docs(compare): add task manager comparisons (#788)

Author: antonreshetov

docs/website/.vitepress/config.mts

@@ -104,8 +104,14 @@ export default defineConfig({
             { text: 'massCode vs Cacher', link: '/compare/cacher' },
             { text: 'massCode vs SnippetsLab', link: '/compare/snippetslab' },
             { text: 'massCode vs Raycast Snippets', link: '/compare/raycast' },
+            { text: 'massCode vs Todoist', link: '/compare/todoist' },
+            { text: 'massCode vs TickTick', link: '/compare/ticktick' },
+            { text: 'massCode vs Things 3', link: '/compare/things' },
+            { text: 'massCode vs Apple Reminders', link: '/compare/apple-reminders' },
+            { text: 'massCode vs Obsidian Tasks', link: '/compare/obsidian-tasks' },
             { text: 'Best Open-Source Snippet Manager', link: '/compare/best-open-source' },
             { text: 'Local-First Alternative to Pieces / Cacher', link: '/compare/local-first' },
+            { text: 'Markdown-First Task Manager', link: '/compare/markdown-first-tasks' },
           ],
         },
       ],

docs/website/compare/apple-reminders.md

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+---
+title: massCode vs Apple Reminders
+description: "An honest comparison between massCode tasks and Apple Reminders. Cross-platform open-source developer workspace vs free Apple-built-in task manager with iCloud sync."
+---
+
+# massCode vs Apple Reminders
+
+[Apple Reminders](https://www.apple.com/ios/reminders/) ships free with every Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. It is the default task manager for most Apple users. massCode is a free, open-source, cross-platform developer workspace where [tasks are notes](/documentation/notes/tasks) — plain Markdown files in a vault on your own disk.
+
+If you are entirely on Apple devices and want a zero-friction default task app, Reminders is the more natural fit. If you work across operating systems, or you want tasks to live as markdown next to your snippets and notes, massCode is the more natural fit.
+
+## At a glance
+
+| | massCode | Apple Reminders |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| License | Open source (AGPL v3) | Proprietary, built in to Apple OSes |
+| Pricing | Free | Free |
+| Data location | Local Markdown Vault on your disk | Local on each device, synced via iCloud |
+| Sync | iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Syncthing, Git — your choice | iCloud only |
+| Native platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, iPadOS, iOS, watchOS, visionOS |
+| Web access | No web app | View-only web access at [icloud.com/reminders](https://www.icloud.com/reminders) |
+| Windows / Linux native app | Yes | No |
+| Task model | Notes with `status`, `priority`, and `due` properties | Reminders with subtasks, sections, tags, smart lists |
+| Statuses | Todo, In Progress, Done, Blocked | Open / completed |
+| Priority | None, Low, Medium, High | None, Low, Medium, High |
+| Due dates and times | Calendar picker (date) | Date and time |
+| Location-based reminders | No | Yes |
+| Recurring tasks | No | Yes |
+| Subtasks | Markdown checklist inside the note body | First-class subtasks |
+| Shared lists | No | Yes, via iCloud |
+| Voice input | No | Siri |
+| Account required | No | Apple ID for iCloud sync |
+
+Sources: Apple's [Reminders user guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/reminders/welcome/mac) and the [iCloud Reminders web app](https://www.icloud.com/reminders).
+
+## Where Apple Reminders fits better
+
+Reminders is a strong choice when the goal is "a task manager that just works on all my Apple devices, for free."
+
+- **You are on Apple devices.** Reminders is preinstalled on macOS, iPadOS, iOS, watchOS, and visionOS with seamless iCloud sync.
+- **You want zero setup.** No download, no account creation beyond an Apple ID, no separate app to maintain.
+- **You want location-based reminders.** "Remind me when I get home," "Remind me when I leave the office" are first-class.
+- **You want time-based notifications.** Reminders fires alerts at the right moment, with snooze and repeat.
+- **You want Siri.** Capturing a task by voice is one of Reminders' strongest features.
+- **You want shared lists.** Shared family lists, shopping lists, project lists work across iCloud accounts.
+- **You want recurring tasks.** Daily, weekly, custom — supported natively.
+
+## Where massCode fits better
+
+massCode is a strong choice when Reminders' Apple-only constraint is a problem, or when the "task" is really a working note that needs a structured status.
+
+- **You work across operating systems.** massCode runs natively on macOS, Windows, and Linux from the same vault. Reminders has no native Windows or Linux app — only view-only web access through iCloud.com.
+- **You want plain Markdown files on disk.** Every task is a `.md` file with frontmatter in your [Markdown Vault](/documentation/storage). Reminders data lives in Apple's database and is accessed through Apple's apps.
+- **You want one workspace, not five apps.** Tasks share the app with [Code](/documentation/code/library), [Notes](/documentation/notes/), [HTTP](/documentation/http/), [Math](/documentation/math/), and [Tools](/documentation/tools/).
+- **You want sync without Apple.** Point [iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Syncthing, or Git](/documentation/sync) at your vault. iCloud is one option among many, not the only one.
+- **You want a richer note body per task.** A massCode task is a full markdown note with code blocks, mermaid, mindmap, internal links — not just a notes field.
+- **You want In Progress and Blocked statuses.** Reminders is binary (open / completed); massCode has Todo, In Progress, Done, Blocked.
+
+## Honest trade-offs
+
+- **No mobile app in massCode.** Reminders is on every Apple device; massCode is desktop-only.
+- **No reminders or notifications in massCode.** Despite the name, "reminders" — alerts, snooze, location triggers, Siri capture — are not part of massCode.
+- **No recurring tasks in massCode.** A task has a single `due` date.
+- **No first-class subtasks in massCode.** You can write a markdown checklist inside the body, but those checklist items are not separate task entities.
+- **No shared lists.** Reminders has iCloud-shared lists; massCode does not.
+- **No voice input.** Siri-style capture does not exist in massCode.
+
+## Who should pick which
+
+- Pick **Apple Reminders** if you are Apple-only and want a free, preinstalled task manager with reminders, recurring tasks, location triggers, Siri, and shared lists.
+- Pick **massCode** if you need a cross-platform workspace where tasks are plain markdown next to your snippets and notes, with a richer status model and sync your way.
+
+## Using both
+
+You can keep Reminders for life logistics — groceries, family lists, time-and-location alerts — and use massCode tasks for technical work-in-progress, where the "task" is really a working note with code, links, and context.
+
+[Download massCode](/download/) and try it on a few in-flight work notes.

