Templates and Snippets

Two libraries of plain Markdown files save you from retyping the same structure:

Library	Folder	Use it to
Templates	~/.config/Typora/Templates/	Start a new document
Snippets	~/.config/Typora/Snippets/	Insert a fragment at the caret

Each .md file is one item; its file name is its name. Sub-folders group items. Add a file in Finder or Explorer and it shows up — no restart, no index. Manage both in Settings ▸ Shortcuts, where Open Folder takes you to the folder and New Template / New Snippet opens an editor with a variable reference.

A template

---
typora-template:
  description: Weekly 1:1 notes
  filename: "{{date}} 1on1"
title: "{{title}}"
tags: [meeting]
---

# {{title}}

{{cursor}}

Use it from:

• File ▸ New from Template — opens a new tab named after filename (or after the document's title, per Settings ▸ Files ▸ Default File Name).
• The file tree's New from Template — creates the file in that folder and lets you rename it.
• The / menu in an empty document — fills the document in place.
• The command palette — New from Template: name.

A snippet

---
typora-snippet:
  description: Action item with owner and due date
  prefix: [todo, action]
---
- [ ] {{1:Task}} — @{{2:owner}}, due {{3:Friday}}

Insert it by:

• Typing / and the prefix (/todo), or your own Trigger, then Enter. The trigger can be changed in Settings ▸ Shortcuts ▸ Typing.
• The / menu, Snippet group.
• Edit ▸ Insert Snippet, or Insert Snippet: name in the command palette.

When a snippet has front matter, its keys are merged into the document's front matter: missing keys are added, existing ones are kept. A snippet that is only front matter is a quick way to add your default properties to an existing document.

Metadata

Metadata goes under one reserved key, which is removed when the item is used. Any other front matter is copied into the result.

Key	For	Meaning
typora-template.description	templates	Shown in menus and Settings
typora-template.filename	templates	File name for the new document (variables allowed)
typora-snippet.description	snippets	Shown in autocomplete and Settings
typora-snippet.prefix	snippets	Trigger word, or a list of them. Defaults to the file name

Variables

Variable	Value
{{title}}	The new file's name (templates) or the current document's name (snippets)
{{date}}	Today, YYYY-MM-DD. Takes a format: {{date:dddd, MMMM D}}
{{time}}	Now, HH:mm. Takes a format: {{time:h:mm A}}
{{selection}}	The selected Markdown, when a snippet replaces a selection
{{clipboard}}	Clipboard text
{{uuid}}	A random UUID
{{cursor}}	Where the caret goes afterwards
{{1:placeholder}}	A tab stop

Format tokens follow Moment.js (so Obsidian templates work as-is): YYYY YY MMMM MMM MM M DD D dddd ddd HH H hh h mm m ss s A a, with [text] for literal text. Unknown variables are left as written; \{{ writes a literal {{.

Tab stops

After inserting, the first tab stop is selected. Tab and Shift+Tab move between stops in number order; Tab after the last one goes to {{cursor}} (or the end). Stops with the same number mirror each other. Esc or clicking elsewhere ends it.

Custom formats

Coloured text and highlights that you toggle on a selection are custom formats, not snippets. Typora ships five text colours and three highlights; edit and add your own — with an opening text, a closing text and an optional shortcut — in Settings ▸ Markdown ▸ Custom Formats. Apply them from Format ▸ Custom Formats, the / menu, the command palette or their shortcut.

Shortcuts for templates and snippets

Every template, snippet and custom format can get a key binding in Settings ▸ Shortcuts ▸ Key Bindings ▸ Customize….

From extensions

Extensions can ship templates and snippets too. They appear in their own group, named after the extension, and are read-only in Settings.