feat: note templates per type (💡 Note templates per tipo) (#170)

* feat: add template field to type entries and template-aware note creation - Rust: add template field to Frontmatter, VaultEntry, SKIP_KEYS - Rust: support YAML block scalar (|) for multi-line strings in frontmatter - Rust: fix value continuation detection to handle block scalars properly - TypeScript: add template to VaultEntry, buildNewEntry, frontmatterToEntryPatch - Add DEFAULT_TEMPLATES for Project, Person, Responsibility, Experiment - resolveNewNote/buildNoteContent accept optional template parameter - handleCreateNote and handleCreateNoteImmediate look up type template - Tests for all new behavior (Rust + TypeScript) Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com> * feat: wire template UI through Sidebar and App, add TypeCustomizePopover template section - Add template textarea with debounced save to TypeCustomizePopover - Wire handleUpdateTypeTemplate through useEntryActions → Sidebar → App - Add useDebouncedCallback hook for 500ms template save debounce - Add tests for handleUpdateTypeTemplate and TypeCustomizePopover template UI - Create design/note-templates.pen placeholder Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com> * fix: useRef type arg + template field in bulk mock entries * style: rustfmt --------- Co-authored-by: Test <test@test.com> Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com> Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-03-02 08:37:06 +01:00
parent 7d563b28fd
commit 986965a28f
34 changed files with 536 additions and 143 deletions
--- a/.claude-done
+++ b/.claude-done
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-# Drag & Drop Images — Implementation Summary
-
-## Problem
-Dragging image files from Finder into the BlockNote editor didn't work. Tauri v2's
-`dragDropEnabled` defaults to `true`, which intercepts OS-level file drops before they
-reach the webview's HTML5 DnD API — BlockNote never received the dropped files.
-
-## Solution
-Instead of disabling Tauri's drag interception, we use Tauri's `onDragDropEvent` API
-to listen for native file drops and handle them directly:
-
-1. **Rust backend** (`src-tauri/src/vault/image.rs`):
-   - Added `copy_image_to_vault` command that copies a file by OS path into
-     `vault/attachments/` with a timestamp-prefixed filename
-   - Refactored shared path logic into `prepare_attachment_path` helper
-   - Validates file exists and has an image extension before copying
-
-2. **Frontend** (`src/hooks/useImageDrop.ts`):
-   - Added Tauri `onDragDropEvent` listener that fires on native OS drag-drop
-   - On `drop`: filters for image paths, copies each to vault, calls `onImageUrl`
-   - On `over`: shows drag overlay (paths aren't available until drop)
-   - `copyImageToVault` invokes the new Rust command and returns an asset URL
-
-3. **Editor integration** (`src/components/SingleEditorView.tsx`):
-   - `useInsertImageCallback` inserts a BlockNote image block at cursor position
-   - Wired into `useImageDrop` via the `onImageUrl` callback
-   - `vaultPath` threaded through Editor → EditorContent → SingleEditorView
-
-4. **Existing `/image` slash command** continues to work unchanged (uses `uploadFile`
-   on `useCreateBlockNote` → `uploadImageFile` → `save_image` Tauri command).
-
-## Commits
- `d45f2e2` feat: add copy_image_to_vault Rust command for native drag-drop
- `b047d0c` feat: handle Tauri native drag-drop for filesystem images
- `2e04f5a` fix: remove nonexistent drag-drop permission from capabilities
- `23ad982` fix: correct DragDropEvent type handling for 'over' events
-
-## Tests
- 4 new Rust tests for `copy_image_to_vault` (success, missing file, non-image, all extensions)
- 1 new frontend test for `useImageDrop` with onImageUrl + vaultPath params
- All 300 Rust tests pass, 1167 frontend tests pass
- Coverage: Rust 85.47%, Frontend 78.64%
--- a/.claude-pid
+++ b/.claude-pid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+81859
--- a/design/note-templates.pen
+++ b/design/note-templates.pen
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"children":[],"variables":{}}
--- a/src-tauri/src/frontmatter.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/frontmatter.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ pub enum FrontmatterValue {

 /// Characters that require a YAML string value to be quoted.
 fn has_yaml_special_chars(s: &str) -> bool {
-    s.contains(':') || s.contains('#') || s.contains('\n')
+    s.contains(':') || s.contains('#')
 }

 /// Check if a string starts with a YAML collection indicator (array or map).
@@ -41,6 +41,23 @@ fn format_list_item(item: &str) -> String {
    format!("  - {}", quote_yaml_string(item))
 }

+/// Format a multi-line string as a YAML block scalar (`|`).
+/// Each line is indented by 2 spaces; empty lines are preserved as blank.
+fn format_block_scalar(s: &str) -> String {
+    let indented = s
+        .lines()
+        .map(|l| {
+            if l.is_empty() {
+                String::new()
+            } else {
+                format!("  {}", l)
+            }
+        })
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+        .join("\n");
+    format!("|\n{}", indented)
+}
+
 /// Format a number for YAML (integers without decimal, floats with).
 fn format_yaml_number(n: f64) -> String {
    if n.fract() == 0.0 {
@@ -54,7 +71,9 @@ impl FrontmatterValue {
    pub fn to_yaml_value(&self) -> String {
        match self {
            FrontmatterValue::String(s) => {
-                if needs_yaml_quoting(s) {
+                if s.contains('\n') {
+                    format_block_scalar(s)
+                } else if needs_yaml_quoting(s) {
                    quote_yaml_string(s)
                } else {
                    s.clone()
@@ -113,16 +132,20 @@ fn line_is_key(line: &str, key: &str) -> bool {
 fn format_yaml_field(key: &str, value: &FrontmatterValue) -> Vec<String> {
    let yaml_key = format_yaml_key(key);
    let yaml_value = value.to_yaml_value();
-    if yaml_value.contains('\n') {
+    if yaml_value.starts_with("|\n") {
+        // Block scalar: key and indicator on the same line, content follows
+        vec![format!("{}: {}", yaml_key, yaml_value)]
+    } else if yaml_value.contains('\n') {
        vec![format!("{}:", yaml_key), yaml_value]
    } else {
        vec![format!("{}: {}", yaml_key, yaml_value)]
    }
 }

