feat(page): temporary notes — auto-trash after X hours unless made permanent (#201)

"Temporary notes" with a death timer: created via a dedicated hourglass button
in the space-tree header, a note auto-moves to Trash after a configurable X
hours (default 24) unless explicitly made permanent ("structure or die").

Reuses existing mechanisms, mirroring is_template and the trash-cleanup job:
- New nullable column pages.temporary_expires_at (NULL = permanent; non-NULL =
  frozen deadline) + partial index for the sweep; workspace column
  temporary_note_hours (default via DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS = 24).
- create-page DTO `temporary` flag; the deadline is frozen at creation so later
  setting changes never reschedule existing notes.
- POST /pages/toggle-temporary (mirror of toggle-template): arm/clear the timer,
  CASL-guarded via validateCanEdit, cross-workspace NotFound defense-in-depth.
- TemporaryNoteCleanupService: hourly @Interval sweep that soft-deletes expired
  notes through the exact PageRepo.removePage path (recursive over children,
  emits PAGE_SOFT_DELETED), attributed to the creator; idempotent via
  deletedAt IS NULL filters.
- restorePage clears temporary_expires_at so a restored note can't be re-trashed.
- Workspace setting temporary_note_hours (audit-tracked) + a hours editor in
  workspace General settings.
- Client: second create button, orange tree icon, tree + page-header menu toggle
  ("Make temporary"/"Make permanent"), an open-note banner with a rescue action,
  and en/ru i18n.

Tests (unit): toggle-temporary controller (toggle/explicit/permission/cross-ws +
DTO validation), cleanup-job sweep (selection filters, per-note removePage,
error isolation), and a migration up/down sanity. Server tsc, client tsc -b,
and the page+workspace jest suites are green.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

apps/server/src/core/page/constants/temporary-note.constants.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// Default lifetime for a temporary note, in HOURS, used when the workspace has
+// no `temporaryNoteHours` configured (NULL). Mirrors the trash-cleanup
+// DEFAULT_RETENTION_DAYS fallback. After this many hours a temporary note is
+// auto-moved to trash unless it was made permanent first.
+export const DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS = 24;

apps/server/src/core/page/dto/create-page.dto.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {
+  IsBoolean,
   IsIn,
   IsOptional,
   IsString,
@@ -32,4 +33,10 @@ export class CreatePageDto {
   @Transform(({ value }) => value?.toLowerCase() ?? 'json')
   @IsIn(['json', 'markdown', 'html'])
   format?: ContentFormat;
+
+  // When true, create the page as a temporary note: arm its death timer
+  // (now + workspace temporaryNoteHours) at creation.
+  @IsOptional()
+  @IsBoolean()
+  temporary?: boolean;
 }

apps/server/src/core/page/page.module.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { PageService } from './services/page.service';
 import { PageController } from './page.controller';
 import { PageHistoryService } from './services/page-history.service';
 import { TrashCleanupService } from './services/trash-cleanup.service';
+import { TemporaryNoteCleanupService } from './services/temporary-note-cleanup.service';
 import { BacklinkService } from './services/backlink.service';
 import { StorageModule } from '../../integrations/storage/storage.module';
 import { CollaborationModule } from '../../collaboration/collaboration.module';
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ import { LabelModule } from '../label/label.module';
     PageService,
     PageHistoryService,
     TrashCleanupService,
+    TemporaryNoteCleanupService,
     BacklinkService,
   ],
   exports: [PageService, PageHistoryService],

apps/server/src/core/page/services/page.service.ts

@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ import {
   AuthProvenanceData,
   agentSourceFields,
 } from '../../../common/decorators/auth-provenance.decorator';
+import { DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS } from '../constants/temporary-note.constants';
 
 // Hard upper bound on how deep the recursive page-tree CTEs (ancestor /
 // descendant traversals) may walk. Real page trees are only a handful of levels
@@ -140,6 +141,20 @@ export class PageService {
       parentPageId = parentPage.id;
     }
 
