fix(db): bump temporary-notes migration timestamp past share-aliases (#201)

develop merged 20260626T130000-share-aliases; rename this PR's migration to
20260626T140000 so the two no longer share a timestamp prefix.

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

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ per-workspace rolling-day token budget.
   foreign key is `ON DELETE SET NULL`, so deleting the target leaves a dangling
   alias any workspace member can reclaim. (#205)
 
+- **Temporary notes — auto-move to Trash after a workspace lifetime.** A note can
+  be marked temporary so it auto-moves to Trash once a configurable workspace
+  lifetime elapses (default `DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS` = 24h) unless made
+  permanent first. The deadline is frozen at creation time, so later changes to
+  the workspace setting never reschedule existing notes; an hourly background
+  sweep trashes notes past their deadline (children ride along). An open
+  temporary note shows a banner with a "Make permanent" rescue action; restoring
+  a note from Trash disarms the timer so it is not immediately re-trashed.
+  Operators configure the lifetime per workspace. (#201)
+
 - **Persistent AI-chat history as the source of truth + server-side export.**
   An assistant turn is now persisted to the database step by step: the row is
   inserted upfront as `streaming` and updated as each agent step finishes, then

apps/client/public/locales/en-US/translation.json

@@ -598,6 +598,17 @@
   "Are you sure you want to permanently delete '{{title}}'? This action cannot be undone.": "Are you sure you want to permanently delete '{{title}}'? This action cannot be undone.",
   "Restore '{{title}}' and its sub-pages?": "Restore '{{title}}' and its sub-pages?",
   "Move to trash": "Move to trash",
+  "Make temporary": "Make temporary",
+  "Make permanent": "Make permanent",
+  "New temporary note": "New temporary note",
+  "Temporary note": "Temporary note",
+  "Temporary notes": "Temporary notes",
+  "Temporary note — moves to trash unless made permanent": "Temporary note — moves to trash unless made permanent",
+  "Note will move to trash unless made permanent": "Note will move to trash unless made permanent",
+  "Note is now permanent": "Note is now permanent",
+  "Temporary note lifetime (hours)": "Temporary note lifetime (hours)",
+  "A temporary note is automatically moved to trash after this many hours unless it is made permanent. The deadline is fixed when the note is created.": "A temporary note is automatically moved to trash after this many hours unless it is made permanent. The deadline is fixed when the note is created.",
+  "This temporary note moves to trash {{time}} (with its sub-pages) unless made permanent.": "This temporary note moves to trash {{time}} (with its sub-pages) unless made permanent.",
   "Move this page to trash?": "Move this page to trash?",
   "Restore page": "Restore page",
   "Permanently delete": "Permanently delete",

apps/client/public/locales/ru-RU/translation.json

@@ -607,6 +607,17 @@
   "Are you sure you want to permanently delete '{{title}}'? This action cannot be undone.": "Вы уверены, что хотите окончательно удалить '{{title}}'? Это действие невозможно отменить.",
   "Restore '{{title}}' and its sub-pages?": "Восстановить '{{title}}' и её подстраницы?",
   "Move to trash": "Переместить в корзину",
+  "Make temporary": "Сделать временной",
+  "Make permanent": "Сделать постоянной",
+  "New temporary note": "Новая временная заметка",
+  "Temporary note": "Временная заметка",
+  "Temporary notes": "Временные заметки",
+  "Temporary note — moves to trash unless made permanent": "Временная заметка — уедет в корзину, если не сделать постоянной",
+  "Note will move to trash unless made permanent": "Заметка уедет в корзину, если не сделать её постоянной",
+  "Note is now permanent": "Заметка теперь постоянная",
+  "Temporary note lifetime (hours)": "Время жизни временной заметки (часы)",
+  "A temporary note is automatically moved to trash after this many hours unless it is made permanent. The deadline is fixed when the note is created.": "Временная заметка автоматически уезжает в корзину через указанное число часов, если не сделать её постоянной. Дедлайн фиксируется при создании заметки.",
+  "This temporary note moves to trash {{time}} (with its sub-pages) unless made permanent.": "Эта временная заметка уедет в корзину {{time}} (вместе с подстраницами), если не сделать её постоянной.",
   "Move this page to trash?": "Переместить эту страницу в корзину?",
   "Restore page": "Восстановить страницу",
   "Permanently delete": "Удалить навсегда",