-/// Check if a line is a YAML list continuation (`  - ...`) rather than a new key.
-fn is_list_continuation(line: &str) -> bool {
-    line.starts_with("  - ") || line.starts_with("  -\t")
+/// Check if a line continues the previous key's value (indented list item,
+/// block scalar content, or blank line inside a block scalar).
+fn is_value_continuation(line: &str) -> bool {
+    line.is_empty() || line.starts_with("  ") || line.starts_with('\t')
 }

 /// Split content into frontmatter body and the rest after the closing `---`.
@@ -163,8 +186,8 @@ fn apply_field_update(lines: &[&str], key: &str, value: Option<&FrontmatterValue

        found_key = true;
        i += 1;
-        // Skip list continuation lines belonging to this key
-        while i < lines.len() && is_list_continuation(lines[i]) {
+        // Skip continuation lines belonging to this key (lists, block scalars)
+        while i < lines.len() && is_value_continuation(lines[i]) {
            i += 1;
        }
        // Insert replacement value (if any)
@@ -699,6 +722,94 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(updated.contains("title: New Title"));
    }

+    // --- block scalar (multi-line string) tests ---
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_to_yaml_value_multiline_uses_block_scalar() {
+        let v = FrontmatterValue::String("line 1\nline 2\nline 3".to_string());
+        let yaml = v.to_yaml_value();
+        assert!(yaml.starts_with("|\n"));
+        assert!(yaml.contains("  line 1"));
+        assert!(yaml.contains("  line 2"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_format_yaml_field_block_scalar() {
+        let v = FrontmatterValue::String("## Objective\n\n## Timeline".to_string());
+        let lines = format_yaml_field("template", &v);
+        assert_eq!(lines.len(), 1);
+        assert!(lines[0].starts_with("template: |\n"));
+        assert!(lines[0].contains("  ## Objective"));
+        assert!(lines[0].contains("  ## Timeline"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_update_frontmatter_block_scalar_add() {
+        let content = "---\ntype: Type\n---\n# Project\n";
+        let template = "## Objective\n\n## Timeline";
+        let updated = update_frontmatter_content(
+            content,
+            "template",
+            Some(FrontmatterValue::String(template.to_string())),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(updated.contains("template: |"));
+        assert!(updated.contains("  ## Objective"));
+        assert!(updated.contains("  ## Timeline"));
+        assert!(updated.contains("type: Type"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_update_frontmatter_block_scalar_replace() {
+        let content = "---\ntype: Type\ntemplate: |\n  ## Old\n  \n  ## Stuff\ncolor: green\n---\n# Project\n";
+        let new_template = "## New\n\n## Content";
+        let updated = update_frontmatter_content(
+            content,
+            "template",
+            Some(FrontmatterValue::String(new_template.to_string())),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(updated.contains("  ## New"));
+        assert!(updated.contains("  ## Content"));
+        assert!(!updated.contains("## Old"));
+        assert!(!updated.contains("## Stuff"));
+        assert!(updated.contains("color: green"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_delete_frontmatter_block_scalar() {
+        let content =
+            "---\ntype: Type\ntemplate: |\n  ## Heading\n  \n  ## Body\ncolor: green\n---\n# Project\n";
+        let updated = update_frontmatter_content(content, "template", None).unwrap();
+        assert!(!updated.contains("template"));
+        assert!(!updated.contains("## Heading"));
+        assert!(updated.contains("color: green"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_roundtrip_block_scalar() {
+        let content = "---\ntype: Type\n---\n# Project\n";
+        let template = "## Objective\n\nDescribe the goal.\n\n## Timeline\n\nKey dates.";
+        let updated = update_frontmatter_content(
+            content,
+            "template",
+            Some(FrontmatterValue::String(template.to_string())),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        // Parse back with gray_matter
+        let matter = gray_matter::Matter::<gray_matter::engine::YAML>::new();
+        let parsed = matter.parse(&updated);
+        let data = parsed.data.unwrap();
+        if let gray_matter::Pod::Hash(map) = data {
+            let roundtripped = map.get("template").unwrap().as_string().unwrap();
+            assert!(roundtripped.contains("## Objective"));
+            assert!(roundtripped.contains("## Timeline"));
+            assert!(roundtripped.contains("Describe the goal."));
+        } else {
+            panic!("Expected hash");
+        }
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn test_update_frontmatter_no_body_after_closing() {
        // Frontmatter with title, no body after closing ---
--- a/src-tauri/src/vault/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/vault/mod.rs
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ pub struct VaultEntry {
    /// Custom sidebar section label for Type entries, overriding auto-pluralization.
    #[serde(rename = "sidebarLabel")]
    pub sidebar_label: Option<String>,
+    /// Markdown template for notes of this Type. When a new note is created
+    /// with this type, the template body is pre-filled after the frontmatter.
+    pub template: Option<String>,
    /// Word count of the note body (excludes frontmatter and H1 title).
    #[serde(rename = "wordCount")]
    pub word_count: u32,
@@ -109,6 +112,8 @@ struct Frontmatter {
    order: Option<i64>,
    #[serde(rename = "sidebar label", default)]
    sidebar_label: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    template: Option<String>,
 }

 /// Handles YAML fields that can be either a single string or a list of strings.
@@ -153,6 +158,7 @@ const SKIP_KEYS: &[&str] = &[
    "color",
    "order",
    "sidebar label",
+    "template",
 ];

 /// Extract all wikilink-containing fields from raw YAML frontmatter.
@@ -332,6 +338,7 @@ pub fn parse_md_file(path: &Path) -> Result<VaultEntry, String> {
        color: frontmatter.color,
        order: frontmatter.order,
        sidebar_label: frontmatter.sidebar_label,
+        template: frontmatter.template,
        word_count,
        outgoing_links,
    })
@@ -1088,6 +1095,45 @@ References:
        assert!(entry.relationships.get("sidebar label").is_none());
    }