+    // Freeze the death timer here so later changes to the workspace setting
+    // never reschedule existing temporary notes. NULL => permanent page.
+    let temporaryExpiresAt: Date | undefined;
+    if (createPageDto.temporary) {
+      const workspace = await this.db
+        .selectFrom('workspaces')
+        .select(['temporaryNoteHours'])
+        .where('id', '=', workspaceId)
+        .executeTakeFirst();
+      const hours =
+        workspace?.temporaryNoteHours ?? DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS;
+      temporaryExpiresAt = new Date(Date.now() + hours * 60 * 60 * 1000);
+    }
+
     let content = undefined;
     let textContent = undefined;
     let ydoc = undefined;
@@ -172,6 +187,7 @@ export class PageService {
       // (creatorId/lastUpdatedById); these only annotate the source. A normal
       // user request leaves the column default ('user').
       ...agentSourceFields(provenance, 'lastUpdatedSource', 'lastUpdatedAiChatId'),
+      temporaryExpiresAt,
       content,
       textContent,
       ydoc,
@@ -356,6 +372,7 @@ export class PageService {
         'spaceId',
         'creatorId',
         'isTemplate',
+        'temporaryExpiresAt',
         'deletedAt',
       ])
       .select((eb) => this.pageRepo.withHasChildren(eb))

apps/server/src/core/page/services/spec/temporary-note-cleanup.service.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import { TemporaryNoteCleanupService } from '../temporary-note-cleanup.service';
+
+/**
+ * Chainable Kysely stub that records every `.where(...)` call so the test can
+ * assert the sweep only selects armed, expired, not-yet-trashed notes. The
+ * terminal `.execute()` resolves the configured expired rows.
+ */
+function makeDbStub(expiredRows: any[]) {
+  const whereCalls: any[][] = [];
+  const builder: any = {
+    selectFrom: jest.fn(() => builder),
+    select: jest.fn(() => builder),
+    where: jest.fn((...args: any[]) => {
+      whereCalls.push(args);
+      return builder;
+    }),
+    execute: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(expiredRows),
+  };
+  return { builder, whereCalls };
+}
+
+describe('TemporaryNoteCleanupService.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes', () => {
+  it('selects only armed, expired, not-yet-trashed notes', async () => {
+    const { builder, whereCalls } = makeDbStub([]);
+    const pageRepo = { removePage: jest.fn() } as any;
+    const service = new TemporaryNoteCleanupService(builder, pageRepo);
+
+    await service.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes();
+
+    // temporaryExpiresAt IS NOT NULL, temporaryExpiresAt < now, deletedAt IS NULL
+    const cols = whereCalls.map((c) => c[0]);
+    const ops = whereCalls.map((c) => c[1]);
+    expect(cols).toEqual([
+      'temporaryExpiresAt',
+      'temporaryExpiresAt',
+      'deletedAt',
+    ]);
+    expect(ops).toEqual(['is not', '<', 'is']);
+    // last operand is the trash filter -> null
+    expect(whereCalls[2][2]).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('soft-deletes each expired note via removePage, attributed to its creator', async () => {
+    const expired = [
+      { id: 'p1', creatorId: 'u1', workspaceId: 'w1' },
+      { id: 'p2', creatorId: 'u2', workspaceId: 'w1' },
+    ];
+    const { builder } = makeDbStub(expired);
+    const pageRepo = { removePage: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) } as any;
+    const service = new TemporaryNoteCleanupService(builder, pageRepo);
+
+    await service.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes();
+
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, 'p1', 'u1', 'w1');
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, 'p2', 'u2', 'w1');
+  });
+
+  it('continues past a failing note (one bad removePage does not abort the sweep)', async () => {
+    const expired = [
+      { id: 'bad', creatorId: 'u1', workspaceId: 'w1' },
+      { id: 'good', creatorId: 'u2', workspaceId: 'w1' },
+    ];
+    const { builder } = makeDbStub(expired);
+    const pageRepo = {
+      removePage: jest
+        .fn()
+        .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('boom'))
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined),
+    } as any;
+    const service = new TemporaryNoteCleanupService(builder, pageRepo);
+
+    await expect(
+      service.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes(),
+    ).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, 'good', 'u2', 'w1');
+  });
+
+  it('does nothing when no notes are expired', async () => {
+    const { builder } = makeDbStub([]);
+    const pageRepo = { removePage: jest.fn() } as any;
+    const service = new TemporaryNoteCleanupService(builder, pageRepo);
+
+    await service.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes();
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});