apps/client/src/features/editor/full-editor.tsx

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { FixedToolbar } from "@/features/editor/components/fixed-toolbar/fixed-t
 import { PageEditMode } from "@/features/user/types/user.types.ts";
 import { useAsideTriggerProps } from "@/hooks/use-toggle-aside.tsx";
 import { DeletedPageBanner } from "@/features/page/trash/components/deleted-page-banner.tsx";
+import { TemporaryNoteBanner } from "@/features/page/components/temporary-note-banner.tsx";
 import clsx from "clsx";
 import {
   currentPageEditModeAtom,
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ const MemoizedTitleEditor = React.memo(TitleEditor);
 const MemoizedPageEditor = React.memo(PageEditor);
 const MemoizedFixedToolbar = React.memo(FixedToolbar);
 const MemoizedDeletedPageBanner = React.memo(DeletedPageBanner);
+const MemoizedTemporaryNoteBanner = React.memo(TemporaryNoteBanner);
 
 type PageUser = {
   id: string;
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ export function FullEditor({
         <MemoizedFixedToolbar />
       )}
       <MemoizedDeletedPageBanner slugId={slugId} />
+      <MemoizedTemporaryNoteBanner slugId={slugId} />
       <MemoizedTitleEditor
         pageId={pageId}
         slugId={slugId}

apps/client/src/features/page-embed/queries/page-embed-query.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,40 @@
 import { useMutation } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { notifications } from "@mantine/notifications";
-import { toggleTemplate } from "@/features/page-embed/services/page-embed-api";
+import {
-import type { ToggleTemplateResponse } from "@/features/page-embed/types/page-embed.types";
+  toggleTemplate,
+  toggleTemporary,
+} from "@/features/page-embed/services/page-embed-api";
+import type {
+  ToggleTemplateResponse,
+  ToggleTemporaryResponse,
+} from "@/features/page-embed/types/page-embed.types";
+import { queryClient } from "@/main.tsx";
+
+/**
+ * After toggling a note's temporary state, mirror the new deadline into the
+ * shared page cache (keyed by both slugId and id) and refresh the sidebar so the
+ * menu label, the in-page banner, and the tree icon all reflect the change.
+ * Centralised here so the header menu and the banner can't drift apart on the
+ * cache-key plumbing.
+ */
+export function syncTemporaryExpiresInCache(
+  page: { id: string; slugId: string },
+  temporaryExpiresAt: string | null,
+) {
+  for (const key of [page.slugId, page.id]) {
+    const cached = queryClient.getQueryData<any>(["pages", key]);
+    if (cached) {
+      queryClient.setQueryData(["pages", key], {
+        ...cached,
+        temporaryExpiresAt,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+  queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+    predicate: (item) =>
+      ["sidebar-pages"].includes(item.queryKey[0] as string),
+  });
+}
 
 export function useToggleTemplateMutation() {
   return useMutation<
@@ -18,3 +51,20 @@ export function useToggleTemplateMutation() {
     },
   });
 }
+
+export function useToggleTemporaryMutation() {
+  return useMutation<
+    ToggleTemporaryResponse,
+    Error,
+    { pageId: string; temporary?: boolean }
+  >({
+    mutationFn: (data) => toggleTemporary(data),
+    onError: (err: any) => {
+      notifications.show({
+        message:
+          err?.response?.data?.message || "Failed to update temporary note",
+        color: "red",
+      });
+    },
+  });
+}

apps/client/src/features/page-embed/services/page-embed-api.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import api from "@/lib/api-client";
 import type {
   PageTemplateLookup,
   ToggleTemplateResponse,
+  ToggleTemporaryResponse,
 } from "../types/page-embed.types";
 
 export async function lookupTemplate(params: {
@@ -18,3 +19,11 @@ export async function toggleTemplate(params: {
   const r = await api.post("/pages/toggle-template", params);
   return r.data;
 }
+
+export async function toggleTemporary(params: {
+  pageId: string;
+  temporary?: boolean;
+}): Promise<ToggleTemporaryResponse> {
+  const r = await api.post("/pages/toggle-temporary", params);
+  return r.data;
+}

apps/client/src/features/page-embed/types/page-embed.types.ts

@@ -14,3 +14,9 @@ export type ToggleTemplateResponse = {
   pageId: string;
   isTemplate: boolean;
 };
+
+export type ToggleTemporaryResponse = {
+  pageId: string;
+  // null => the note was made permanent; ISO string => armed deadline.
+  temporaryExpiresAt: string | null;
+};