+    // --- template field tests ---
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_template_from_type_entry() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let content =
+            "---\ntype: Type\ntemplate: \"## Objective\\n\\n## Timeline\"\n---\n# Project\n";
+        let entry = parse_test_entry(&dir, "type/project.md", content);
+        assert!(entry.template.is_some());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_template_block_scalar() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let content =
+            "---\ntype: Type\ntemplate: |\n  ## Objective\n  \n  ## Timeline\n---\n# Project\n";
+        let entry = parse_test_entry(&dir, "type/project.md", content);
+        assert!(entry.template.is_some());
+        let tmpl = entry.template.unwrap();
+        assert!(tmpl.contains("## Objective"));
+        assert!(tmpl.contains("## Timeline"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_template_missing_defaults_to_none() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let content = "---\ntype: Type\n---\n# Note\n";
+        let entry = parse_test_entry(&dir, "type/note.md", content);
+        assert_eq!(entry.template, None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_template_not_in_relationships() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let content = "---\ntype: Type\ntemplate: \"## Heading\"\n---\n# Project\n";
+        let entry = parse_test_entry(&dir, "type/project.md", content);
+        assert!(entry.relationships.get("template").is_none());
+    }
+
    // Frontmatter update/delete tests are in frontmatter.rs
    // save_image tests are in vault/image.rs
    // purge_trash tests are in vault/trash.rs
--- a/src/App.test.tsx
+++ b/src/App.test.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ const mockEntries = [
    modifiedAt: 1700000000,
    createdAt: null,
    fileSize: 1024,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ const mockEntries = [
    modifiedAt: 1700000000,
    createdAt: null,
    fileSize: 256,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
 ]
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ function App() {
        {sidebarVisible && (
          <>
            <div className="app__sidebar" style={{ width: layout.sidebarWidth }}>
-              <Sidebar entries={vault.entries} selection={selection} onSelect={setSelection} onSelectNote={notes.handleSelectNote} onCreateType={notes.handleCreateNoteImmediate} onCreateNewType={dialogs.openCreateType} onCustomizeType={entryActions.handleCustomizeType} onReorderSections={entryActions.handleReorderSections} modifiedCount={vault.modifiedFiles.length} onCommitPush={commitFlow.openCommitDialog} />
+              <Sidebar entries={vault.entries} selection={selection} onSelect={setSelection} onSelectNote={notes.handleSelectNote} onCreateType={notes.handleCreateNoteImmediate} onCreateNewType={dialogs.openCreateType} onCustomizeType={entryActions.handleCustomizeType} onUpdateTypeTemplate={entryActions.handleUpdateTypeTemplate} onReorderSections={entryActions.handleReorderSections} modifiedCount={vault.modifiedFiles.length} onCommitPush={commitFlow.openCommitDialog} />
            </div>
            <ResizeHandle onResize={layout.handleSidebarResize} />
          </>
--- a/src/components/DynamicPropertiesPanel.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/DynamicPropertiesPanel.test.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
  ...overrides,
 })
--- a/src/components/Editor.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Editor.test.tsx
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ const mockEntry: VaultEntry = {
  icon: null,
  color: null,
    order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
 }

--- a/src/components/Inspector.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Inspector.test.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const mockEntry: VaultEntry = {
  icon: null,
  color: null,
    order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
 }

@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ const referrerEntry: VaultEntry = {
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: ['Test Project'],
 }

@@ -374,6 +376,7 @@ This is a test note with some words to count.
      icon: null,
      color: null,
      order: null,
+      template: null,
      outgoingLinks: [],
    }

@@ -400,6 +403,7 @@ This is a test note with some words to count.
      icon: null,
      color: null,
      order: null,
+      template: null,
      outgoingLinks: [],
    }

@@ -426,6 +430,7 @@ This is a test note with some words to count.
      icon: null,
      color: null,
      order: null,
+      template: null,
      outgoingLinks: [],
    }

@@ -452,6 +457,7 @@ This is a test note with some words to count.
      icon: null,
      color: null,
      order: null,
+      template: null,
      outgoingLinks: [],
    }

@@ -594,6 +600,7 @@ Status: Active
        icon: null,
        color: null,
        order: null,
+        template: null,
        // Body text also links to grow-newsletter
        outgoingLinks: ['responsibility/grow-newsletter'],
      }
--- a/src/components/InspectorPanels.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/InspectorPanels.test.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
  ...overrides,
 })
--- a/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -112,6 +115,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -137,6 +141,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
 ]
@@ -357,6 +362,7 @@ describe('getSortComparator', () => {
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
    ...overrides,
  })
@@ -469,6 +475,7 @@ describe('NoteList sort controls', () => {
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
    ...overrides,
  })
@@ -663,6 +670,7 @@ const trashedEntry: VaultEntry = {
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
 }

@@ -689,6 +697,7 @@ const expiredTrashedEntry: VaultEntry = {
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
 }

@@ -844,6 +853,7 @@ describe('NoteList — virtual list with large datasets', () => {
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
    ...overrides,
  })
@@ -1145,6 +1155,7 @@ const typeEntry: VaultEntry = {
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
 }

--- a/src/components/QuickOpenPalette.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/QuickOpenPalette.test.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
  ...overrides,
 })
--- a/src/components/SearchPanel.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SearchPanel.test.tsx
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['topic/ai', 'topic/api-design', 'person/luca'],
  },
  {
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['person/bob'],
  },
 ]
--- a/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Sidebar.test.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -118,6 +121,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -144,6 +148,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -170,6 +175,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -196,6 +202,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -222,6 +229,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
 ]
@@ -441,6 +449,7 @@ describe('Sidebar', () => {
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
      },
      {
@@ -467,6 +476,7 @@ describe('Sidebar', () => {
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
      },
      {
@@ -492,6 +502,7 @@ describe('Sidebar', () => {
        icon: null,
        color: null,
        order: null,
+        template: null,
        outgoingLinks: [],
      },
      {
@@ -517,6 +528,7 @@ describe('Sidebar', () => {
        icon: null,
        color: null,
        order: null,
+        template: null,
        outgoingLinks: [],
      },
    ]
@@ -602,6 +614,7 @@ describe('Sidebar', () => {
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
      }
      render(<Sidebar entries={[...mockEntries, projectTypeEntry]} selection={defaultSelection} onSelect={() => {}} />)
--- a/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ interface SidebarProps {
  onCreateType?: (type: string) => void
  onCreateNewType?: () => void
  onCustomizeType?: (typeName: string, icon: string, color: string) => void
+  onUpdateTypeTemplate?: (typeName: string, template: string) => void
  onReorderSections?: (orderedTypes: { typeName: string; order: number }[]) => void
  modifiedCount?: number
  onCommitPush?: () => void
@@ -229,10 +230,11 @@ function ContextMenuOverlay({ pos, type, innerRef, onOpenCustomize }: {
  )
 }