apps/server/src/core/page/services/temporary-note-cleanup.service.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import { Injectable, Logger } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Interval } from '@nestjs/schedule';
+import { InjectKysely } from 'nestjs-kysely';
+import { KyselyDB } from '@docmost/db/types/kysely.types';
+import { PageRepo } from '@docmost/db/repos/page/page.repo';
+
+/**
+ * Background sweeper for temporary notes ("structure or die"). A note whose
+ * frozen deadline (`pages.temporary_expires_at`) has passed is auto-moved to
+ * trash via the exact same soft-delete path as a manual delete. Modelled on
+ * TrashCleanupService; `@nestjs/schedule` is already enabled globally.
+ */
+@Injectable()
+export class TemporaryNoteCleanupService {
+  private readonly logger = new Logger(TemporaryNoteCleanupService.name);
+
+  constructor(
+    @InjectKysely() private readonly db: KyselyDB,
+    private readonly pageRepo: PageRepo,
+  ) {}
+
+  // Hourly granularity: lifetimes are configured in hours, so a sub-hour
+  // overshoot past the deadline is acceptable.
+  @Interval('temporary-note-cleanup', 60 * 60 * 1000)
+  async sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes() {
+    try {
+      const now = new Date();
+
+      const expired = await this.db
+        .selectFrom('pages')
+        .select(['id', 'creatorId', 'workspaceId'])
+        .where('temporaryExpiresAt', 'is not', null)
+        .where('temporaryExpiresAt', '<', now)
+        .where('deletedAt', 'is', null) // not already in trash
+        .execute();
+
+      let trashed = 0;
+      for (const page of expired) {
+        try {
+          // Reuse the exact soft-delete path: recursive over children, removes
+          // shares in a transaction, and emits PAGE_SOFT_DELETED (tree
+          // invalidation + watcher notifications). Attribute the automatic
+          // deletion to the note's creator (no schema change). Both the SELECT
+          // above and removePage filter `deletedAt IS NULL`, so a double sweep
+          // is idempotent.
+          await this.pageRepo.removePage(
+            page.id,
+            // creatorId is set on every created page; a temporary note always
+            // has one. Cast to satisfy the non-null deletedById parameter.
+            page.creatorId as string,
+            page.workspaceId,
+          );
+          trashed++;
+        } catch (error) {
+          this.logger.error(
+            `Failed to trash expired temporary note ${page.id}`,
+            error instanceof Error ? error.stack : undefined,
+          );
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (trashed > 0) {
+        this.logger.debug(
+          `Temporary-note cleanup completed: ${trashed} notes trashed`,
+        );
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      this.logger.error(
+        'Temporary-note cleanup job failed',
+        error instanceof Error ? error.stack : undefined,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+}

apps/server/src/core/page/transclusion/dto/toggle-temporary.dto.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { IsBoolean, IsOptional, IsUUID } from 'class-validator';
+
+export class ToggleTemporaryDto {
+  @IsUUID()
+  pageId!: string;
+
+  /**
+   * When omitted, the temporary state is toggled relative to its current value.
+   * true  -> arm the timer (now + workspace temporaryNoteHours);
+   * false -> clear it (make permanent — "structure and survive").
+   */
+  @IsOptional()
+  @IsBoolean()
+  temporary?: boolean;
+}

apps/server/src/core/page/transclusion/page-template.controller.ts

@@ -16,8 +16,12 @@ import { TemplateLookupDto } from './dto/template-lookup.dto';
 import { PageRepo } from '@docmost/db/repos/page/page.repo';
 import { PageAccessService } from '../page-access/page-access.service';
 import { ToggleTemplateDto } from './dto/toggle-template.dto';
+import { ToggleTemporaryDto } from './dto/toggle-temporary.dto';
 import { UserThrottlerGuard } from '../../../integrations/throttle/user-throttler.guard';
 import { PAGE_TEMPLATE_THROTTLER } from '../../../integrations/throttle/throttler-names';
+import { InjectKysely } from 'nestjs-kysely';
+import { KyselyDB } from '@docmost/db/types/kysely.types';
+import { DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS } from '../constants/temporary-note.constants';
 