apps/client/src/features/page/components/header/page-header-menu.tsx

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { ActionIcon, Button, Group, Menu, Text, ThemeIcon, Tooltip } from "@mant
 import {
   IconArrowRight,
   IconArrowsHorizontal,
+  IconClockHour4,
   IconDots,
   IconEye,
   IconEyeOff,
@@ -24,6 +25,10 @@ import { useDisclosure, useHotkeys } from "@mantine/hooks";
 import { useClipboard } from "@/hooks/use-clipboard";
 import { useParams } from "react-router-dom";
 import { usePageQuery } from "@/features/page/queries/page-query.ts";
+import {
+  useToggleTemporaryMutation,
+  syncTemporaryExpiresInCache,
+} from "@/features/page-embed/queries/page-embed-query.ts";
 import { buildPageUrl } from "@/features/page/page.utils.ts";
 import { notifications } from "@mantine/notifications";
 import { getAppUrl } from "@/lib/config.ts";
@@ -160,6 +165,29 @@ function PageActionMenu({ readOnly }: PageActionMenuProps) {
   const { data: watchStatus } = useWatchStatusQuery(page?.id);
   const watchPage = useWatchPageMutation();
   const unwatchPage = useUnwatchPageMutation();
+  const toggleTemporary = useToggleTemporaryMutation();
+  const isTemporary = !!page?.temporaryExpiresAt;
+
+  const handleToggleTemporary = async () => {
+    if (!page?.id) return;
+    const next = !isTemporary;
+    try {
+      const res = await toggleTemporary.mutateAsync({
+        pageId: page.id,
+        temporary: next,
+      });
+      // Reflect the new deadline in the page cache so the menu label flips and
+      // any banner updates. The sidebar icon refreshes via its own query.
+      syncTemporaryExpiresInCache(page, res.temporaryExpiresAt);
+      notifications.show({
+        message: next
+          ? t("Note will move to trash unless made permanent")
+          : t("Note is now permanent"),
+      });
+    } catch {
+      // mutation surfaces the error via notifications
+    }
+  };
 
   const handleCopyLink = () => {
     const pageUrl =
@@ -309,6 +337,12 @@ function PageActionMenu({ readOnly }: PageActionMenuProps) {
           {!readOnly && (
             <>
               <Menu.Divider />
+              <Menu.Item
+                leftSection={<IconClockHour4 size={16} />}
+                onClick={handleToggleTemporary}
+              >
+                {isTemporary ? t("Make permanent") : t("Make temporary")}
+              </Menu.Item>
               <Menu.Item
                 color={"red"}
                 leftSection={<IconTrash size={16} />}

apps/client/src/features/page/components/temporary-note-banner.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import { Button, Group, Paper, Text } from "@mantine/core";
+import { IconClockHour4 } from "@tabler/icons-react";
+import { Trans, useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useTimeAgo } from "@/hooks/use-time-ago.tsx";
+import { usePageQuery } from "@/features/page/queries/page-query.ts";
+import {
+  useToggleTemporaryMutation,
+  syncTemporaryExpiresInCache,
+} from "@/features/page-embed/queries/page-embed-query.ts";
+import { useGetSpaceBySlugQuery } from "@/features/space/queries/space-query.ts";
+import { useSpaceAbility } from "@/features/space/permissions/use-space-ability.ts";
+import {
+  SpaceCaslAction,
+  SpaceCaslSubject,
+} from "@/features/space/permissions/permissions.type.ts";
+
+type TemporaryNoteBannerProps = {
+  slugId: string;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Banner shown on an open temporary note ("structure or die"). Mirrors
+ * DeletedPageBanner: it reads the page from the shared query cache and offers
+ * the explicit rescue action — "Make permanent". Children ride along to trash
+ * with the note, which is noted in the copy.
+ */
+export function TemporaryNoteBanner({ slugId }: TemporaryNoteBannerProps) {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const { data: page } = usePageQuery({ pageId: slugId });
+  const { data: space } = useGetSpaceBySlugQuery(page?.space?.slug);
+  const spaceAbility = useSpaceAbility(space?.membership?.permissions);
+  const expiresTimeAgo = useTimeAgo(page?.temporaryExpiresAt);
+  const toggleTemporary = useToggleTemporaryMutation();
+
+  // Don't show on a note that is already in trash; the deleted-page banner
+  // owns that state.
+  if (!page?.temporaryExpiresAt || page?.deletedAt) return null;
+
+  const canEdit = spaceAbility.can(SpaceCaslAction.Edit, SpaceCaslSubject.Page);
+
+  const handleMakePermanent = async () => {
+    try {
+      const res = await toggleTemporary.mutateAsync({
+        pageId: page.id,
+        temporary: false,
+      });
+      syncTemporaryExpiresInCache(page, res.temporaryExpiresAt);
+    } catch {
+      // mutation surfaces the error via notifications
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <Paper radius="sm" mb="md" px="md" py="xs" bg="orange.0">
+      <Group justify="space-between" wrap="wrap" gap="sm">
+        <Group gap="xs" wrap="nowrap" style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
+          <IconClockHour4
+            size={18}
+            stroke={1.5}
+            style={{
+              flexShrink: 0,
+              color: "var(--mantine-color-orange-7)",
+            }}
+          />
+          <Text size="sm">
+            <Trans
+              i18nKey="This temporary note moves to trash {{time}} (with its sub-pages) unless made permanent."
+              values={{ time: expiresTimeAgo }}
+            />
+          </Text>
+        </Group>
+        {canEdit && (
+          <Button
+            size="xs"
+            variant="light"
+            color="orange"
+            leftSection={<IconClockHour4 size={16} />}
+            onClick={handleMakePermanent}
+            loading={toggleTemporary.isPending}
+          >
+            {t("Make permanent")}
+          </Button>
+        )}
+      </Group>
+    </Paper>
+  );
+}

apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree-node-menu.tsx

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { useDisclosure } from "@mantine/hooks";
 import { notifications } from "@mantine/notifications";
 import {
   IconArrowRight,
+  IconClockHour4,
   IconCopy,
   IconDotsVertical,
   IconFileExport,
@@ -30,7 +31,10 @@ import {
   useRemoveFavoriteMutation,
 } from "@/features/favorite/queries/favorite-query";
 
