Project : The project (the macro definition of what needs to be done) in few words
- deadline : The last day to finish something
- Milestone : Usually a checklist with deadline
- Task : A smallest unit of job to be finished
- Users : Direct members involved in a project, milestone or task eg. @johndoe
- Groups : The set of predefined members involved in a project eg. managers
- Priority : A descriptive word to define the intensity of a job eg. high, low, etc
Tokens define the grammar of a workfile.
| Workfile Token | Corresponding project parameter | Query Params |
|---|---|---|
| # | Namespace or Project Name | # Sysadmin / Hardware Upgrade and Migration |
| @u: | User, whom the task / project is assigned to | @u:johndoe |
| @g: | Group, whom the task / project is assigned to | @g:sysadmin |
| > | Starting date or Deadline | > 2020-04-11 > 2020-04-30 |
no token |
A line in any paragraph (desc) | (No token means a description text). ... |
| ## | Milestone | ## Hardware Procurement |
| $ | Priority | $ High |
| - | A task | - Vendor Finalizing |
whitespace (space or tab) - |
A subtask | (should begin with a whitespace) - Vendor Assessment |
| ** | A line of comment | ** This is a comment |
Few parsers available. Looking for contributors who find .workfile as one good way to spec a project.
- Python (workfileparser.py)
- PHP (workfileparser.php)
Some of the sample workfiles are available in this repo. A simple workfile looks like :
** A sample workfile
** This is a comment
** Comment is ignored by parsers
** Comments start with a `*` character
# Namespace/ProjectName
@u:someuser
@g:somegroup
> startdate > deadline
## A milestone
$ Priority
Project description text ...
Project description text second line
project description text third line
** Tasks
- Task 1
- subtask 1.1
- subtask 1.2
- Task 2
- Task 3
## Another milestone
> milestone-deadline
** Desc
milestone description text (singleline)
** Tasks
- Task 5
- Task 6
- subtask 6.2
- Subtask don't support assignment, deadlines or any properties. Subtasks are simple checklists
- Attachments currently unsupported, however one can use markdown embed any links as required
- Bolds, Italics are supported as is
- Hyperlinks should work as is
- Markdown and Workfile parsers need to be separately run. Desc blocks can me checked with markdown for more features and rich text supports
Workfile is waiting to have you and your company name to be written below.