 @UseGuards(JwtAuthGuard)
 @Controller('pages')
@@ -26,6 +30,7 @@ export class PageTemplateController {
     private readonly transclusionService: TransclusionService,
     private readonly pageRepo: PageRepo,
     private readonly pageAccessService: PageAccessService,
+    @InjectKysely() private readonly db: KyselyDB,
   ) {}
 
   /**
@@ -82,4 +87,54 @@ export class PageTemplateController {
 
     return { pageId: page.id, isTemplate };
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Arm or disarm the "death timer" on a page (`pages.temporary_expires_at`).
+   * Mirror of toggle-template: requires Edit on the page/space (CASL enforced in
+   * `validateCanEdit`). Arming freezes the deadline at now + the workspace's
+   * temporaryNoteHours; disarming ("Make permanent") clears it. Same workspace
+   * defense-in-depth as toggle-template (NotFound, never Forbidden, on mismatch).
+   */
+  @UseGuards(JwtAuthGuard, UserThrottlerGuard)
+  @Throttle({ [PAGE_TEMPLATE_THROTTLER]: { limit: 30, ttl: 60000 } })
+  @HttpCode(HttpStatus.OK)
+  @Post('toggle-temporary')
+  async toggleTemporary(
+    @Body() dto: ToggleTemporaryDto,
+    @AuthUser() user: User,
+  ) {
+    const page = await this.pageRepo.findById(dto.pageId);
+    if (!page || page.deletedAt) {
+      throw new NotFoundException('Page not found');
+    }
+
+    if (page.workspaceId !== user.workspaceId) {
+      // Defense-in-depth: never act on a page outside the caller's workspace.
+      // Use NotFound (not Forbidden) to avoid leaking cross-workspace existence.
+      throw new NotFoundException('Page not found');
+    }
+
+    await this.pageAccessService.validateCanEdit(page, user);
+
+    const makeTemporary =
+      typeof dto.temporary === 'boolean'
+        ? dto.temporary
+        : page.temporaryExpiresAt == null;
+
+    let temporaryExpiresAt: Date | null = null;
+    if (makeTemporary) {
+      const workspace = await this.db
+        .selectFrom('workspaces')
+        .select(['temporaryNoteHours'])
+        .where('id', '=', user.workspaceId)
+        .executeTakeFirst();
+      const hours =
+        workspace?.temporaryNoteHours ?? DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS;
+      temporaryExpiresAt = new Date(Date.now() + hours * 60 * 60 * 1000);
+    }
+
+    await this.pageRepo.updatePage({ temporaryExpiresAt }, page.id);
+
+    return { pageId: page.id, temporaryExpiresAt };
+  }
 }

apps/server/src/core/page/transclusion/spec/page-template.controller.spec.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { PageRepo } from '@docmost/db/repos/page/page.repo';
 import { PageAccessService } from '../../page-access/page-access.service';
 import { JwtAuthGuard } from '../../../../common/guards/jwt-auth.guard';
 import { UserThrottlerGuard } from '../../../../integrations/throttle/user-throttler.guard';
+import { KYSELY_MODULE_CONNECTION_TOKEN } from 'nestjs-kysely';
 
 describe('PageTemplateController.toggleTemplate', () => {
   let controller: PageTemplateController;
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ describe('PageTemplateController.toggleTemplate', () => {
         { provide: TransclusionService, useValue: transclusionService },
         { provide: PageRepo, useValue: pageRepo },
         { provide: PageAccessService, useValue: pageAccessService },
+        // toggleTemporary reads the workspace lifetime; toggleTemplate ignores it.
+        { provide: KYSELY_MODULE_CONNECTION_TOKEN(), useValue: {} },
       ],
     })
       .overrideGuard(JwtAuthGuard)