-import { useToggleTemplateMutation } from "@/features/page-embed/queries/page-embed-query";
+import {
+  useToggleTemplateMutation,
+  useToggleTemporaryMutation,
+} from "@/features/page-embed/queries/page-embed-query";
 import { treeDataAtom } from "@/features/page/tree/atoms/tree-data-atom.ts";
 import { treeModel } from "@/features/page/tree/model/tree-model";
 import { useTreeMutation } from "@/features/page/tree/hooks/use-tree-mutation.ts";
@@ -65,6 +69,8 @@ export function NodeMenu({ node, canEdit }: NodeMenuProps) {
   const isFavorited = favoriteIds.has(node.id);
   const toggleTemplate = useToggleTemplateMutation();
   const isTemplate = !!node.isTemplate;
+  const toggleTemporary = useToggleTemporaryMutation();
+  const isTemporary = !!node.temporaryExpiresAt;
 
   const handleToggleTemplate = async () => {
     const next = !isTemplate;
@@ -84,6 +90,29 @@ export function NodeMenu({ node, canEdit }: NodeMenuProps) {
     }
   };
 
+  const handleToggleTemporary = async () => {
+    const next = !isTemporary;
+    try {
+      const res = await toggleTemporary.mutateAsync({
+        pageId: node.id,
+        temporary: next,
+      });
+      // Reflect the new deadline locally so the icon/menu update immediately.
+      setData((prev) =>
+        treeModel.update(prev, node.id, {
+          temporaryExpiresAt: res.temporaryExpiresAt,
+        } as any),
+      );
+      notifications.show({
+        message: next
+          ? t("Note will move to trash unless made permanent")
+          : t("Note is now permanent"),
+      });
+    } catch {
+      // mutation surfaces the error via notifications
+    }
+  };
+
   const handleCopyLink = () => {
     const pageUrl =
       getAppUrl() + buildPageUrl(spaceSlug, node.slugId, node.name);
@@ -248,6 +277,17 @@ export function NodeMenu({ node, canEdit }: NodeMenuProps) {
                 {isTemplate ? t("Unset as template") : t("Make template")}
               </Menu.Item>
 
+              <Menu.Item
+                leftSection={<IconClockHour4 size={16} />}
+                onClick={(e) => {
+                  e.preventDefault();
+                  e.stopPropagation();
+                  handleToggleTemporary();
+                }}
+              >
+                {isTemporary ? t("Make permanent") : t("Make temporary")}
+              </Menu.Item>
+
               <Menu.Divider />
               <Menu.Item
                 c="red"

apps/client/src/features/page/tree/components/space-tree-row.tsx

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { ActionIcon, rem, Tooltip } from "@mantine/core";
 import {
   IconChevronDown,
   IconChevronRight,
+  IconClockHour4,
   IconFileDescription,
   IconPlus,
   IconPointFilled,
@@ -191,6 +192,28 @@ export function SpaceTreeRow({
         </Tooltip>
       )}
 
+      {node.temporaryExpiresAt && (
+        <Tooltip
+          // Children ride along to trash with the note (recursive removePage).
+          label={t("Temporary note — moves to trash unless made permanent")}
+          withArrow
+        >
+          <IconClockHour4
+            size={14}
+            stroke={1.5}
+            // Same visual-only indicator pattern as the template icon, but
+            // orange to flag the impending death timer.
+            style={{
+              flexShrink: 0,
+              marginLeft: rem(4),
+              color: "var(--mantine-color-orange-6)",
+            }}
+            aria-label={t("Temporary note")}
+            role="img"
+          />
+        </Tooltip>
+      )}
+
       <div className={classes.actions}>
         <NodeMenu node={node} canEdit={canEdit} />
 

apps/client/src/features/page/tree/hooks/use-tree-mutation.ts

@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ import { getSpaceUrl } from "@/lib/config.ts";
 