-function CustomizeOverlay({ target, typeEntryMap, innerRef, onCustomize, onClose }: {
+function CustomizeOverlay({ target, typeEntryMap, innerRef, onCustomize, onChangeTemplate, onClose }: {
  target: string | null; typeEntryMap: Record<string, VaultEntry>
  innerRef: React.Ref<HTMLDivElement>
  onCustomize: (prop: 'icon' | 'color', value: string) => void
+  onChangeTemplate: (template: string) => void
  onClose: () => void
 }) {
  if (!target) return null
@@ -241,8 +243,10 @@ function CustomizeOverlay({ target, typeEntryMap, innerRef, onCustomize, onClose
      <TypeCustomizePopover
        currentIcon={typeEntryMap[target]?.icon ?? null}
        currentColor={typeEntryMap[target]?.color ?? null}
+        currentTemplate={typeEntryMap[target]?.template ?? null}
        onChangeIcon={(icon) => onCustomize('icon', icon)}
        onChangeColor={(color) => onCustomize('color', color)}
+        onChangeTemplate={onChangeTemplate}
        onClose={onClose}
      />
    </div>
@@ -253,7 +257,7 @@ function CustomizeOverlay({ target, typeEntryMap, innerRef, onCustomize, onClose

 export const Sidebar = memo(function Sidebar({
  entries, selection, onSelect, onSelectNote, onCreateType, onCreateNewType,
-  onCustomizeType, onReorderSections, modifiedCount = 0, onCommitPush, onCollapse,
+  onCustomizeType, onUpdateTypeTemplate, onReorderSections, modifiedCount = 0, onCommitPush, onCollapse,
 }: SidebarProps) {
  const [collapsed, setCollapsed] = useState<Record<string, boolean>>({})
  const [customizeTarget, setCustomizeTarget] = useState<string | null>(null)
@@ -302,6 +306,10 @@ export const Sidebar = memo(function Sidebar({
    applyCustomization(customizeTarget, typeEntryMap, onCustomizeType, prop, value)
  }, [customizeTarget, typeEntryMap, onCustomizeType])

+  const handleChangeTemplate = useCallback((template: string) => {
+    if (customizeTarget) onUpdateTypeTemplate?.(customizeTarget, template)
+  }, [customizeTarget, onUpdateTypeTemplate])
+
  const sectionProps = {
    entries, collapsed, selection, onSelect, onSelectNote, onCreateType, onCreateNewType,
    onContextMenu: handleContextMenu, onToggle: toggleSection,
@@ -346,7 +354,7 @@ export const Sidebar = memo(function Sidebar({

      <CommitButton modifiedCount={modifiedCount} onClick={onCommitPush} />
      <ContextMenuOverlay pos={contextMenuPos} type={contextMenuType} innerRef={contextMenuRef} onOpenCustomize={(type) => { closeContextMenu(); setCustomizeTarget(type) }} />
-      <CustomizeOverlay target={customizeTarget} typeEntryMap={typeEntryMap} innerRef={popoverRef} onCustomize={handleCustomize} onClose={closeCustomizeTarget} />
+      <CustomizeOverlay target={customizeTarget} typeEntryMap={typeEntryMap} innerRef={popoverRef} onCustomize={handleCustomize} onChangeTemplate={handleChangeTemplate} onClose={closeCustomizeTarget} />
    </aside>
  )
 })
--- a/src/components/TabBar.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/TabBar.test.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ function makeEntry(path: string, title: string): VaultEntry {
    status: null, owner: null, cadence: null, archived: false,
    trashed: false, trashedAt: null,
    modifiedAt: null, createdAt: null, fileSize: 0,
-    snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {}, icon: null, color: null, order: null, outgoingLinks: [],
+    snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {}, icon: null, color: null, order: null, template: null, outgoingLinks: [],
  }
 }

--- a/src/components/TypeCustomizePopover.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/TypeCustomizePopover.test.tsx
@@ -43,50 +43,42 @@ describe('ICON_OPTIONS', () => {
 describe('TypeCustomizePopover', () => {
  const onChangeIcon = vi.fn()
  const onChangeColor = vi.fn()
+  const onChangeTemplate = vi.fn()
  const onClose = vi.fn()

+  const renderPopover = (overrides: Partial<Parameters<typeof TypeCustomizePopover>[0]> = {}) =>
+    render(
+      <TypeCustomizePopover
+        currentIcon={null}
+        currentColor={null}
+        currentTemplate={null}
+        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
+        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
+        onChangeTemplate={onChangeTemplate}
+        onClose={onClose}
+        {...overrides}
+      />
+    )
+
  beforeEach(() => {
    vi.clearAllMocks()
  })

-  it('renders color section and icon section', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon="wrench"
-        currentColor="blue"
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+  it('renders color, icon, and template sections', () => {
+    renderPopover()
    expect(screen.getByText('COLOR')).toBeInTheDocument()
    expect(screen.getByText('ICON')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.getByText('TEMPLATE')).toBeInTheDocument()
    expect(screen.getByText('Done')).toBeInTheDocument()
  })

  it('renders search input', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon={null}
-        currentColor={null}
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+    renderPopover()
    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search icons…')).toBeInTheDocument()
  })

  it('filters icons by search query', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon={null}
-        currentColor={null}
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+    renderPopover()

    const searchInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search icons…')
    fireEvent.change(searchInput, { target: { value: 'book' } })
@@ -99,15 +91,7 @@ describe('TypeCustomizePopover', () => {
  })

  it('shows empty state when no icons match search', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon={null}
-        currentColor={null}
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+    renderPopover()

    const searchInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search icons…')
    fireEvent.change(searchInput, { target: { value: 'zzzznonexistent' } })
@@ -116,15 +100,7 @@ describe('TypeCustomizePopover', () => {
  })

  it('calls onChangeColor when a color is clicked', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon={null}
-        currentColor={null}
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+    renderPopover()

    const colorButtons = screen.getAllByTitle(/red|blue|green|purple|yellow|orange|teal|pink/i)
    fireEvent.click(colorButtons[0])
@@ -133,47 +109,70 @@ describe('TypeCustomizePopover', () => {
  })

  it('calls onChangeIcon when an icon is clicked', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon={null}
-        currentColor={null}
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+    renderPopover()