apps/server/src/core/page/transclusion/spec/page-temporary.controller.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+import { Test } from '@nestjs/testing';
+import { ForbiddenException, NotFoundException } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { plainToInstance } from 'class-transformer';
+import { validate } from 'class-validator';
+import { KYSELY_MODULE_CONNECTION_TOKEN } from 'nestjs-kysely';
+import { PageTemplateController } from '../page-template.controller';
+import { TransclusionService } from '../transclusion.service';
+import { ToggleTemporaryDto } from '../dto/toggle-temporary.dto';
+import { PageRepo } from '@docmost/db/repos/page/page.repo';
+import { PageAccessService } from '../../page-access/page-access.service';
+import { JwtAuthGuard } from '../../../../common/guards/jwt-auth.guard';
+import { UserThrottlerGuard } from '../../../../integrations/throttle/user-throttler.guard';
+import { DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS } from '../../constants/temporary-note.constants';
+
+/**
+ * Minimal chainable Kysely stub: every builder method returns `this`, and the
+ * terminal `executeTakeFirst` resolves the configured workspace row.
+ */
+function makeDbStub(workspaceRow: { temporaryNoteHours: number | null } | undefined) {
+  const builder: any = {
+    selectFrom: () => builder,
+    select: () => builder,
+    where: () => builder,
+    executeTakeFirst: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(workspaceRow),
+  };
+  return builder;
+}
+
+describe('PageTemplateController.toggleTemporary', () => {
+  let controller: PageTemplateController;
+  let pageRepo: { findById: jest.Mock; updatePage: jest.Mock };
+  let pageAccessService: { validateCanEdit: jest.Mock };
+
+  const user = { id: 'u1', workspaceId: 'w1' } as any;
+
+  async function buildController(
+    page: any,
+    workspaceRow: { temporaryNoteHours: number | null } | undefined = {
+      temporaryNoteHours: null,
+    },
+  ) {
+    pageRepo = {
+      findById: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(page),
+      updatePage: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    };
+    pageAccessService = {
+      validateCanEdit: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    };
+
+    const module = await Test.createTestingModule({
+      controllers: [PageTemplateController],
+      providers: [
+        { provide: TransclusionService, useValue: { lookupTemplate: jest.fn() } },
+        { provide: PageRepo, useValue: pageRepo },
+        { provide: PageAccessService, useValue: pageAccessService },
+        {
+          provide: KYSELY_MODULE_CONNECTION_TOKEN(),
+          useValue: makeDbStub(workspaceRow),
+        },
+      ],
+    })
+      .overrideGuard(JwtAuthGuard)
+      .useValue({ canActivate: () => true })
+      .overrideGuard(UserThrottlerGuard)
+      .useValue({ canActivate: () => true })
+      .compile();
+
+    controller = module.get(PageTemplateController);
+  }
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(new Date('2026-06-26T00:00:00.000Z'));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    jest.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it('throws NotFound and does not touch the page when missing', async () => {
+    await buildController(null);
+    await expect(
+      controller.toggleTemporary({ pageId: 'p1' } as any, user),
+    ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(NotFoundException);
+    expect(pageAccessService.validateCanEdit).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(pageRepo.updatePage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('throws NotFound (not Forbidden) for a cross-workspace page', async () => {
+    await buildController({
+      id: 'p1',
+      workspaceId: 'OTHER',
+      deletedAt: null,
+      temporaryExpiresAt: null,
+    });
+    await expect(
+      controller.toggleTemporary({ pageId: 'p1' } as any, user),
+    ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(NotFoundException);
+    expect(pageRepo.updatePage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('enforces CASL edit: when validateCanEdit throws, the timer is NOT changed', async () => {
+    await buildController({
+      id: 'p1',
+      workspaceId: 'w1',