 export type UseTreeMutation = {
   handleMove: (sourceId: string, op: DropOp) => Promise<void>;
-  handleCreate: (parentId: string | null) => Promise<void>;
+  handleCreate: (
+    parentId: string | null,
+    opts?: { temporary?: boolean },
+  ) => Promise<void>;
   handleRename: (id: string, name: string) => Promise<void>;
   handleDelete: (id: string) => Promise<void>;
 };
@@ -119,9 +122,15 @@ export function useTreeMutation(spaceId: string): UseTreeMutation {
   );
 
   const handleCreate = useCallback(
-    async (parentId: string | null) => {
+    async (parentId: string | null, opts?: { temporary?: boolean }) => {
-      const payload: { spaceId: string; parentPageId?: string } = { spaceId };
+      const payload: {
+        spaceId: string;
+        parentPageId?: string;
+        temporary?: boolean;
+      } = { spaceId };
       if (parentId) payload.parentPageId = parentId;
+      // Ask the server to arm the death timer for a "temporary note".
+      if (opts?.temporary) payload.temporary = true;
 
       let createdPage: IPage;
       try {
@@ -138,6 +147,8 @@ export function useTreeMutation(spaceId: string): UseTreeMutation {
         spaceId: createdPage.spaceId,
         parentPageId: createdPage.parentPageId,
         hasChildren: false,
+        // Show the temporary-note icon immediately on optimistic insert.
+        temporaryExpiresAt: createdPage.temporaryExpiresAt,
         children: [],
       };
 

apps/client/src/features/page/tree/types.ts

@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ export type SpaceTreeNode = {
   hasChildren: boolean;
   canEdit?: boolean;
   isTemplate?: boolean;
+  // Death-timer deadline. null/absent => permanent; ISO string => temporary note.
+  temporaryExpiresAt?: string | null;
   children: SpaceTreeNode[];
 };

apps/client/src/features/page/tree/utils/utils.ts

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export function buildTree(pages: IPage[]): SpaceTreeNode[] {
       parentPageId: page.parentPageId,
       canEdit: page.canEdit ?? page.permissions?.canEdit,
       isTemplate: page.isTemplate,
+      temporaryExpiresAt: page.temporaryExpiresAt,
       children: [],
     };
   });

apps/client/src/features/page/types/page.types.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ export interface IPage {
   workspaceId: string;
   isLocked: boolean;
   isTemplate?: boolean;
+  // Death-timer deadline. null/absent => permanent; ISO string => temporary note.
+  temporaryExpiresAt?: string | null;
+  // Create-only input flag: ask the server to arm the timer on a new page.
+  temporary?: boolean;
   lastUpdatedById: string;
   createdAt: Date;
   updatedAt: Date;

apps/client/src/features/space/components/sidebar/space-sidebar.tsx

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   IconEye,
   IconEyeOff,
   IconFileExport,
+  IconHourglass,
   IconPlus,
   IconSettings,
   IconStar,
@@ -71,6 +72,10 @@ export function SpaceSidebar() {
     handleCreate(null);
   }
 
+  function handleCreateTemporaryPage() {
+    handleCreate(null, { temporary: true });
+  }
+
   return (
     <>
       <div className={classes.navbar}>
@@ -111,16 +116,39 @@ export function SpaceSidebar() {
                 SpaceCaslAction.Manage,
                 SpaceCaslSubject.Page,
               ) && (
-                <Tooltip label={t("Create page")} withArrow position="right">
+                <>
-                  <ActionIcon
+                  <Tooltip
-                    variant="default"
+                    label={t("Create page")}
-                    size={18}
+                    withArrow
-                    onClick={handleCreatePage}
+                    position="right"
-                    aria-label={t("Create page")}
                   >
-                    <IconPlus />
+                    <ActionIcon
-                  </ActionIcon>
+                      variant="default"
-                </Tooltip>
+                      size={18}
+                      onClick={handleCreatePage}
+                      aria-label={t("Create page")}
+                    >
+                      <IconPlus />
+                    </ActionIcon>
+                  </Tooltip>
+
+                  {/* Standalone second button: a "temporary note" auto-moves to
+                      trash after the workspace lifetime unless made permanent. */}
+                  <Tooltip
+                    label={t("New temporary note")}
+                    withArrow
+                    position="right"
+                  >
+                    <ActionIcon
+                      variant="default"
+                      size={18}
+                      onClick={handleCreateTemporaryPage}
+                      aria-label={t("New temporary note")}
+                    >
+                      <IconHourglass />
+                    </ActionIcon>
+                  </Tooltip>
+                </>
               )}
             </Group>
           </Group>