    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTitle('wrench'))
    expect(onChangeIcon).toHaveBeenCalledWith('wrench')
  })

  it('calls onClose when Done is clicked', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon={null}
-        currentColor={null}
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+    renderPopover()

    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Done'))
    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalled()
  })

  it('renders all color options including teal and pink', () => {
-    render(
-      <TypeCustomizePopover
-        currentIcon={null}
-        currentColor={null}
-        onChangeIcon={onChangeIcon}
-        onChangeColor={onChangeColor}
-        onClose={onClose}
-      />
-    )
+    renderPopover()

    expect(screen.getByTitle('Teal')).toBeInTheDocument()
    expect(screen.getByTitle('Pink')).toBeInTheDocument()
  })
+
+  // --- Template tests ---
+
+  it('renders template textarea', () => {
+    renderPopover()
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('template-textarea')).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
+  it('shows placeholder when template is empty', () => {
+    renderPopover()
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Markdown template for new notes of this type…')).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
+  it('displays current template value', () => {
+    renderPopover({ currentTemplate: '## Objective\n\n## Notes' })
+    const textarea = screen.getByTestId('template-textarea') as HTMLTextAreaElement
+    expect(textarea.value).toBe('## Objective\n\n## Notes')
+  })
+
+  it('updates template text on user input', () => {
+    renderPopover()
+    const textarea = screen.getByTestId('template-textarea')
+    fireEvent.change(textarea, { target: { value: '## New Template' } })
+    expect((textarea as HTMLTextAreaElement).value).toBe('## New Template')
+  })
+
+  it('calls onChangeTemplate after debounce', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    renderPopover()
+    const textarea = screen.getByTestId('template-textarea')
+    fireEvent.change(textarea, { target: { value: '## Debounced' } })
+
+    // Should not be called immediately
+    expect(onChangeTemplate).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    // Fast-forward past debounce
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(600)
+    expect(onChangeTemplate).toHaveBeenCalledWith('## Debounced')
+
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
+  it('treats null template as empty string', () => {
+    renderPopover({ currentTemplate: null })
+    const textarea = screen.getByTestId('template-textarea') as HTMLTextAreaElement
+    expect(textarea.value).toBe('')
+  })
 })
--- a/src/components/TypeCustomizePopover.tsx
+++ b/src/components/TypeCustomizePopover.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState, useMemo } from 'react'
+import { useState, useMemo, useCallback, useRef, useEffect } from 'react'
 import { MagnifyingGlass } from '@phosphor-icons/react'
 import { ICON_OPTIONS, type IconEntry } from '../utils/iconRegistry'
 import { ACCENT_COLORS } from '../utils/typeColors'
@@ -13,21 +13,40 @@ function filterIcons(icons: IconEntry[], query: string): IconEntry[] {
 interface TypeCustomizePopoverProps {
  currentIcon: string | null
  currentColor: string | null
+  currentTemplate: string | null
  onChangeIcon: (icon: string) => void
  onChangeColor: (color: string) => void
+  onChangeTemplate: (template: string) => void
  onClose: () => void
 }

+/** Debounce a callback by `delay` ms. Returns a stable ref-based wrapper. */
+function useDebouncedCallback(fn: (v: string) => void, delay: number): (v: string) => void {
+  const timerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined>(undefined)
+  const fnRef = useRef(fn)
+  useEffect(() => { fnRef.current = fn })
+
+  useEffect(() => () => { clearTimeout(timerRef.current) }, [])
+
+  return useCallback((v: string) => {
+    clearTimeout(timerRef.current)
+    timerRef.current = setTimeout(() => fnRef.current(v), delay)
+  }, [delay])
+}
+
 export function TypeCustomizePopover({
  currentIcon,
  currentColor,
+  currentTemplate,
  onChangeIcon,
  onChangeColor,
+  onChangeTemplate,
  onClose,
 }: TypeCustomizePopoverProps) {
  const [selectedColor, setSelectedColor] = useState(currentColor)
  const [selectedIcon, setSelectedIcon] = useState(currentIcon)
  const [search, setSearch] = useState('')
+  const [templateText, setTemplateText] = useState(currentTemplate ?? '')

  const filteredIcons = useMemo(() => filterIcons(ICON_OPTIONS, search), [search])

@@ -41,10 +60,17 @@ export function TypeCustomizePopover({
    onChangeIcon(name)
  }

+  const debouncedSaveTemplate = useDebouncedCallback(onChangeTemplate, 500)
+
+  const handleTemplateChange = (value: string) => {
+    setTemplateText(value)
+    debouncedSaveTemplate(value)
+  }
+
  return (
    <div
      className="bg-popover text-popover-foreground z-50 rounded-lg border shadow-md"
-      style={{ width: 280, padding: 12 }}
+      style={{ width: 320, padding: 12 }}
      onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
      onContextMenu={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
    >
@@ -84,7 +110,7 @@ export function TypeCustomizePopover({
      </div>

      {/* Icon grid */}
-      <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1 overflow-y-auto" style={{ maxHeight: 240 }}>
+      <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1 overflow-y-auto" style={{ maxHeight: 160 }}>
        {filteredIcons.length === 0 ? (
          <div className="w-full py-6 text-center text-[12px] text-muted-foreground">
            No icons found
@@ -109,6 +135,17 @@ export function TypeCustomizePopover({
        )}
      </div>

+      {/* Template section */}
+      <div className="font-mono-overline mb-2 mt-3 text-muted-foreground">TEMPLATE</div>
+      <textarea
+        value={templateText}
+        onChange={(e) => handleTemplateChange(e.target.value)}
+        placeholder="Markdown template for new notes of this type…"
+        className="w-full rounded border border-border bg-background px-2 py-1.5 text-[12px] font-mono text-foreground placeholder:text-muted-foreground outline-none focus:border-primary resize-y"
+        style={{ minHeight: 80, maxHeight: 200 }}
+        data-testid="template-textarea"
+      />
+
      {/* Done button */}
      <div className="mt-3 flex justify-end">
        <button
--- a/src/hooks/useCommandRegistry.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useCommandRegistry.test.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
  ...overrides,
 })
--- a/src/hooks/useEntryActions.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useEntryActions.test.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
  ...overrides,
 })
@@ -142,6 +143,43 @@ describe('useEntryActions', () => {
    })
  })

