labels: per-label color

Give labels a color (migration 0011 adds labels.color, server_default
'default' so existing labels keep the neutral chip). The PATCH endpoint now
updates name and/or color; note serialization carries each label's color.
Frontend: a swatch picker per label in the Edit-labels modal, colored chips
on cards + in the editor (LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES), and a color dot on each
sidebar label. Reuses the note color vocabulary. (Graph node coloring rides
this in the graph-liveliness task.)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01FRgehjoz7Yv8LkUfADxACm

alembic/versions/0011_label_color.py

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+"""labels.color
+
+Revision ID: 0011
+Revises: 0010
+Create Date: 2026-07-20
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+revision = "0011"
+down_revision = "0010"
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    # server_default backfills existing labels to the neutral "default" chip.
+    op.add_column("labels", sa.Column("color", sa.Text(), nullable=False, server_default="default"))
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    op.drop_column("labels", "color")

frontend/src/components/AppShell.vue

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { useUiStore } from "../stores/ui";
 import CommandPalette from "./CommandPalette.vue";
 import Icon from "./Icon.vue";
 import LabelsModal from "./LabelsModal.vue";
+import { NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES, type NoteColor } from "../notes/colors";
 
 const route = useRoute();
 const router = useRouter();
@@ -127,6 +128,10 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKeydown));
 
 const currentLabelId = computed(() => (route.name === "label" ? String(route.params.id) : null));
 
+function labelDot(color: string): string {
+  return NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES[color as NoteColor] ?? NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES.default;
+}
+
 function onSearch(value: string) {
   searchText.value = value;
   clearTimeout(searchTimer);
@@ -226,7 +231,11 @@ async function signOut() {
             class="nav-link"
             :class="currentLabelId === lb.id ? 'nav-link-active' : ''"
           >
-            <Icon name="tag" /> <span class="truncate">{{ lb.name }}</span>
+            <span
+              class="h-2.5 w-2.5 shrink-0 rounded-full border border-black/10 dark:border-white/15"
+              :class="labelDot(lb.color)"
+            ></span>
+            <span class="truncate">{{ lb.name }}</span>
           </RouterLink>
 
           <RouterLink to="/archive" class="nav-link mt-3" :class="route.name === 'archive' ? 'nav-link-active' : ''">

frontend/src/components/LabelsModal.vue

@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { ref } from "vue";
 import { useLabelsStore } from "../stores/labels";
+import { NOTE_COLOR_KEYS, NOTE_COLOR_LABELS, NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES, type NoteColor } from "../notes/colors";
 import Icon from "./Icon.vue";
 
 const emit = defineEmits<{ (e: "close"): void }>();
 const labels = useLabelsStore();
 const newName = ref("");
+const pickerFor = ref<string | null>(null);
 
 async function add() {
   const name = newName.value.trim();
@@ -18,6 +20,15 @@ async function rename(id: string, value: string) {
   const name = value.trim();
   if (name) await labels.rename(id, name);
 }
+
+function labelDot(color: string): string {
+  return NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES[color as NoteColor] ?? NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES.default;
+}
+
+async function pickColor(id: string, color: NoteColor) {
+  pickerFor.value = null;
+  await labels.setColor(id, color);
+}
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -46,8 +57,15 @@ async function rename(id: string, value: string) {
           />
         </form>
         <ul class="flex flex-col gap-1 pt-1">
-          <li v-for="lb in labels.items" :key="lb.id" class="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <li v-for="lb in labels.items" :key="lb.id" class="relative flex items-center gap-2">
-            <Icon name="tag" />
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              class="h-4 w-4 shrink-0 rounded-full border border-black/10 transition hover:scale-110 focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand dark:border-white/15"
+              :class="labelDot(lb.color)"
+              :title="`Color: ${NOTE_COLOR_LABELS[(lb.color as NoteColor)] ?? lb.color}`"
+              aria-label="Change label color"
+              @click="pickerFor = pickerFor === lb.id ? null : lb.id"
+            />
             <input
               :value="lb.name"
               class="flex-1 rounded-md bg-transparent px-2 py-1.5 text-sm outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand"
@@ -62,6 +80,21 @@ async function rename(id: string, value: string) {
             >
               <Icon name="trash" />
             </button>
+            <div
+              v-if="pickerFor === lb.id"
+              class="absolute left-0 top-full z-10 mt-1 flex max-w-[13rem] flex-wrap gap-1.5 rounded-lg border border-neutral-200 bg-white p-2 shadow-lg dark:border-neutral-700 dark:bg-neutral-800"
+            >
+              <button
+                v-for="key in NOTE_COLOR_KEYS"
+                :key="key"
+                type="button"
+                :title="NOTE_COLOR_LABELS[key]"
+                :aria-label="NOTE_COLOR_LABELS[key]"
+                class="h-6 w-6 rounded-full border border-black/10 transition hover:scale-110 focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand"
+                :class="[NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES[key], lb.color === key ? 'ring-2 ring-brand' : '']"
+                @click="pickColor(lb.id, key)"
+              />
+            </div>
           </li>
         </ul>
         <p v-if="!labels.items.length" class="py-2 text-center text-xs text-neutral-400">

