When handling complex tasks with DeepSeek Harness (DSH), the conversation flow and thinking flow often need to be recorded synchronously. This plugin simulates a Cornell Notes layout to provide a lightweight workspace for the DSH Web UI.

What This Is

This is a Cornell notebook-style workspace plugin maintained by leamonac0823. It does not modify DSH’s core conversation or input editor; instead, it provides a separate sidebar area for note-taking and task management. All note data is stored only in the browser’s localStorage — no content is uploaded, and no messages are altered.

Core Features

  • Visual Style: White paper background, blue ruled lines, and soft red margin annotations.
  • Collapsible Briefing: Includes a Cornell briefing area for recording key thinking points, core keywords, session state, and follow-up actions.
  • Task Management: Each conversation has its own paired “My Notes” task list, supporting free-form multi-line text editing. Tasks have independent completion states; once checked, they are automatically collapsed but not deleted, so they can be reviewed or edited at any time.
  • Layout Optimization: Notes have an independent scroll area, while the briefing panel remains visible and does not disappear when scrolling through long notes.
  • Clean Interface: Automatically cleans up duplicate blank draft lines.

Installation and Enablement

The plugin is packaged as a standard DSH plugin based on cordis.patch.yml, and can be installed directly without local patch configuration.

Use the following command to install it via npm:

dsh plugin --profile web add dsh-cornell-classic-theme

After installation, restart the Web configuration or refresh the DSH webpage. A Cornell button will appear next to the Conversation and Trace tabs; click it to enable or disable this note workspace.

Typical Usage

  1. Open the Workspace: Open any conversation and click Cornell to enable it.
  2. Adjust Space: Use the “Collapse / Expand” function to temporarily free up more reading space.
  3. Record Tasks: Enter task content under “My Notes”; each task supports multi-line input.
  4. Manage Status: After checking a task, it will move to the completed collapsed section; expand it at any time to view or edit it.

Applicable Scenarios and Notes

  • Scope: Designed specifically for the DSH Web interface. The Cornell briefing is displayed only on the Conversation page; the Trace page retains the native interface.
  • Responsive Adaptation: When the browser viewport width is less than about 1100px, the briefing automatically hides to ensure the main conversation area is displayed properly.
  • Version Compatibility: DSH is currently in developer preview, and future UI updates may require synchronized selector adaptations.
  • Permission Risk: The plugin runs with the current DSH process permissions, so it is recommended to review the source code and license before installation.

Conclusion

This plugin adds a local-first, minimalist auxiliary workspace to DSH. For more details and source code, see the GitHub repository.