+  describe('handleUpdateTypeTemplate', () => {
+    it('updates template on the type entry', () => {
+      const typeEntry = makeEntry({ isA: 'Type', title: 'Project', path: '/vault/type/project.md' })
+      const { result } = setup([typeEntry])
+
+      act(() => {
+        result.current.handleUpdateTypeTemplate('Project', '## Objective\n\n## Notes')
+      })
+
+      expect(handleUpdateFrontmatter).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/vault/type/project.md', 'template', '## Objective\n\n## Notes')
+      expect(updateEntry).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/vault/type/project.md', { template: '## Objective\n\n## Notes' })
+    })
+
+    it('sets template to null when empty string', () => {
+      const typeEntry = makeEntry({ isA: 'Type', title: 'Project', path: '/vault/type/project.md' })
+      const { result } = setup([typeEntry])
+
+      act(() => {
+        result.current.handleUpdateTypeTemplate('Project', '')
+      })
+
+      expect(handleUpdateFrontmatter).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/vault/type/project.md', 'template', '')
+      expect(updateEntry).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/vault/type/project.md', { template: null })
+    })
+
+    it('does nothing when type entry not found', () => {
+      const { result } = setup([])
+
+      act(() => {
+        result.current.handleUpdateTypeTemplate('NonExistent', '## Template')
+      })
+
+      expect(handleUpdateFrontmatter).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+      expect(updateEntry).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+  })
+
  describe('handleReorderSections', () => {
    it('updates order on multiple type entries', () => {
      const typeA = makeEntry({ isA: 'Type', title: 'Note', path: '/vault/type/note.md' })
--- a/src/hooks/useEntryActions.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useEntryActions.ts
@@ -60,5 +60,12 @@ export function useEntryActions({
    }
  }, [entries, handleUpdateFrontmatter, updateEntry])

-  return { handleTrashNote, handleRestoreNote, handleArchiveNote, handleUnarchiveNote, handleCustomizeType, handleReorderSections }
+  const handleUpdateTypeTemplate = useCallback((typeName: string, template: string) => {
+    const typeEntry = findTypeEntry(entries, typeName)
+    if (!typeEntry) return
+    handleUpdateFrontmatter(typeEntry.path, 'template', template)
+    updateEntry(typeEntry.path, { template: template || null })
+  }, [entries, handleUpdateFrontmatter, updateEntry])
+
+  return { handleTrashNote, handleRestoreNote, handleArchiveNote, handleUnarchiveNote, handleCustomizeType, handleReorderSections, handleUpdateTypeTemplate }
 }
--- a/src/hooks/useKeyboardNavigation.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useKeyboardNavigation.test.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
  ...overrides,
 })
--- a/src/hooks/useNoteActions.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useNoteActions.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ import {
  resolveDailyNote,
  findDailyNote,
  useNoteActions,
+  DEFAULT_TEMPLATES,
+  resolveTemplate,
 } from './useNoteActions'
 import type { NoteActionsConfig } from './useNoteActions'

@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  color: null,
  order: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
+  template: null,
  ...overrides,
 })

@@ -192,6 +195,47 @@ describe('buildNoteContent', () => {
    const content = buildNoteContent('AI', 'Topic', null)
    expect(content).toBe('---\ntitle: AI\ntype: Topic\n---\n\n# AI\n\n')
  })
+
+  it('includes template body when provided', () => {
+    const content = buildNoteContent('My Project', 'Project', 'Active', '## Objective\n\n## Notes\n\n')
+    expect(content).toContain('# My Project')
+    expect(content).toContain('## Objective')
+    expect(content).toContain('## Notes')
+  })
+
+  it('ignores null template', () => {
+    const content = buildNoteContent('My Note', 'Note', 'Active', null)
+    expect(content).toBe('---\ntitle: My Note\ntype: Note\nstatus: Active\n---\n\n# My Note\n\n')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('resolveTemplate', () => {
+  it('returns template from type entry when set', () => {
+    const typeEntry = makeEntry({ isA: 'Type', title: 'Recipe', template: '## Ingredients\n\n## Steps\n\n' })
+    expect(resolveTemplate([typeEntry], 'Recipe')).toBe('## Ingredients\n\n## Steps\n\n')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to DEFAULT_TEMPLATES for built-in types', () => {
+    expect(resolveTemplate([], 'Project')).toBe(DEFAULT_TEMPLATES.Project)
+  })
+
+  it('returns null when no template and no default', () => {
+    expect(resolveTemplate([], 'CustomType')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('type entry template overrides default', () => {
+    const typeEntry = makeEntry({ isA: 'Type', title: 'Project', template: '## Custom\n\n' })
+    expect(resolveTemplate([typeEntry], 'Project')).toBe('## Custom\n\n')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('DEFAULT_TEMPLATES', () => {
+  it('has templates for Project, Person, Responsibility, Experiment', () => {
+    expect(DEFAULT_TEMPLATES.Project).toBeDefined()
+    expect(DEFAULT_TEMPLATES.Person).toBeDefined()
+    expect(DEFAULT_TEMPLATES.Responsibility).toBeDefined()
+    expect(DEFAULT_TEMPLATES.Experiment).toBeDefined()
+  })
 })

 describe('resolveNewNote', () => {
@@ -244,6 +288,7 @@ describe('frontmatterToEntryPatch', () => {
    ['archived', true, { archived: true }],
    ['trashed', true, { trashed: true }],
    ['order', 5, { order: 5 }],
+    ['template', '## Heading\n\n', { template: '## Heading\n\n' }],
  ] as [string, unknown, Partial<VaultEntry>][])(
    'maps %s update to correct entry field',
    (key, value, expected) => {
@@ -274,6 +319,7 @@ describe('frontmatterToEntryPatch', () => {
    ['aliases', { aliases: [] }],
    ['archived', { archived: false }],
    ['order', { order: null }],
+    ['template', { template: null }],
  ] as [string, Partial<VaultEntry>][])(
    'maps delete of %s to null/default',
    (key, expected) => {
@@ -523,6 +569,43 @@ describe('useNoteActions hook', () => {
    expect(createdEntry.isA).toBe('Project')
  })