frontend/src/components/NoteCard.vue

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { ref, watch } from "vue";
 import { useNotesStore } from "../stores/notes";
-import { NOTE_CARD_CLASSES, type NoteColor } from "../notes/colors";
+import { LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES, NOTE_CARD_CLASSES, type NoteColor } from "../notes/colors";
 import type { Note } from "../stores/notes";
 import Icon from "./Icon.vue";
 import LinkedText from "./LinkedText.vue";
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ watch(
 function cardClass(color: NoteColor): string {
   return NOTE_CARD_CLASSES[color] ?? NOTE_CARD_CLASSES.default;
 }
+
+function labelChip(color: string): string {
+  return LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES[color as NoteColor] ?? LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES.default;
+}
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -86,7 +90,8 @@ function cardClass(color: NoteColor): string {
       <span
         v-for="lb in note.labels"
         :key="lb.id"
-        class="rounded-full bg-black/5 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs text-neutral-600 dark:bg-white/10 dark:text-neutral-300"
+        class="rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-xs"
+        :class="labelChip(lb.color)"
         >{{ lb.name }}</span
       >
     </div>

frontend/src/components/NoteEditor.vue

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import LabelPicker from "./LabelPicker.vue";
 import NoteChecklist from "./NoteChecklist.vue";
 import { fromLocalInput, toLocalInput } from "../notes/datetime";
 import type { Note, NoteLabel } from "../stores/notes";
-import type { NoteColor } from "../notes/colors";
+import { LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES, type NoteColor } from "../notes/colors";
 
 const props = defineProps<{ note: Note }>();
 const emit = defineEmits<{ (e: "close"): void; (e: "navigate", id: string): void }>();
@@ -176,6 +176,10 @@ async function removeLabel(id: string) {
   await onLabelsChange(labelList.value.filter((lb) => lb.id !== id));
 }
 
+function labelChip(color: string): string {
+  return LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES[color as NoteColor] ?? LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES.default;
+}
+
 async function toggleKind() {
   if (liveNote.value.kind === "list") {
     await notes.setKind(props.note.id, "text");
@@ -315,7 +319,8 @@ async function act(fn: () => Promise<void>) {
           <span
             v-for="lb in labelList"
             :key="lb.id"
-            class="inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full bg-black/5 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs text-neutral-600 dark:bg-white/10 dark:text-neutral-300"
+            class="inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-xs"
+            :class="labelChip(lb.color)"
           >
             {{ lb.name }}
             <button

frontend/src/notes/colors.ts

@@ -43,6 +43,20 @@ export const NOTE_SWATCH_CLASSES: Record<NoteColor, string> = {
   gray: "bg-neutral-400 dark:bg-neutral-500",
 };
 
+// Label chip tints (bg + readable text), keyed by the same color vocabulary.
+export const LABEL_CHIP_CLASSES: Record<NoteColor, string> = {
+  default: "bg-black/5 text-neutral-600 dark:bg-white/10 dark:text-neutral-300",
+  red: "bg-red-100 text-red-700 dark:bg-red-950/50 dark:text-red-300",
+  orange: "bg-orange-100 text-orange-700 dark:bg-orange-950/50 dark:text-orange-300",
+  yellow: "bg-amber-100 text-amber-800 dark:bg-amber-950/50 dark:text-amber-300",
+  green: "bg-green-100 text-green-700 dark:bg-green-950/50 dark:text-green-300",
+  teal: "bg-teal-100 text-teal-700 dark:bg-teal-950/50 dark:text-teal-300",
+  blue: "bg-blue-100 text-blue-700 dark:bg-blue-950/50 dark:text-blue-300",
+  purple: "bg-purple-100 text-purple-700 dark:bg-purple-950/50 dark:text-purple-300",
+  pink: "bg-pink-100 text-pink-700 dark:bg-pink-950/50 dark:text-pink-300",
+  gray: "bg-neutral-200 text-neutral-700 dark:bg-neutral-700 dark:text-neutral-200",
+};
+
 export const NOTE_COLOR_LABELS: Record<NoteColor, string> = {
   default: "Default",
   red: "Red",

frontend/src/stores/labels.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { api } from "../api/client";
 export interface Label {
   id: string;
   name: string;
+  color: string;
 }
 
 export const useLabelsStore = defineStore("labels", () => {
@@ -37,10 +38,16 @@ export const useLabelsStore = defineStore("labels", () => {
     sort();
   }
 