docs/website/compare/index.md

@@ -1,40 +1,53 @@
 ---
 title: Compare massCode
-description: "Honest comparisons between massCode and other snippet managers and developer workspaces — Pieces, Cacher, SnippetsLab, Raycast Snippets, and more."
+description: "Honest comparisons between massCode and other snippet managers, note apps, and task managers — Pieces, Cacher, SnippetsLab, Raycast, Todoist, TickTick, Things 3, Apple Reminders, Obsidian Tasks, and more."
 ---
 
 # Compare massCode
 
-massCode is a free, open-source, local-first developer workspace. Snippets, markdown notes, HTTP requests, calculations, and dev tools live in one app, with your data stored as plain Markdown files on disk.
+massCode is a free, open-source, local-first developer workspace. Snippets, markdown notes, tasks, HTTP requests, calculations, and dev tools live in one app, with your data stored as plain Markdown files on disk.
 
 This section helps you decide whether massCode fits your workflow, or whether another tool is a better match. The comparisons are written to be honest, not aggressive: every tool here has cases where it is the right answer.
 
-## Versus specific tools
+## Snippet managers and developer workspaces
 
 - [massCode vs Pieces](/compare/pieces) — local-first workspace vs AI-first cloud snippet manager
 - [massCode vs Cacher](/compare/cacher) — open-source local app vs team-oriented cloud SaaS
 - [massCode vs SnippetsLab](/compare/snippetslab) — cross-platform vs macOS-only
 - [massCode vs Raycast Snippets](/compare/raycast) — full snippet workspace vs launcher text expansion
 
+## Task managers
+
+- [massCode vs Todoist](/compare/todoist) — markdown tasks inside a dev workspace vs cloud task manager
+- [massCode vs TickTick](/compare/ticktick) — markdown tasks vs cloud task manager with Pomodoro and habits
+- [massCode vs Things 3](/compare/things) — cross-platform open-source vs premium Apple-only
+- [massCode vs Apple Reminders](/compare/apple-reminders) — cross-platform dev workspace vs free Apple built-in
+- [massCode vs Obsidian Tasks](/compare/obsidian-tasks) — task-as-note with frontmatter vs checkbox-with-emoji in an Obsidian vault
+
 ## Category and positioning pages
 
 - [Best open-source snippet manager](/compare/best-open-source) — what to look for, and how the open-source options stack up
 - [Local-first alternative to Pieces and Cacher](/compare/local-first) — keeping snippets and notes on your own disk
+- [Markdown-first task manager for developers](/compare/markdown-first-tasks) — why tasks belong as plain `.md` files next to your notes and snippets
 