+  it('handleCreateNote uses default template for Project type', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useNoteActions(makeConfig()))
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.handleCreateNote('My Project', 'Project')
+    })
+
+    const [, createdContent] = addEntry.mock.calls[0]
+    expect(createdContent).toContain('## Objective')
+    expect(createdContent).toContain('## Key Results')
+  })
+
+  it('handleCreateNote uses custom template from type entry', () => {
+    const typeEntry = makeEntry({ isA: 'Type', title: 'Recipe', template: '## Ingredients\n\n## Steps\n\n' })
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useNoteActions(makeConfig([typeEntry])))
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.handleCreateNote('Pasta', 'Recipe')
+    })
+
+    const [, createdContent] = addEntry.mock.calls[0]
+    expect(createdContent).toContain('## Ingredients')
+    expect(createdContent).toContain('## Steps')
+  })
+
+  it('handleCreateNoteImmediate uses template for typed notes', () => {
+    const typeEntry = makeEntry({ isA: 'Type', title: 'Project', template: '## Custom Template\n\n' })
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useNoteActions(makeConfig([typeEntry])))
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.handleCreateNoteImmediate('Project')
+    })
+
+    const [, createdContent] = addEntry.mock.calls[0]
+    expect(createdContent).toContain('## Custom Template')
+  })
+
  it('handleUpdateFrontmatter does not call updateEntry for unknown keys', async () => {
    const { result } = renderHook(() => useNoteActions(makeConfig()))

--- a/src/hooks/useNoteActions.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useNoteActions.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export function buildNewEntry({ path, slug, title, type, status }: NewEntryParam
    aliases: [], belongsTo: [], relatedTo: [],
    status, owner: null, cadence: null, archived: false, trashed: false, trashedAt: null,
    modifiedAt: now, createdAt: now, fileSize: 0,
-    snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {}, icon: null, color: null, order: null, outgoingLinks: [], sidebarLabel: null,
+    snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {}, icon: null, color: null, order: null, outgoingLinks: [], sidebarLabel: null, template: null,
  }
 }

@@ -129,11 +129,26 @@ const TYPE_FOLDER_MAP: Record<string, string> = {

 const NO_STATUS_TYPES = new Set(['Topic', 'Person', 'Journal'])

+/** Default templates for built-in types. Used when the type entry has no custom template. */
+export const DEFAULT_TEMPLATES: Record<string, string> = {
+  Project: '## Objective\n\n\n\n## Key Results\n\n\n\n## Notes\n\n',
+  Person: '## Role\n\n\n\n## Contact\n\n\n\n## Notes\n\n',
+  Responsibility: '## Description\n\n\n\n## Key Activities\n\n\n\n## Notes\n\n',
+  Experiment: '## Hypothesis\n\n\n\n## Method\n\n\n\n## Results\n\n\n\n## Conclusion\n\n',
+}
+
+/** Look up the template for a given type from the type entry or defaults. */
+export function resolveTemplate(entries: VaultEntry[], typeName: string): string | null {
+  const typeEntry = entries.find(e => e.isA === 'Type' && e.title === typeName)
+  return typeEntry?.template ?? DEFAULT_TEMPLATES[typeName] ?? null
+}
+
 const ENTRY_DELETE_MAP: Record<string, Partial<VaultEntry>> = {
  type: { isA: null }, is_a: { isA: null }, status: { status: null }, color: { color: null },
  icon: { icon: null }, owner: { owner: null }, cadence: { cadence: null },
  aliases: { aliases: [] }, belongs_to: { belongsTo: [] }, related_to: { relatedTo: [] },
  archived: { archived: false }, trashed: { trashed: false }, order: { order: null },
+  template: { template: null },
 }

 /** Map a frontmatter key+value to the corresponding VaultEntry field(s). */
@@ -150,6 +165,7 @@ export function frontmatterToEntryPatch(
    aliases: { aliases: arr }, belongs_to: { belongsTo: arr }, related_to: { relatedTo: arr },
    archived: { archived: Boolean(value) }, trashed: { trashed: Boolean(value) },
    order: { order: typeof value === 'number' ? value : null },
+    template: { template: str },
  }
  return updates[k] ?? {}
 }
@@ -159,19 +175,20 @@ function addEntryWithMock(entry: VaultEntry, content: string, addEntry: (e: Vaul
  addEntry(entry, content)
 }

-export function buildNoteContent(title: string, type: string, status: string | null): string {
+export function buildNoteContent(title: string, type: string, status: string | null, template?: string | null): string {
  const lines = ['---', `title: ${title}`, `type: ${type}`]
  if (status) lines.push(`status: ${status}`)
  lines.push('---')
-  return `${lines.join('\n')}\n\n# ${title}\n\n`
+  const body = template ? `\n${template}` : '\n'
+  return `${lines.join('\n')}\n\n# ${title}\n${body}`
 }

-export function resolveNewNote(title: string, type: string): { entry: VaultEntry; content: string } {
+export function resolveNewNote(title: string, type: string, template?: string | null): { entry: VaultEntry; content: string } {
  const folder = TYPE_FOLDER_MAP[type] || slugify(type)
  const slug = slugify(title)
  const status = NO_STATUS_TYPES.has(type) ? null : 'Active'
  const entry = buildNewEntry({ path: `/Users/luca/Laputa/${folder}/${slug}.md`, slug, title, type, status })
-  return { entry, content: buildNoteContent(title, type, status) }
+  return { entry, content: buildNoteContent(title, type, status, template) }
 }

 export function resolveNewType(typeName: string): { entry: VaultEntry; content: string } {
@@ -340,13 +357,17 @@ export function useNoteActions(config: NoteActionsConfig) {
    [openTabWithContent, addEntry, revertOptimisticNote, addPendingSave, removePendingSave], // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps -- persistCbs is stable when deps are
  )