apps/client/src/features/workspace/components/settings/components/temporary-note-settings.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { useAtom } from "jotai";
+import {
+  Button,
+  Group,
+  NumberInput,
+  Paper,
+  Stack,
+  Text,
+} from "@mantine/core";
+import { notifications } from "@mantine/notifications";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import useUserRole from "@/hooks/use-user-role.tsx";
+import { workspaceAtom } from "@/features/user/atoms/current-user-atom.ts";
+import { updateWorkspace } from "@/features/workspace/services/workspace-service.ts";
+import { IWorkspace } from "@/features/workspace/types/workspace.types.ts";
+
+// Mirrors DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS on the server. Shown when the workspace
+// has no explicit value configured yet.
+const DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS = 24;
+
+/**
+ * Workspace-level editor for the temporary-note lifetime, in HOURS. The deadline
+ * is frozen per-note at creation, so changing this only affects notes created
+ * afterwards. `temporaryNoteHours` is a top-level workspace column (like
+ * trashRetentionDays), not a nested setting.
+ */
+export default function TemporaryNoteSettings() {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const [workspace, setWorkspace] = useAtom(workspaceAtom);
+  const { isAdmin } = useUserRole();
+  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [value, setValue] = useState<number>(
+    workspace?.temporaryNoteHours ?? DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS,
+  );
+
+  async function handleSave() {
+    if (!value || value < 1) return;
+    setIsLoading(true);
+    try {
+      const updated = await updateWorkspace({
+        temporaryNoteHours: value,
+      } as Partial<IWorkspace>);
+      setWorkspace({ ...updated, temporaryNoteHours: value });
+      notifications.show({ message: t("Updated successfully") });
+    } catch (err) {
+      notifications.show({
+        message:
+          (err as any)?.response?.data?.message ?? t("Failed to update data"),
+        color: "red",
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setIsLoading(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <Stack mt="sm">
+      <Text fw={700} size="lg">
+        {t("Temporary notes")}
+      </Text>
+
+      <Paper withBorder radius="md" p="lg">
+        <Text size="xs" c="dimmed" mb="xs">
+          {t(
+            "A temporary note is automatically moved to trash after this many hours unless it is made permanent. The deadline is fixed when the note is created.",
+          )}
+        </Text>
+        <NumberInput
+          label={t("Temporary note lifetime (hours)")}
+          min={1}
+          allowDecimal={false}
+          value={value}
+          onChange={(v) => setValue(typeof v === "number" ? v : Number(v))}
+          disabled={!isAdmin || isLoading}
+          w={220}
+        />
+        <Group justify="flex-end" mt="md">
+          <Button onClick={handleSave} loading={isLoading} disabled={!isAdmin}>
+            {t("Save")}
+          </Button>
+        </Group>
+      </Paper>
+    </Stack>
+  );
+}

apps/client/src/features/workspace/types/workspace.types.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ export interface IWorkspace {
   aiDictationStreaming?: boolean;
   aiPublicShareAssistant?: boolean;
   trashRetentionDays?: number;
+  // Default lifetime (HOURS) for new temporary notes; frozen per-note at creation.
+  temporaryNoteHours?: number;
   restrictApiToAdmins?: boolean;
   allowMemberTemplates?: boolean;
   isScimEnabled?: boolean;

apps/client/src/pages/settings/workspace/workspace-settings.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import WorkspaceNameForm from "@/features/workspace/components/settings/componen
 import WorkspaceIcon from "@/features/workspace/components/settings/components/workspace-icon.tsx";
 import HtmlEmbedSettings from "@/features/workspace/components/settings/components/html-embed-settings.tsx";
 import TrackerSettings from "@/features/workspace/components/settings/components/tracker-settings.tsx";
+import TemporaryNoteSettings from "@/features/workspace/components/settings/components/temporary-note-settings.tsx";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { getAppName } from "@/lib/config.ts";
 import { Helmet } from "react-helmet-async";
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ export default function WorkspaceSettings() {
       <WorkspaceNameForm />
       <HtmlEmbedSettings />
       <TrackerSettings />
+      <TemporaryNoteSettings />
     </>
   );
 }

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.spec.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { BadRequestException } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { PageService } from './page.service';
 import { MovePageDto } from '../dto/move-page.dto';
 import { Page } from '@docmost/db/types/entity.types';
+import { DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS } from '../constants/temporary-note.constants';
 