+  async function setColor(id: string, color: string): Promise<void> {
+    const updated = await api.patch<Label>(`/api/labels/${id}`, { color });
+    const idx = items.value.findIndex((lb) => lb.id === id);
+    if (idx >= 0) items.value[idx] = updated;
+  }
+
   async function remove(id: string): Promise<void> {
     await api.del(`/api/labels/${id}`);
     items.value = items.value.filter((lb) => lb.id !== id);
   }
 
-  return { items, loaded, load, create, rename, remove };
+  return { items, loaded, load, create, rename, setColor, remove };
 });

frontend/src/stores/notes.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export type NoteKind = "text" | "list";
 export interface NoteLabel {
   id: string;
   name: string;
+  color: string;
 }
 
 export interface ChecklistItem {

src/thoughtsync/labels.py

@@ -12,8 +12,15 @@ from .models.label import Label
 bp = Blueprint("labels", __name__, url_prefix="/api/labels")
 
 
+LABEL_COLORS = {"default", "red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "teal", "blue", "purple", "pink", "gray"}
+
+
+def _normalize_label_color(color: object) -> str:
+    return color if color in LABEL_COLORS else "default"
+
+
 def _serialize_label(label: Label) -> dict:
-    return {"id": str(label.id), "name": label.name}
+    return {"id": str(label.id), "name": label.name, "color": label.color}
 
 
 async def _get_owned_label(db, label_id: str) -> Label | None:
@@ -44,7 +51,7 @@ async def create_label():
         existing = await db.scalar(select(Label).where(Label.owner_id == g.user_id, Label.name == name))
         if existing is not None:
             return jsonify(_serialize_label(existing)), 200
-        label = Label(owner_id=g.user_id, name=name)
+        label = Label(owner_id=g.user_id, name=name, color=_normalize_label_color(data.get("color")))
         db.add(label)
         await db.commit()
         await db.refresh(label)
@@ -53,21 +60,28 @@ async def create_label():
 
 @bp.patch("/<label_id>")
 @login_required
-async def rename_label(label_id: str):
+async def update_label(label_id: str):
     data = await request.get_json(silent=True) or {}
-    name = (data.get("name") or "").strip()
+    has_name = "name" in data
-    if not name:
+    has_color = "color" in data
+    if not has_name and not has_color:
+        return jsonify({"error": "nothing to update"}), 400
+    name = (data.get("name") or "").strip() if has_name else None
+    if has_name and not name:
         return jsonify({"error": "label name is required"}), 400
     async with session_scope() as db:
         label = await _get_owned_label(db, label_id)
         if label is None:
             return jsonify({"error": "not found"}), 404
-        clash = await db.scalar(
+        if has_name:
-            select(Label).where(Label.owner_id == g.user_id, Label.name == name, Label.id != label.id)
+            clash = await db.scalar(
-        )
+                select(Label).where(Label.owner_id == g.user_id, Label.name == name, Label.id != label.id)
-        if clash is not None:
+            )
-            return jsonify({"error": "a label with that name already exists"}), 409
+            if clash is not None:
-        label.name = name
+                return jsonify({"error": "a label with that name already exists"}), 409
+            label.name = name
+        if has_color:
+            label.color = _normalize_label_color(data.get("color"))
         await db.commit()
         await db.refresh(label)
         return jsonify(_serialize_label(label))

src/thoughtsync/models/label.py

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class Label(Base):
         UUID(as_uuid=True), ForeignKey("users.id", ondelete="CASCADE"), nullable=False
     )
     name: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(Text(), nullable=False)
+    color: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(Text(), nullable=False, default="default", server_default="default")
     created_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False, server_default=func.now())
 
 

src/thoughtsync/notes.py

@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ async def _labels_for_notes(db, note_ids: list) -> dict:
     if not note_ids:
         return result
     rows = await db.execute(
-        select(NoteLabel.note_id, Label.id, Label.name)
+        select(NoteLabel.note_id, Label.id, Label.name, Label.color)
         .join(Label, Label.id == NoteLabel.label_id)
         .where(NoteLabel.note_id.in_(note_ids))
         .order_by(Label.name)
     )
-    for note_id, label_id, name in rows.all():
+    for note_id, label_id, name, color in rows.all():
-        result.setdefault(note_id, []).append({"id": str(label_id), "name": name})
+        result.setdefault(note_id, []).append({"id": str(label_id), "name": name, "color": color})
     return result