-  const handleCreateNote = useCallback((title: string, type: string) => persistNew(resolveNewNote(title, type)), [persistNew])
+  const handleCreateNote = useCallback((title: string, type: string) => {
+    const template = resolveTemplate(entries, type)
+    persistNew(resolveNewNote(title, type, template))
+  }, [entries, persistNew])

  const handleCreateNoteImmediate = useCallback((type?: string) => {
    const noteType = type || 'Note'
    const title = generateUntitledName(entries, noteType, pendingNamesRef.current)
    pendingNamesRef.current.add(title)
-    const resolved = resolveNewNote(title, noteType)
+    const template = resolveTemplate(entries, noteType)
+    const resolved = resolveNewNote(title, noteType, template)
    openTabWithContent(resolved.entry, resolved.content)
    addEntryWithMock(resolved.entry, resolved.content, addEntry)
    config.trackUnsaved?.(resolved.entry.path)
--- a/src/hooks/useNoteListKeyboard.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useNoteListKeyboard.test.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ function makeEntry(path: string, title: string): VaultEntry {
    fileSize: 100,
    color: null,
    icon: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
    relationships: {},
  }
--- a/src/hooks/useTabManagement.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useTabManagement.test.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const makeEntry = (overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry => ({
  icon: null,
  color: null,
  order: null,
+  template: null,
  outgoingLinks: [],
  ...overrides,
 })
--- a/src/hooks/useVaultLoader.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useVaultLoader.test.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const mockEntries: VaultEntry[] = [
    status: 'Active', owner: null, cadence: null,
    archived: false, trashed: false, trashedAt: null,
    modifiedAt: 1700000000, createdAt: 1700000000, fileSize: 100,
-    snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {}, icon: null, color: null, order: null, outgoingLinks: [],
+    snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {}, icon: null, color: null, order: null, template: null, outgoingLinks: [],
  },
 ]

--- a/src/mock-tauri/mock-entries.ts
+++ b/src/mock-tauri/mock-entries.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['quarter/q1-2026', 'topic/software-development', 'person/matteo-cellini', 'person/maria-bianchi', 'person/marco-verdi'],
  },
  {
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['essay/on-writing-well', 'essay/engineering-leadership-101', 'essay/ai-agents-primer', 'topic/growth', 'topic/writing'],
  },
  {
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['person/matteo-cellini'],
  },
  {
@@ -129,6 +132,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['responsibility/grow-newsletter'],
  },
  {
@@ -158,6 +162,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['responsibility/manage-sponsorships'],
  },
  {
@@ -188,6 +193,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['topic/trading', 'topic/algorithmic-trading', 'data/ema200-backtest-results'],
  },
  {
@@ -218,6 +224,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['project/26q1-laputa-app', 'topic/growth', 'topic/ads'],
  },
  {
@@ -247,6 +254,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['project/26q1-laputa-app'],
  },
  {
@@ -275,6 +283,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -303,6 +312,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -331,6 +341,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -359,6 +370,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -388,6 +400,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['project/26q1-laputa-app', 'person/matteo-cellini'],
  },
  {
@@ -417,6 +430,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -446,6 +460,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -475,6 +490,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['responsibility/grow-newsletter'],
  },
  {
@@ -505,6 +521,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['responsibility/grow-newsletter', 'topic/software-development'],
  },
  {
@@ -534,6 +551,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: ['responsibility/grow-newsletter'],
  },
  // --- Type documents ---
@@ -561,6 +579,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 0,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -587,6 +606,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 1,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -613,6 +633,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 2,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -639,6 +660,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 3,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -665,6 +687,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 4,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -691,6 +714,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 5,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -717,6 +741,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 6,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -743,6 +768,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 7,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -769,6 +795,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: 8,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  // --- Custom type documents ---
@@ -796,6 +823,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: 'orange',
    order: 9,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -822,6 +850,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: 'green',
    order: 10,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  // --- Instances of custom types ---
@@ -851,6 +880,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -879,6 +909,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  // --- Trashed entries ---
@@ -909,6 +940,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -937,6 +969,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  {
@@ -966,6 +999,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
  },
  // --- Archived entries ---
@@ -987,6 +1021,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
    modifiedAt: now - 86400 * 120,
    createdAt: now - 86400 * 200,
@@ -1016,6 +1051,7 @@ export const MOCK_ENTRIES: VaultEntry[] = [
    color: null,
    order: null,
    sidebarLabel: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
    modifiedAt: now - 86400 * 90,
    createdAt: now - 86400 * 150,
@@ -1079,6 +1115,7 @@ function generateBulkEntries(count: number): VaultEntry[] {
      order: null,
      outgoingLinks: Array.from({ length: i % 8 }, (_j, j) => `note/link-target-${(i + j) % 50}`),
      sidebarLabel: null,
+      template: null,
    })
  }
  return entries
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ export interface VaultEntry {
  order: number | null
  /** Custom sidebar section label for Type entries, overriding auto-pluralization. */
  sidebarLabel: string | null
+  /** Markdown template for Type entries. Pre-fills new notes created with this type. */
+  template: string | null
  /** All wikilink targets found in the note content. Extracted from [[target]] patterns. */
  outgoingLinks: string[]
 }
--- a/src/utils/noteListHelpers.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/noteListHelpers.test.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ function makeEntry(overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry {
    trashed: false, trashedAt: null,
    modifiedAt: null, createdAt: null, fileSize: 0,
    snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {},
-    icon: null, color: null, order: null, outgoingLinks: [],
+    icon: null, color: null, order: null, template: null, outgoingLinks: [],
    ...overrides,
  }
 }
--- a/src/utils/suggestionEnrichment.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/suggestionEnrichment.test.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function makeEntry(overrides: Partial<VaultEntry> = {}): VaultEntry {
    aliases: [], belongsTo: [], relatedTo: [], status: null, owner: null, cadence: null,
    archived: false, trashed: false, trashedAt: null, modifiedAt: null, createdAt: null,
    fileSize: 0, snippet: '', wordCount: 0, relationships: {}, icon: null, color: null,
-    order: null, outgoingLinks: [],
+    order: null, template: null, outgoingLinks: [],
    ...overrides,
  }
 }
--- a/src/utils/typeColors.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/typeColors.test.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const baseEntry: VaultEntry = {
  status: null, owner: null, cadence: null, archived: false, trashed: false, trashedAt: null,
  modifiedAt: null, createdAt: null, fileSize: 0, snippet: '', relationships: {},
  wordCount: 0,
-  icon: null, color: null, order: null, outgoingLinks: [],
+  icon: null, color: null, order: null, template: null, outgoingLinks: [],
 }

 describe('buildTypeEntryMap', () => {
--- a/src/utils/wikilinkColors.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/wikilinkColors.test.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ function makeEntry(overrides: Partial<VaultEntry>): VaultEntry {
    icon: null,
    color: null,
    order: null,
+    template: null,
    outgoingLinks: [],
    ...overrides,
  }