+      deletedAt: null,
+      temporaryExpiresAt: null,
+    });
+    pageAccessService.validateCanEdit.mockRejectedValue(new ForbiddenException());
+    await expect(
+      controller.toggleTemporary({ pageId: 'p1' } as any, user),
+    ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(ForbiddenException);
+    expect(pageRepo.updatePage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('arms the timer (toggle) using the default hours when the page is permanent', async () => {
+    await buildController({
+      id: 'p1',
+      workspaceId: 'w1',
+      deletedAt: null,
+      temporaryExpiresAt: null,
+    });
+    const out = await controller.toggleTemporary({ pageId: 'p1' } as any, user);
+
+    const expected = new Date(
+      Date.now() + DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS * 60 * 60 * 1000,
+    );
+    expect(pageAccessService.validateCanEdit).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(pageRepo.updatePage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      { temporaryExpiresAt: expected },
+      'p1',
+    );
+    expect(out).toEqual({ pageId: 'p1', temporaryExpiresAt: expected });
+  });
+
+  it('uses the workspace temporaryNoteHours override when set', async () => {
+    await buildController(
+      {
+        id: 'p1',
+        workspaceId: 'w1',
+        deletedAt: null,
+        temporaryExpiresAt: null,
+      },
+      { temporaryNoteHours: 3 },
+    );
+    const out = await controller.toggleTemporary({ pageId: 'p1' } as any, user);
+    const expected = new Date(Date.now() + 3 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
+    expect(pageRepo.updatePage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      { temporaryExpiresAt: expected },
+      'p1',
+    );
+    expect(out.temporaryExpiresAt).toEqual(expected);
+  });
+
+  it('clears the timer (make permanent) when toggling an armed note', async () => {
+    await buildController({
+      id: 'p1',
+      workspaceId: 'w1',
+      deletedAt: null,
+      temporaryExpiresAt: new Date('2026-06-27T00:00:00.000Z'),
+    });
+    const out = await controller.toggleTemporary({ pageId: 'p1' } as any, user);
+    expect(pageRepo.updatePage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      { temporaryExpiresAt: null },
+      'p1',
+    );
+    expect(out).toEqual({ pageId: 'p1', temporaryExpiresAt: null });
+  });
+
+  it('respects an explicit temporary:false instead of toggling', async () => {
+    await buildController({
+      id: 'p1',
+      workspaceId: 'w1',
+      deletedAt: null,
+      temporaryExpiresAt: null, // already permanent, but explicit false
+    });
+    const out = await controller.toggleTemporary(
+      { pageId: 'p1', temporary: false } as any,
+      user,
+    );
+    expect(pageRepo.updatePage).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      { temporaryExpiresAt: null },
+      'p1',
+    );
+    expect(out.temporaryExpiresAt).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('ToggleTemporaryDto validation (class-validator)', () => {
+  const uuid = '00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001';
+
+  it('accepts a valid UUID with no flag (toggle)', async () => {
+    const dto = plainToInstance(ToggleTemporaryDto, { pageId: uuid });
+    expect(await validate(dto)).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
+  it('accepts an explicit boolean temporary', async () => {
+    const dto = plainToInstance(ToggleTemporaryDto, {
+      pageId: uuid,
+      temporary: true,
+    });
+    expect(await validate(dto)).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a non-UUID pageId', async () => {
+    const dto = plainToInstance(ToggleTemporaryDto, { pageId: 'nope' });
+    const errors = await validate(dto);
+    expect(errors).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(errors[0].constraints).toHaveProperty('isUuid');
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a non-boolean temporary', async () => {
+    const dto = plainToInstance(ToggleTemporaryDto, {
+      pageId: uuid,
+      temporary: 'yes',
+    });
+    const errors = await validate(dto);
+    expect(errors).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(errors[0].constraints).toHaveProperty('isBoolean');
+  });
+});

