diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 728fa3e..f91f2df 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -246,15 +246,6 @@ default_category = "inbox"
 
 Categories are fully configurable: name, storage path, and TUI hotkey. Add or remove categories to match your workflow. `default_category` is where `park new` lands notes when `-c` is omitted.
 
-## Design
-
-Core decisions that shape the project:
-
-- **Composable architecture.** The six `internal/*` packages (`config`, `note`, `store`, `render`, `model`, `theme`, `fs`) are self-contained with minimal coupling. Importing `internal/model` into another CLI is just wiring commands to exported functions — `cmd/park` exists solely as a reference consumer.
-- **No YAML dependency for frontmatter.** Parsed line-by-line as flat `key: value` pairs. One less dependency, zero ambiguity about which YAML dialect.
-- **Atomic reclassification.** Frontmatter is rewritten before the file is moved. A failed rename doesn't corrupt state.
-- **Synopsis-first triage.** The frontmatter `synopsis` field is the entire inbox UX. No metadata-surfing required.
-
 ## Tech stack
 
 | component | library |
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 81fd7ba..eac0a14 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v0.2.0
\ No newline at end of file
+v0.2.1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/note/note.go b/internal/note/note.go
index d971664..b9be78d 100644
--- a/internal/note/note.go
+++ b/internal/note/note.go
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ func IngestFile(cfg *config.Config, srcPath, filename, synopsis, source, targetC
 
 func slugify(s string) string {
 	s = strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(s))
+	s, _ = strings.CutSuffix(s, ".md")
 	var b strings.Builder
 	lastDash := false
 	for _, r := range s {
@@ -352,11 +353,34 @@ func AddNote(cfg *config.Config, in NoteInput) (NoteOutcome, error) {
 	}
 
 	hasInput := in.Body != "" || in.FromFile != ""
+	hasMetadata := fieldSet(in.Filename) && fieldSet(in.Synopsis) && fieldSet(in.Source)
+
+	if hasInput && hasMetadata {
+		// Caller supplied all required metadata and a body; create the note
+		// directly. Strip any frontmatter in the body so it isn't duplicated
+		// by WriteFrontmatter; if there is no frontmatter, keep the body as-is.
+		body := in.Body
+		if _, parsed, hasFM := ParseFrontmatterString(in.Body); hasFM {
+			body = parsed
+		}
+		var path string
+		var err error
+		if in.FromFile != "" {
+			path, err = IngestFile(cfg, in.FromFile, in.Filename, in.Synopsis, in.Source, target, body)
+		} else {
+			path, err = NewWithBody(cfg, in.Filename, in.Synopsis, in.Source, target, body)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			return NoteOutcome{}, err
+		}
+		return NoteOutcome{Path: path}, nil
+	}
+
 	if hasInput {
 		return addFromInput(cfg, in, target)
 	}
 
