TypeMD 0.4.0 — Laying the Foundation

If 0.3.0 was about “defining rules for your vault,” 0.4.0 is about laying the foundation.

We didn’t rush to add flashy new features. Instead, we went back and settled the fundamentals — stable data formats, persistent configuration, faster object creation. None of this is glamorous, but skip any one of them and daily use starts to feel rough.

Built-in page type: just write

Not everything fits neatly into a book or person. Sometimes you just want to jot down a paragraph, an idea, a link.

page is a new built-in type (📄) that, like tag, exists without a YAML file. No custom properties — just the simplest possible free-form container:

tmd object create page "Weekend Trip Checklist"

Pair it with vault config, and you can make page the default type. After that, you don’t even need to specify the type:

tmd config set cli.default_type page
tmd object create "Quick Note"

tmd doctor: health check your vault

Vaults accumulate cruft over time — a type gets deleted but its directory lingers, objects reference types that no longer exist. Before, you’d have to dig through directories yourself. Now it’s one command:

tmd doctor

It scans for orphan directories, missing types, and other integrity issues, presenting results in categorized reports.

tmd config: settings that stick

Previously, many behaviors could only be controlled through flags — use them once, forget them next time. Now your vault has its own config file (.typemd/config.yaml), managed through tmd config:

tmd config set cli.default_type idea
tmd config get cli.default_type
tmd config list

tmd init also creates this file automatically, defaulting to default_type: page.

Starter type templates: don’t start from scratch

In 0.3.0, we removed built-in types and gave you a clean, empty vault. But for new users, a blank slate can be more overwhelming than a set of defaults.

Now tmd init asks if you’d like to add starter types:

💡 idea — with a status property (seed → growing → ready)
📝 note — the simplest note type
📚 book — full book tracking (status, rating, author relation)

Pick what you want, skip what you don’t. Your vault, your call.

New type schema fields

This release adds three practical fields to type schemas:

version — track schema versions in semver format ("1.0"), laying groundwork for automatic migrations:

name: book
version: "1.0"

color — preset names or hex codes for visual distinction:

name: book
color: blue

description — document types and properties inline, no comments needed:

name: book
description: "Track reading lists and book reviews"
properties:
  - name: rating
    type: number
    description: "1-5 star rating"

TUI creation experience, redesigned

The flows for creating objects and types have been completely rethought.

Creating objects: instead of a popup input box, you type the name directly in the title panel. As you type, the right panel shows a live template preview so you know exactly what you’ll get before confirming. Names support natural language and auto-convert to valid slugs.

Creating types: a new multi-field wizard lets you Tab between emoji, name, and plural name fields. The right panel shows a live schema preview, and after creation the type editor opens automatically.

Template management: the type editor now includes a Templates section where you can browse, edit, create, and delete object templates. No need to leave the TUI for the file system.

Upgrade

brew upgrade typemd/tap/typemd-cli

Or grab a pre-built binary from GitHub Releases.

No breaking changes in this release — upgrade and go.

What’s next

The foundation is laid. Now we start building on it. The direction for 0.5.0 is still taking shape, but aliases, a richer search experience, and the Web UI are all on our radar.

If you have any questions or ideas, open an issue — we read them all.