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Anki (software)

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Anki (US: /ˈɑːŋki/, UK: /ˈæŋki/; Japanese: [aŋki]) is a free and open-source flashcard program. It uses techniques from cognitive science such as active recall testing and spaced repetition to aid the user in memorization.[4][5] The name comes from the Japanese word for "memorization" (暗記).[6]

Anki
Developer(s)Damien Elmes
Initial release5 October 2006; 18 years ago (2006-10-05)
Stable release
24.06.3 / 28 June 2024; 4 months ago (2024-06-28)[1]
Repository
Written inPython, Rust
Operating systemWindows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD; Android and iOS (special versions)
Available in48 (desktop)/14 (AnkiMobile) languages
List of languages
  • Desktop: Afrikaans, Arabic, Armenian, Basque, Bulgarian, Catalan, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (United Kingdom), English (United States), Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Lojban, Malay, Mongolian, Norwegian, Occitan, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
  • AnkiMobile: English, Arabic, French, German, Irish, Japanese, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian
TypeFlashcard spaced repetition
License
Websitehttps://apps.ankiweb.net/

The SM-2 algorithm, created for SuperMemo in the late 1980s, has historically formed the basis of the spaced repetition methods employed in the program. Anki's implementation of the algorithm has been modified to allow priorities on cards and to show flashcards in order of their urgency. Anki 23.10+ also has a native implementation of the Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler (FSRS) algorithm, which allows for more optimal spacing of card repetitions.[7]

Anki is content-agnostic, the cards are presented using HTML and may include text, images, sounds, videos,[8] and LaTeX equations. The decks of cards, along with the user's statistics, are stored in the open SQLite format.

Features

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Notes

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Cards are generated from information stored as "notes". Notes are analogous to database entries and can have an arbitrary number of fields. For example, with respect to learning a language, a note may have the following fields and example entries:

  • Field 1: Expression in target language – "gâteau"
  • Field 2: Pronunciation – [sound file with the word "gâteau" pronounced]
  • Field 3: Expression in familiar language – "cake"

This example illustrates what some programs call a three-sided flashcard, but Anki's model is more general and allows any number of fields to be combined in various cards.

The user can design cards that test the information contained in each note. One card may have a question (expression) and an answer (pronunciation, meaning).

By keeping the separate cards linked to the same fact, spelling mistakes can be adjusted against all cards at the same time, and Anki can ensure that related cards are not shown in too short a spacing.

A special note type allows the generation of cloze deletion cards. In Anki 1.2.x, those were ordinary cards with cloze markup added using a tool in the fact editor.

Syncing

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Anki supports synchronization with a free and proprietary online service called AnkiWeb.[9] This allows users to keep decks synchronized across multiple computers and to study online or on a cell phone.

There also is a third-party open-source (AGPLv3) AnkiWeb alternative, called anki-sync-server,[10] which users can run on their own local computers or servers.

Anki 2.1.57+ includes a built-in sync server. Advanced users who cannot or do not wish to use AnkiWeb can use this sync server instead of AnkiWeb.[11]

Japanese and Chinese reading generation

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Anki can automatically fill in the reading of Japanese and Chinese text. Since version 0.9.9.8.2, these features are in separate plug-ins.

Add-ons

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More than 750 add-ons for Anki are available,[12] often written by third-party developers.[13] They provide support for speech synthesis, enhanced user statistics, image occlusion, incremental reading, more efficient editing and creation of cards through batch editing, modifying the GUI, simplifying import of flashcards from other digital sources, adding an element of gamification,[14] etc.

Shared decks

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While Anki's user manual encourages the creation of one's own decks for most material, there is still a large and active database of shared decks that users can download and use.[15] Available decks range from foreign-language decks (often constructed with frequency tables) to geography, physics, biology, chemistry and more. Various medical science decks, often made by multiple users in collaboration, are also available.[16]

Comparisons

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Anki's current scheduling algorithm is derived from SM-2 (an older version of the SuperMemo algorithm), though the algorithm has been significantly changed from SM-2 and is also far more configurable.[7] One of the most apparent differences is that while SuperMemo provides users a 6-point grading system (0 through 5, inclusive), Anki only provides at most 4 grades (again, hard, good, and easy). Anki also has significantly changed how review intervals grow and shrink (making many of these aspects of the scheduler configurable through deck options), though the core algorithm is still based on SM-2's concept of ease factors as the primary mechanism of evolving card review intervals.

Anki was originally based on the SM-5 algorithm, but the implementation was found to have seemingly incorrect behaviour (harder cards would have their intervals grow more quickly than easier cards in certain circumstances) leading the authors to switch Anki's algorithm to SM-2 (which was further evolved into the modern Anki algorithm).[7] At the time, this led Elmes to claim that SM-5 and later algorithms were flawed[17] which was strongly rebutted by Piotr Woźniak, the author of SuperMemo.[18] Since then, Elmes has clarified[7] that it is possible that the flaw was due to a bug in their implementation of SM-5 (the SuperMemo website does not describe SM-5 in complete detail), but added that due to licensing requirements, Anki will not use any newer versions of the SuperMemo algorithm. The prospect of community-funded licensing of newer SuperMemo algorithms is often discussed among users. However, there exists a greater focus on the development of the software itself and its features. The latest SuperMemo algorithm in 2019 is SM-18.[19]

Some Anki users who have experimented with the Anki algorithm and its settings have published configuration recommendations,[20] made add-ons to modify Anki's algorithm,[21] or developed their own separate software.

