Recurring Tasks

How Recurring Tasks Work

Daylight treats recurring tasks as a single file with multiple tracked instances. You define a recurrence rule (standard RRULE format), and the app expands it into individual occurrences — each with its own date, status, and history. The task file is the source of truth; the instances are derived from the rule and stored in the frontmatter.

Instance Tracking vs Series

The Problem With Series-Based Recurrence

Most task apps treat recurrence as a template: complete today’s instance and the app generates the next one. This creates a chain where each occurrence depends on the previous one being resolved. If you miss an instance — you’re offline, you skip a day, the app misfires — the chain breaks. The missed instance disappears, and you don’t realize the gap until weeks later.

Instance-Based Approach

Daylight tracks each occurrence independently:

Each occurrence is tracked individually
Completing one doesn’t affect others
Skipping preserves the pattern
Rescheduling is safe

---
title: Weekly Review
recurrence:
  rule: FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=FR
  instances:
    - date: 2026-01-24
      status: completed
    - date: 2026-01-31
      status: active
---

Skip vs Complete

Completing an Instance

Marks the specific occurrence as done. The instance stays in the record with a completed status and timestamp. Future instances are unaffected — they continue to expand from the rule as scheduled.

Skipping an Instance

Marks the occurrence as intentionally skipped without completing it. The instance record is preserved (so you can see what was skipped and when), but it no longer shows as overdue. The recurrence pattern continues normally.

Action	Effect on Instance	Effect on Series
Complete	Marked `completed` with timestamp	No change — future instances unaffected
Skip	Marked `skipped`, removed from overdue	No change — pattern continues
Reschedule	Instance date moved, status stays active	No change — only this occurrence moves

Rescheduling Patterns

Moving a Single Instance

Rescheduling changes the date of one specific instance without touching the recurrence rule. If your Friday weekly review needs to happen Thursday this week, move just that instance. Next week’s instance still lands on Friday.

Modifying the Rule

Changing the recurrence rule (e.g., switching from weekly to biweekly) affects future instance generation. Past instances — completed, skipped, or overdue — are preserved as-is. The new rule applies from the next expansion forward.

Example Rules

Daily Task

recurrence:
  rule: FREQ=DAILY

Creates an instance for every day. Past uncompleted instances surface in the “Past” group so missed days are visible. Useful for habits or daily standups where skipping should be a conscious choice.

Weekly on Specific Days

recurrence:
  rule: FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO,WE,FR

Generates instances on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. Each day’s instance is independent — completing Monday doesn’t affect Wednesday’s status.

Monthly on the 15th

recurrence:
  rule: FREQ=MONTHLY;BYMONTHDAY=15

One instance per month on the 15th. Useful for recurring deadlines like expense reports, billing reviews, or monthly check-ins.

Edge Cases

What if I miss an instance? It appears in the “Past” group as overdue. You can complete it, skip it, or reschedule it — the record is preserved either way.
Can I complete future instances? Yes. Future instances are visible in the “Upcoming” group and can be completed early. This doesn’t affect other instances.
How far ahead are instances generated? Instances are expanded on demand based on the view window. The recurrence rule is the source of truth; instances are derived, not pre-generated.