-	if fieldSet(in.Filename) && fieldSet(in.Synopsis) && fieldSet(in.Source) {
+	if hasMetadata {
 		path, err := NewWithBody(cfg, in.Filename, in.Synopsis, in.Source, target, "")
 		if err != nil {
 			return NoteOutcome{}, err
diff --git a/internal/note/note_test.go b/internal/note/note_test.go
index aaedb6a..bfd4906 100644
--- a/internal/note/note_test.go
+++ b/internal/note/note_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package note
 import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/polymorcodeus/park/internal/config"
@@ -300,3 +301,197 @@ func TestExtractH1(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAddNote(t *testing.T) {
+	tmp := t.TempDir()
+	cfg := config.DefaultConfig(tmp)
+	for i := range cfg.Categories {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(cfg.Categories[i].Path, 0o755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("create category folder: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	t.Run("all metadata no body creates note", func(t *testing.T) {
+		in := NoteInput{
+			Filename: "test-note",
+			Synopsis: "a test",
+			Source:   "terminal",
+			Category: "inbox",
+		}
+		out, err := AddNote(cfg, in)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("AddNote() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if out.Form != nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected direct creation, got form")
+		}
+		if out.Path == "" {
+			t.Fatal("expected path, got empty")
+		}
+		fm, _, err := ParseFrontmatter(out.Path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("ParseFrontmatter() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if fm.Synopsis != "a test" || fm.Source != "terminal" || fm.Category != "inbox" {
+			t.Errorf("frontmatter mismatch: %+v", fm)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("file with all metadata creates directly", func(t *testing.T) {
+		src := filepath.Join(tmp, "body.md")
+		content := "## Body\n\ncontent\n"
+		if err := os.WriteFile(src, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("WriteFile() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		in := NoteInput{
+			Filename: "from-file",
+			Synopsis: "from file",
+			Source:   "migration",
+			Category: "archive",
+			Body:     content,
+			FromFile: src,
+		}
+		out, err := AddNote(cfg, in)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("AddNote() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if out.Form != nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected direct creation, got form")
+		}
+		if _, err := os.Stat(src); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			t.Errorf("source file was not removed")
+		}
+		fm, body, err := ParseFrontmatter(out.Path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("ParseFrontmatter() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if fm.Category != "archive" || fm.Synopsis != "from file" || fm.Source != "migration" {
+			t.Errorf("frontmatter mismatch: %+v", fm)
+		}
+		if body != content {
+			t.Errorf("body = %q, want %q", body, content)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("stdin body without frontmatter and all metadata creates directly", func(t *testing.T) {
+		in := NoteInput{
+			Filename: "piped",
+			Synopsis: "piped body",
+			Source:   "stdin",
+			Category: "projects",
+			Body:     "# Piped title\n\ntext\n",
+		}
+		out, err := AddNote(cfg, in)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("AddNote() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if out.Form != nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected direct creation, got form")
+		}
+		fm, body, err := ParseFrontmatter(out.Path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("ParseFrontmatter() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if fm.Category != "projects" {
+			t.Errorf("category = %q, want projects", fm.Category)
+		}
+		if body != "# Piped title\n\ntext\n" {
+			t.Errorf("body = %q, want %q", body, "# Piped title\n\ntext\n")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("body with frontmatter uses frontmatter values", func(t *testing.T) {
+		in := NoteInput{
+			Body: "---\ncategory: areas\nsource: chat\nsynopsis: fm-driven\ncreated: 2026-07-01\n---\n\n# Title\n\nbody\n",
+		}
+		out, err := AddNote(cfg, in)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("AddNote() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if out.Form != nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected direct creation, got form")
+		}
+		fm, _, err := ParseFrontmatter(out.Path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("ParseFrontmatter() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if fm.Category != "areas" || fm.Source != "chat" || fm.Synopsis != "fm-driven" {
+			t.Errorf("frontmatter mismatch: %+v", fm)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("body with frontmatter and explicit metadata uses explicit metadata", func(t *testing.T) {
+		in := NoteInput{
+			Filename: "explicit",
+			Synopsis: "explicit",
+			Source:   "explicit",
+			Category: "archive",
+			Body:     "---\ncategory: areas\nsource: chat\nsynopsis: fm-driven\ncreated: 2026-07-01\n---\n\n# Title\n\nbody\n",
+		}
+		out, err := AddNote(cfg, in)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("AddNote() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if out.Form != nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected direct creation, got form")
+		}
+		fm, body, err := ParseFrontmatter(out.Path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("ParseFrontmatter() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if fm.Category != "archive" || fm.Source != "explicit" || fm.Synopsis != "explicit" {
+			t.Errorf("frontmatter mismatch: %+v", fm)
+		}
+		if strings.Contains(body, "fm-driven") {
+			t.Errorf("body still contains old frontmatter")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("missing metadata without body returns form", func(t *testing.T) {
+		in := NoteInput{Filename: "only-filename"}
+		out, err := AddNote(cfg, in)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("AddNote() error = %v", err)
+		}
+		if out.Form == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected form outcome")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("body with incomplete frontmatter returns error", func(t *testing.T) {
+		in := NoteInput{
+			Body: "---\ncategory: inbox\n---\n\nbody\n",
+		}
+		_, err := AddNote(cfg, in)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected error for incomplete frontmatter")
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestSlugify(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		in   string
+		want string
+	}{
+		{"plain", "Book Todo Legacy", "book-todo-legacy"},
+		{"already slug", "book-todo-legacy", "book-todo-legacy"},
+		{"with markdown extension", "book-todo-legacy.md", "book-todo-legacy"},
+		{"with uppercase markdown extension", "book-todo-legacy.MD", "book-todo-legacy"},
+		{"mixed case extension", "book-todo-legacy.Md", "book-todo-legacy"},
+		{"with date", "Book Todo Legacy 2026-08-06", "book-todo-legacy-2026-08-06"},
+		{"with date and extension", "Book Todo Legacy 2026-08-06.md", "book-todo-legacy-2026-08-06"},
+		{"trailing spaces", "  book-todo-legacy.md  ", "book-todo-legacy"},
+		{"empty becomes empty", "", ""},
+		{"only extension", ".md", ""},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := slugify(tt.in)
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("slugify(%q) = %q, want %q", tt.in, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}