 ## Quick positioning
 
 - If you need a **team cloud workspace** with shared libraries, role-based access, and centralized billing, look at Cacher or Pieces Teams.
 - If you need **AI assistants and copilots** built into your snippet flow, look at Pieces.
 - If you need a **native macOS-only** snippet app and stay on Apple devices, look at SnippetsLab.
 - If you need a **launcher with text expansion**, look at Raycast Snippets.
-- If you need a **free, open-source, cross-platform, local-first workspace** that goes beyond snippets — snippets, notes, HTTP requests, math, and dev tools in one app — that is where massCode fits.
+- If you need a **full-featured cross-device task manager** with reminders, recurring tasks, mobile apps, and AI assists, look at Todoist or TickTick.
+- If you want a **premium Apple-only task manager** with a polished native UI, look at Things 3.
+- If you only need a **free Apple-built-in task app**, Apple Reminders is already on your devices.
+- If your notes already live in **Obsidian** and you want tasks scattered through that vault, look at the Obsidian Tasks plugin.
+- If you need a **free, open-source, cross-platform, local-first workspace** that goes beyond snippets — snippets, notes, tasks, HTTP requests, math, and dev tools in one app — that is where massCode fits.
 
 ## What you get with massCode
 
 - Free and open source under [AGPL v3](https://github.com/massCodeIO/massCode/blob/master/LICENSE)
 - Local-first [Markdown Vault](/documentation/storage) — your data stays as plain `.md` files on disk
 - Cross-platform: macOS, Windows, Linux
-- More than snippets: [Code](/documentation/code/library), [Notes](/documentation/notes/), [HTTP](/documentation/http/), [Math](/documentation/math/), [Tools](/documentation/tools/)
+- More than snippets: [Code](/documentation/code/library), [Notes](/documentation/notes/), [Tasks](/documentation/notes/tasks), [HTTP](/documentation/http/), [Math](/documentation/math/), [Tools](/documentation/tools/)
 - Built-in imports for VS Code snippets JSON, Raycast snippets JSON, SnippetsLab JSON, public GitHub Gist URLs, and Obsidian markdown folders
 - Sync via any service you already trust — iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Syncthing, or [Git](/documentation/sync)
 - No account, no telemetry-required login, no vendor lock-in

