#+title: org->anki
#+title_extra: sometimes things just work
#+pubdate: <2025-08-16>
#+filetags:
#+rss_title:

Anki decks are intelligent flashcards. "intelligent" here means they use a
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced_repetition][spaced repetition]] system to decide when cards should be reviewed: after you
review a card, you rate how hard it was, and that information tells anki when to
show it to you again.

There is a desktop application and mobile app, and the main pro of anki for me
is the mobile app - got a second?? Time to review those cards.

Naturally we're going to author said cards in emacs. Let's say we wanted a deck
for the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet][NATO phonetic alphabet]]:

#+begin_example org
,#+ANKI_DECK: org-phonetic-alphabet

,* A
Alfa

,* B
Bravo

,* C
Charlie

# ....
#+end_example

Next, in the anki desktop application, install the [[https://git.sr.ht/~foosoft/anki-connect][anki-connect]] plugin
(instructions in the readme there) and create a deck matching the =ANKI_DECK=
value: =org-phonetic-alphabet=.

Then, with the power of [[https://github.com/eyeinsky/org-anki][org-anki]], run =org-anki-sync-all= from the flashcard
buffer, and BAM! Your deck will have the cards added. The org file will be
edited to include a note it for mapping to the created card:

#+begin_example org
,* A
:PROPERTIES:
:ANKI_NOTE_ID: 1755049519946
:END:
Alfa
#+end_example

And with an Ankiweb account you can sync these created decks right to your
phone. nice