 // Direct instantiation with stub deps. The Test.createTestingModule form failed
 // to resolve the @InjectKysely()/@InjectQueue() tokens at compile(), and this
@@ -420,4 +421,79 @@ describe('PageService', () => {
       });
     });
   });
+
+  describe('create() temporary deadline (#201)', () => {
+    // db stub for the workspaces.temporaryNoteHours lookup:
+    // selectFrom('workspaces').select(['temporaryNoteHours']).where(...).executeTakeFirst()
+    const makeDb = (workspaceRow: any) => {
+      const builder: any = {
+        selectFrom: jest.fn(() => builder),
+        select: jest.fn(() => builder),
+        where: jest.fn(() => builder),
+        executeTakeFirst: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(workspaceRow),
+      };
+      return builder;
+    };
+
+    const makeGeneralQueue = () =>
+      ({ add: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({ catch: jest.fn() }) }) as any;
+
+    const run = async (dto: any, workspaceRow: any) => {
+      const pageRepo = {
+        insertPage: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'p1' }),
+      };
+      const db = makeDb(workspaceRow);
+      const svc = new PageService(
+        pageRepo as any, // pageRepo
+        {} as any, // pagePermissionRepo
+        {} as any, // attachmentRepo
+        db as any, // db
+        {} as any, // storageService
+        {} as any, // attachmentQueue
+        {} as any, // aiQueue
+        makeGeneralQueue(), // generalQueue
+        {} as any, // eventEmitter
+        {} as any, // collaborationGateway
+        {} as any, // watcherService
+        {} as any, // transclusionService
+      );
+      // nextPagePosition runs a real db query; stub it out.
+      jest.spyOn(svc, 'nextPagePosition').mockResolvedValue('a0' as any);
+      await svc.create('u1', 'w1', dto, undefined);
+      return { payload: pageRepo.insertPage.mock.calls[0][0], db };
+    };
+
+    afterEach(() => jest.useRealTimers());
+
+    it('freezes temporaryExpiresAt at now + workspace hours when temporary', async () => {
+      jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(new Date('2026-06-26T00:00:00.000Z'));
+      const { payload } = await run(
+        { title: 't', spaceId: 's1', temporary: true },
+        { temporaryNoteHours: 5 },
+      );
+      expect(payload.temporaryExpiresAt).toEqual(
+        new Date(Date.now() + 5 * 60 * 60 * 1000),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS when the workspace hours are null', async () => {
+      jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(new Date('2026-06-26T00:00:00.000Z'));
+      const { payload } = await run(
+        { title: 't', spaceId: 's1', temporary: true },
+        { temporaryNoteHours: null },
+      );
+      expect(payload.temporaryExpiresAt).toEqual(
+        new Date(Date.now() + DEFAULT_TEMPORARY_NOTE_HOURS * 60 * 60 * 1000),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('leaves temporaryExpiresAt undefined and skips the workspace lookup for a non-temporary page', async () => {
+      const { payload, db } = await run(
+        { title: 't', spaceId: 's1' },
+        { temporaryNoteHours: 5 },
+      );
+      expect(payload.temporaryExpiresAt).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(db.selectFrom).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
 });