apps/server/src/core/workspace/dto/update-workspace.dto.ts

@@ -84,6 +84,13 @@ export class UpdateWorkspaceDto extends PartialType(CreateWorkspaceDto) {
   @Min(1)
   trashRetentionDays: number;
 
+  // Default lifetime for new temporary notes, in HOURS. Frozen per-note at
+  // creation, so changing this never reschedules existing notes.
+  @IsOptional()
+  @IsInt()
+  @Min(1)
+  temporaryNoteHours: number;
+
   @IsOptional()
   @IsBoolean()
   allowMemberTemplates: boolean;

apps/server/src/core/workspace/services/workspace.service.ts

@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ export class WorkspaceService {
     if (
       typeof updateWorkspaceDto.disablePublicSharing !== 'undefined' ||
       typeof updateWorkspaceDto.trashRetentionDays !== 'undefined' ||
+      typeof updateWorkspaceDto.temporaryNoteHours !== 'undefined' ||
       typeof updateWorkspaceDto.mcpEnabled !== 'undefined' ||
       typeof updateWorkspaceDto.restrictApiToAdmins !== 'undefined' ||
       typeof updateWorkspaceDto.allowMemberTemplates !== 'undefined' ||
@@ -337,7 +338,13 @@ export class WorkspaceService {
     ) {
       const ws = await this.db
         .selectFrom('workspaces')
-        .select(['id', 'licenseKey', 'plan', 'trashRetentionDays'])
+        .select([
+          'id',
+          'licenseKey',
+          'plan',
+          'trashRetentionDays',
+          'temporaryNoteHours',
+        ])
         .where('id', '=', workspaceId)
         .executeTakeFirst();
 
@@ -378,6 +385,14 @@ export class WorkspaceService {
         before.trashRetentionDays = ws.trashRetentionDays;
         after.trashRetentionDays = updateWorkspaceDto.trashRetentionDays;
       }
+
+      if (
+        typeof updateWorkspaceDto.temporaryNoteHours !== 'undefined' &&
+        updateWorkspaceDto.temporaryNoteHours !== ws.temporaryNoteHours
+      ) {
+        before.temporaryNoteHours = ws.temporaryNoteHours;
+        after.temporaryNoteHours = updateWorkspaceDto.temporaryNoteHours;
+      }
     }
 
     if (updateWorkspaceDto.aiSearch) {

apps/server/src/database/migrations/20260626T130000-page-temporary-notes.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { type Kysely, sql } from 'kysely';
+
+export async function up(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  // "Death timer" column. NULL = permanent page; non-NULL = temporary note,
+  // value is the exact moment the note auto-moves to trash. The deadline is
+  // frozen at creation, so changing the workspace setting never reschedules
+  // existing notes.
+  await db.schema
+    .alterTable('pages')
+    .addColumn('temporary_expires_at', 'timestamptz', (col) => col)
+    .execute();
+
+  // Partial index backing the cleanup sweep: only armed, not-yet-trashed notes.
+  await sql`
+    CREATE INDEX pages_temporary_expires_at_idx
+    ON pages (temporary_expires_at)
+    WHERE temporary_expires_at IS NOT NULL AND deleted_at IS NULL
+  `.execute(db);
+
+  // Default lifetime for new temporary notes, in HOURS. Frozen per-note at
+  // creation. NULL falls back to the in-code DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS.
+  await db.schema
+    .alterTable('workspaces')
+    .addColumn('temporary_note_hours', 'int8', (col) => col)
+    .execute();
+}
+
+export async function down(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await db.schema
+    .alterTable('workspaces')
+    .dropColumn('temporary_note_hours')
+    .execute();
+
+  await db.schema.dropIndex('pages_temporary_expires_at_idx').execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .alterTable('pages')
+    .dropColumn('temporary_expires_at')
+    .execute();
+}