docs/website/compare/markdown-first-tasks.md

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+---
+title: Markdown-First Task Manager for Developers
+description: "Why a developer's tasks belong as plain Markdown files next to snippets and notes — and how massCode tasks compare to Todoist, TickTick, Things 3, Apple Reminders, and Obsidian Tasks."
+---
+
+# Markdown-First Task Manager for Developers
+
+Most task managers store your work in a cloud database you cannot read without the app. For everyday personal logistics that is fine. For engineering work it is awkward: a task is rarely just "buy milk" — it is "investigate this bug, here is the failing test, here is the code, here is the link to the ticket, due next Monday." That note belongs next to the code, not in a separate silo.
+
+A **markdown-first** approach keeps the task as a plain `.md` file on your disk. The body of the file is the work-in-progress: code blocks, mermaid diagrams, internal links, checklists. The frontmatter carries the structured bits: status, priority, due date. If the app disappears tomorrow, the files are still readable.
+
+[massCode](https://github.com/massCodeIO/massCode) treats [tasks as notes](/documentation/notes/tasks) with that frontmatter. The [Obsidian Tasks](https://github.com/obsidian-tasks-group/obsidian-tasks) plugin takes a different markdown-first route, encoding metadata as inline emojis inside checklist lines. Everything else in this guide stores tasks in a proprietary database.
+
+## What "markdown-first" actually means
+
+Markdown-first is a stricter bar than "exports to markdown":
+
+- **The task lives on your disk as a plain `.md` file** with human-readable frontmatter — no proprietary database, no binary blob.
+- **The app works fully offline by default.** No login wall, no degraded mode.
+- **Sync is optional and your choice of provider.** iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Syncthing, Git — whatever you already trust.
+- **The format outlives the app.** If the vendor disappears, your tasks are still grep-able files.
+
+A cloud SaaS that exports tasks to CSV is not markdown-first. A local app with a SQLite store is closer, but still not markdown-first if you cannot read the data without the app.
+
+## Why developers want markdown-first tasks
+
+- **A task and its context are the same file.** No copy-paste between Slack, Notion, Jira, and your local notes. The bug investigation, the code snippet, the failing test, the link — all in one `.md` file with a status and a due date.
+- **Diffable in Git.** A markdown vault works with the same review and history tooling as your code.
+- **Vendor durability.** Snippet managers and task apps come and go. Plain Markdown survives.
+- **Sync control.** Most developers already pay for or self-host one sync solution. Adding another vendor on top is duplication.
+- **Privacy and compliance.** Engineering tasks often include real code and real customer context. Plain files on your disk are easier to keep on your disk.
+
+## How the popular options stack up
+
+| | Storage | License | Platforms | Recurring | Mobile | Best at |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| **massCode** | Plain `.md` in your vault | AGPL v3, free | macOS, Windows, Linux | No | No | Developer workspace with tasks alongside snippets and HTTP |
+| **Obsidian Tasks** | Plain `.md` in your Obsidian vault | MIT, free (host: Obsidian) | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | Tasks scattered through an Obsidian knowledge base |
+| **Todoist** | Cloud database | Proprietary | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, web, more | Yes | Yes | Cross-device personal and team task manager |
+| **TickTick** | Cloud database | Proprietary | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, web, more | Yes | Yes | All-in-one tasks + Pomodoro + habits |
+| **Things 3** | Local + Things Cloud | Proprietary | Apple only | Yes | Yes | Best-in-class native Apple task manager |
+| **Apple Reminders** | iCloud | Proprietary, built-in | Apple only (view-only web) | Yes | Yes | Free default for Apple users with location and Siri |
+
+The two markdown-first options work very differently:
+
+- **Obsidian Tasks**: a task is a checklist line (`- [ ] Do thing 📅 2026-06-01 ⏫ 🔁 every week`) inside any note in your Obsidian vault. Metadata is encoded with inline emojis. Views are built with a custom query language. Mobile is supported through the Obsidian apps.
+- **massCode**: a task is a whole note with frontmatter properties (`type: task`, `status: todo`, `priority: high`, `due: 2026-06-01`). The note body is the work-in-progress. Views are first-class: **Tasks**, **Today**, **Upcoming**, **Completed**. Desktop only.
+
+Neither is "better" — they fit different workflows.
+
+## When to pick which
+
+- **Pick massCode** if you want a standalone, cross-platform developer workspace where tasks are first-class notes that live next to snippets, HTTP requests, math sheets, and dev tools — all stored as plain Markdown on your own disk.
+- **Pick Obsidian Tasks** if your knowledge base is already in Obsidian and you want tasks distributed through that graph, with recurring rules and a powerful query language.
+- **Pick a cloud task manager** (Todoist, TickTick, Things, Reminders) if you primarily need reminders, recurring tasks, mobile apps, and shared lists, and the loss of plain-text durability is acceptable.
+
+## What you get with massCode tasks
+
+- A task is a `.md` note in your [Markdown Vault](/documentation/storage) with `status`, `priority`, and `due` in frontmatter
+- Four statuses: Todo, In Progress, Done, Blocked
+- Three priority levels plus None
+- Dedicated views: **Tasks**, **Today**, **Upcoming**, **Completed**
+- Same markdown editor as regular notes — checklists, code blocks, mermaid, mindmap, internal links
+- Folders, tags, favorites, and search apply to tasks like any other note
+- Lives in the same app as [Code](/documentation/code/library), [Notes](/documentation/notes/), [HTTP](/documentation/http/), [Math](/documentation/math/), and [Tools](/documentation/tools/)
+- Free and open source under [AGPL v3](https://github.com/massCodeIO/massCode/blob/master/LICENSE)
+- Cross-platform: macOS, Windows, Linux
+- No account, no telemetry-required login, sync via the service you already trust
+
+## Honest limits
+
+A markdown-first task list is not a replacement for a full task manager. Be aware:
+
+- **No reminders or notifications in massCode.** Due dates are visible in the list and the Today / Upcoming views, but the app does not push alerts.
+- **No recurring tasks in massCode.** A task has a single `due` date.
+- **No first-class subtasks in massCode.** Checklists inside the body are markdown, not separate entities.
+- **No mobile in massCode.** Desktop only.
+- **No team workspace in massCode.** Sharing happens at the file layer.
+
+These are the price of markdown-first storage. If they are dealbreakers, a cloud task manager is the better fit.
+
+## Related comparisons
+
+- [massCode vs Todoist](/compare/todoist)
+- [massCode vs TickTick](/compare/ticktick)
+- [massCode vs Things 3](/compare/things)
+- [massCode vs Apple Reminders](/compare/apple-reminders)
+- [massCode vs Obsidian Tasks](/compare/obsidian-tasks)
+
+[Download massCode](/download/) and try it on a few in-flight work notes.