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 +1,154 @@
+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 (the batch SELECT);
+ * `.executeTakeFirst()` resolves the per-row deadline re-read done just before
+ * each `removePage`. By default the re-read reports the note as still armed and
+ * still expired (epoch deadline < now), so the sweep proceeds to delete it;
+ * tests override `reReadFirst` to simulate a concurrent "Make permanent".
+ */
+function makeDbStub(expiredRows: any[]) {
+  const whereCalls: any[][] = [];
+  const reReadFirst = jest
+    .fn()
+    .mockResolvedValue({ temporaryExpiresAt: new Date(0), deletedAt: null });
+  const builder: any = {
+    selectFrom: jest.fn(() => builder),
+    select: jest.fn(() => builder),
+    where: jest.fn((...args: any[]) => {
+      whereCalls.push(args);
+      return builder;
+    }),
+    limit: jest.fn(() => builder),
+    execute: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(expiredRows),
+    executeTakeFirst: reReadFirst,
+  };
+  return { builder, whereCalls, reReadFirst };
+}
+
+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();
+    // The batch SELECT is capped so a large backlog is not pulled at once.
+    expect(builder.limit).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(builder.limit.mock.calls[0][0]).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  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 NOT trash a note made permanent in the race window', async () => {
+    // The batch SELECT saw the note as expired, but before its turn in the loop
+    // the user clicked "Make permanent" (temporary_expires_at -> null). The
+    // deadline re-read must catch this and skip the delete so the keep wins.
+    const expired = [{ id: 'p1', creatorId: 'u1', workspaceId: 'w1' }];
+    const { builder, reReadFirst } = makeDbStub(expired);
+    reReadFirst.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      temporaryExpiresAt: null,
+      deletedAt: null,
+    });
+    const pageRepo = { removePage: jest.fn() } as any;
+    const service = new TemporaryNoteCleanupService(builder, pageRepo);
+
+    await service.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes();
+
+    expect(reReadFirst).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('skips a note already trashed since the batch SELECT', async () => {
+    const expired = [{ id: 'p1', creatorId: 'u1', workspaceId: 'w1' }];
+    const { builder, reReadFirst } = makeDbStub(expired);
+    reReadFirst.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      temporaryExpiresAt: new Date(0),
+      deletedAt: new Date(),
+    });
+    const pageRepo = { removePage: jest.fn() } as any;
+    const service = new TemporaryNoteCleanupService(builder, pageRepo);
+
+    await service.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes();
+
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('does NOT trash a note re-armed to a future deadline in the race window', async () => {
+    // The batch SELECT saw the note as expired, but before its turn in the loop
+    // the user disarmed it and re-armed it to a fresh, still-future deadline
+    // (temporary_expires_at -> now + 1h). The deadline re-read must catch that
+    // the note is no longer expired and skip the delete so the keep wins.
+    const expired = [{ id: 'p1', creatorId: 'u1', workspaceId: 'w1' }];
+    const { builder, reReadFirst } = makeDbStub(expired);
+    reReadFirst.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      temporaryExpiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + 60 * 60 * 1000),
+      deletedAt: null,
+    });
+    const pageRepo = { removePage: jest.fn() } as any;
+    const service = new TemporaryNoteCleanupService(builder, pageRepo);
+
+    await service.sweepExpiredTemporaryNotes();
+
+    expect(reReadFirst).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(pageRepo.removePage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  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 +1,105 @@
+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);
+
+  // Cap a single sweep so a large backlog (e.g. many notes created during
+  // downtime under a short lifetime) is not loaded into memory at once. The
+  // remainder is drained on the next hourly run; sub-hour overshoot is fine.
+  private static readonly SWEEP_BATCH_LIMIT = 500;
+
+  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
+        .limit(TemporaryNoteCleanupService.SWEEP_BATCH_LIMIT)
+        .execute();
+
+      let trashed = 0;
+      for (const page of expired) {
+        try {
+          // Re-check the deadline at deletion time. The SELECT above is not
+          // transactional, so a user may click "Make permanent"
+          // (toggleTemporary sets temporary_expires_at = null) in the window
+          // between the SELECT and this per-row removePage. removePage deletes
+          // by id with only a `deletedAt IS NULL` filter and never re-reads the
+          // deadline, so without this guard a concurrently-kept note would
+          // still be trashed. Re-read the row and skip it unless it is still
+          // armed AND still expired, so a concurrent make-permanent wins.
+          const current = await this.db
+            .selectFrom('pages')
+            .select(['temporaryExpiresAt', 'deletedAt'])
+            .where('id', '=', page.id)
+            .executeTakeFirst();
+
+          if (
+            !current ||
+            current.deletedAt !== null ||
+            current.temporaryExpiresAt === null ||
+            new Date(current.temporaryExpiresAt) >= now
+          ) {
+            // Made permanent, already trashed, or no longer expired since the
+            // SELECT — leave it alone.
+            continue;
+          }
+
+          // 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/20260626T140000-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/repos/page/page.repo.restore.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { PageRepo } from './page.repo';
+
+/**
+ * Regression guard for #201: restorePage must disarm the temporary-note death
+ * timer by setting `temporaryExpiresAt = null` alongside the un-delete fields.
+ * Otherwise a restored note whose frozen deadline already passed would be
+ * re-trashed by the very next cleanup sweep. There is no real DB here — a
+ * chainable Kysely proxy records every `.set(...)` payload so we can assert the
+ * single restore UPDATE clears the deadline.
+ */
+function makeRestoreDbStub(opts: {
+  pageToRestore: any;
+  descendants: any[];
+}) {
+  const setCalls: any[] = [];
+  const proxy: any = new Proxy(function () {}, {
+    get(_t, prop) {
+      if (prop === 'then') return undefined;
+      if (prop === 'set')
+        return (payload: any) => {
+          setCalls.push(payload);
+          return proxy;
+        };
+      if (prop === 'executeTakeFirst')
+        return () => Promise.resolve(opts.pageToRestore);
+      if (prop === 'execute') return () => Promise.resolve(opts.descendants);
+      if (prop === 'withRecursive')
+        return (_name: string, cb: any) => {
+          // Exercise the recursive CTE builder against the proxy without a DB.
+          try {
+            cb(proxy);
+          } catch {
+            // builder shape only; ignore
+          }
+          return proxy;
+        };
+      return () => proxy;
+    },
+  });
+  return { proxy, setCalls };
+}
+
+describe('PageRepo.restorePage temporary-timer disarm (#201)', () => {
+  it('clears temporaryExpiresAt together with the un-delete fields', async () => {
+    const { proxy, setCalls } = makeRestoreDbStub({
+      // No parent => the deleted-parent lookup and detach branch are skipped, so
+      // the only UPDATE is the bulk restore we assert on.
+      pageToRestore: { id: 'p1', parentPageId: null, spaceId: 's1' },
+      descendants: [{ id: 'p1' }],
+    });
+    const eventEmitter = { emit: jest.fn() } as any;
+
+    const repo = new PageRepo(proxy, {} as any, eventEmitter);
+
+    await repo.restorePage('p1', 'w1');
+
+    expect(setCalls).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(setCalls[0]).toEqual({
+      deletedById: null,
+      deletedAt: null,
+      temporaryExpiresAt: null,
+    });
+  });
+});

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;