apps/server/src/database/migrations/spec/20260626T130000-page-temporary-notes.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+// Mock the `sql` tagged template so the migration's partial-index statement is
+// recorded without a real database. Keep `Kysely` (type-only) intact.
+const sqlCalls: string[] = [];
+jest.mock('kysely', () => ({
+  sql: (strings: TemplateStringsArray) => {
+    sqlCalls.push(strings.join('{}'));
+    return { execute: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) };
+  },
+}));
+
+import {
+  up,
+  down,
+} from '../20260626T130000-page-temporary-notes';
+
+/**
+ * Chainable Kysely schema stub: each builder method returns `this` and records
+ * (method, firstArg) so the test can assert the columns/index the migration
+ * touches. `addColumn` runs its column-builder callback to exercise it.
+ */
+function makeSchemaStub() {
+  const calls: Array<[string, any]> = [];
+  const colBuilder: any = new Proxy(
+    {},
+    { get: () => () => colBuilder },
+  );
+  const builder: any = {
+    schema: {} as any,
+    alterTable(name: string) {
+      calls.push(['alterTable', name]);
+      return builder;
+    },
+    addColumn(name: string, _type: any, cb?: (c: any) => any) {
+      calls.push(['addColumn', name]);
+      if (cb) cb(colBuilder);
+      return builder;
+    },
+    dropColumn(name: string) {
+      calls.push(['dropColumn', name]);
+      return builder;
+    },
+    dropIndex(name: string) {
+      calls.push(['dropIndex', name]);
+      return builder;
+    },
+    execute: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+  };
+  builder.schema = builder;
+  return { db: builder, calls };
+}
+
+describe('migration 20260626T130000-page-temporary-notes', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    sqlCalls.length = 0;
+  });
+
+  it('up adds both columns and creates the partial cleanup index', async () => {
+    const { db, calls } = makeSchemaStub();
+    await up(db);
+
+    const added = calls.filter((c) => c[0] === 'addColumn').map((c) => c[1]);
+    expect(added).toContain('temporary_expires_at');
+    expect(added).toContain('temporary_note_hours');
+
+    const altered = calls.filter((c) => c[0] === 'alterTable').map((c) => c[1]);
+    expect(altered).toContain('pages');
+    expect(altered).toContain('workspaces');
+
+    // The partial index is created via the raw sql tag.
+    expect(sqlCalls.join(' ')).toContain('pages_temporary_expires_at_idx');
+    expect(sqlCalls.join(' ')).toContain('temporary_expires_at IS NOT NULL');
+    expect(sqlCalls.join(' ')).toContain('deleted_at IS NULL');
+  });
+
+  it('down reverses both columns and drops the index', async () => {
+    const { db, calls } = makeSchemaStub();
+    await down(db);
+
+    const dropped = calls.filter((c) => c[0] === 'dropColumn').map((c) => c[1]);
+    expect(dropped).toContain('temporary_expires_at');
+    expect(dropped).toContain('temporary_note_hours');
+
+    const droppedIdx = calls
+      .filter((c) => c[0] === 'dropIndex')
+      .map((c) => c[1]);
+    expect(droppedIdx).toContain('pages_temporary_expires_at_idx');
+  });
+});

apps/server/src/database/repos/page/page.repo.ts

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ export class PageRepo {
     'workspaceId',
     'isLocked',
     'isTemplate',
+    'temporaryExpiresAt',
     'createdAt',
     'updatedAt',
     'deletedAt',
@@ -425,7 +426,10 @@ export class PageRepo {
     // Restore all pages, but only detach the root page if its parent is deleted
     await this.db
       .updateTable('pages')
-      .set({ deletedById: null, deletedAt: null })
+      // On restore, disarm the death timer: pulling a note out of trash means
+      // "keep it". Otherwise a deadline now in the past would re-trash it on the
+      // next cleanup sweep.
+      .set({ deletedById: null, deletedAt: null, temporaryExpiresAt: null })
       .where('id', 'in', pageIds)
       .execute();
 

apps/server/src/database/repos/workspace/workspace.repo.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export class WorkspaceRepo {
     'plan',
     'enforceMfa',
     'trashRetentionDays',
+    'temporaryNoteHours',
     'isScimEnabled',
   ];
   constructor(@InjectKysely() private readonly db: KyselyDB) {}

apps/server/src/database/types/db.d.ts

@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ export interface Pages {
   position: string | null;
   slugId: string;
   spaceId: string;
+  temporaryExpiresAt: Timestamp | null;
   textContent: string | null;
   title: string | null;
   tsv: string | null;
@@ -419,6 +420,7 @@ export interface WorkspaceInvitations {
 export interface Workspaces {
   auditRetentionDays: Generated<number>;
   trashRetentionDays: Generated<number>;
+  temporaryNoteHours: Generated<number>;
   billingEmail: string | null;
   createdAt: Generated<Timestamp>;
   customDomain: string | null;