In 2023 (version 23.10) the Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler (FSRS), a new scheduling algorithm, was integrated into Anki as an optional feature.[22]

FSRS is based on a variant of the DSR (Difficulty, Stability, Retrievability) model, which is used to predict memory states. The default FSRS parameters are based on almost 700 million reviews from 20 thousand users and are more accurate in comparison to the standard SM2 algorithm, according to benchmarks, leading to fewer necessary reviews for the same retention rate.[23][24]

Mobile versions

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The following smartphone/tablet and Web clients are available as companions to the desktop version:[25][26][27]

  • AnkiMobile[28] for iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad (paid)
  • AnkiWeb[29] (online server, free to use; includes add-on and deck hosting)
  • AnkiDroid[30] for Android (free of charge, under GPLv3; by Nicolas Raoul)

The flashcards and learning progress can be synchronized both ways with Anki using AnkiWeb. With AnkiDroid it is possible to have the flashcards read in several languages using text-to-speech (TTS). If a language does not exist in the Android TTS engine (e.g. Russian in the Android version Ice Cream Sandwich), a different TTS engine such as SVOX TTS Classic can be used. AnkiDroid has also been used for other educational purposes. It is used as instructional media in Islamic Religious Education in Indonesia.[31]

History

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Damien Elmes, the Australian programmer behind the app, originally created it for learning Japanese.[32][33] The oldest mention of Anki that the developer Damien Elmes could find in 2011 was dated 5 October 2006, which was thus declared Anki's birthdate.[34]

  • Version 2.0 was released on 6 October 2012.
  • Version 2.1 was released on 6 August 2018.
  • Version 23.10 was released on 31 October 2023, that has changed versions numbering scheme to year.month.[35]
  • Version 23.12 was released on 24 December 2023.[36]
  • Version 24.04 was released 31 March 2024.[37]
  • Version 24.06 was released 6 June 2024.[38]

Utility

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While Anki may primarily be used for language learning or a classroom setting, many have reported other uses for Anki: scientist Michael Nielsen uses it to remember complex topics in a fast-moving field,[39] while others are using it to remember memorable quotes, the faces of business partners or medical residents, or to remember business interviewing strategies.

In 2010, Roger Craig obtained the then-all-time record for single-day winnings on the quiz show Jeopardy![40] after using Anki to memorize a vast number of facts.[41]

Medical education

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A study in 2015 at Washington University School of Medicine found that 31% of students who responded to a medical education survey reported using Anki as a study resource; the same study found a positive relationship between the number of unique Anki cards studied and USMLE Step 1 scores in a multivariate analysis.[42] In the same year, another study showed that students had a one-point increase on their licensing exams for every 1,700 unique Anki flashcards they used.[43]

Another study in 2024 found that Anki was commonly used among respondents, with 86.2% reported using it and 66.5% using it every day.[44] AnKing, an Anki deck developed by students at the University of Utah School of Medicine aggregates information from multiple third-party resources and has become the primary method of USMLE Step1 and Step2 study for many students, having been downloaded over 300,000 times as of 2024.[45]

App selections

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Anki offers user-made decks, which are commonly used in medical education and for learning a range of subjects including Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, Law, Mathematics, Music, and Physics. User-made decks are also available for learning languages such as Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish.[46]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Releases". GitHub. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  2. ^ "LICENSE". Anki. Damien Elmes. 1 June 2020 – via GitHub.
  3. ^ "COPYING". GitHub. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. ^ Shellenbarger, Sue (28 April 2015). "Flashcards Get Smarter So You Can, Too". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  5. ^ Smolen, Paul; Zhang, Yili; Byrne, John H. (25 January 2016). "The right time to learn: mechanisms and optimization of spaced learning". Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 17 (2): 77–88. arXiv:1606.08370. Bibcode:2016arXiv160608370S. doi:10.1038/nrn.2015.18. PMC 5126970. PMID 26806627.
  6. ^ wikt:暗記
  7. ^ a b c d "What spaced repetition algorithm does Anki use?". faqs.ankiweb.net.
  8. ^ Played in a separate MPlayer window.
  9. ^ "Anki – friendly, intelligent flashcards". ankiweb.net.
  10. ^ anki-sync-server, Anki Community, 9 November 2021, retrieved 9 November 2021
  11. ^ Self-Hosted Sync Server, Anki Manual, 26 December 2023
  12. ^ "Add-ons for Anki 2.1". ankiweb.net.
  13. ^ "Writing Anki Add-ons". addon-docs.ankiweb.net.
  14. ^ "AnkiEmperor – Gamification for Anki". ankiweb.net. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Shared Decks - AnkiWeb". ankiweb.net. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  16. ^ "index - medicalschoolanki". reddit. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Google Groups". google.com.
  18. ^ Woźniak, Piotr (June 2018). "Criticism of Algorithm SM-5". supermemo.guru. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  19. ^ "Three Decades: From SuperMemo 1.0 to SuperMemo 18.0". 22 September 2019.
  20. ^ "Low-Key Anki". Archived from the original on 3 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Thoughts On A New Algorithm For Anki". 18 February 2017.
  22. ^ "Release 23.10 · ankitects/anki". GitHub. 31 October 2023.
  23. ^ "FSRS Benchmark·". GitHub. 25 December 2023.
  24. ^ "FSRS Explained·". AnkiDecks. 30 April 2024.
  25. ^ "Anki - powerful, intelligent flashcards". ankisrs.net. 29 October 2017. AnkiMobile is a paid companion to the free computer program,
  26. ^ "Anki-Android Wiki: FAQ: Do I need Anki Desktop too?". GitHub. 29 October 2017. AnkiDroid is designed primarily as a tool for reviewing cards created with Anki Desktop, rather than as a complete replacement for it.
  27. ^ "About - AnkiWeb". 29 October 2017. AnkiWeb is intended to be used in conjunction with the computer version of Anki. While it is possible to create basic text-only cards and review them using only AnkiWeb,
  28. ^ "Anki - powerful, intelligent flashcards". ankisrs.net.
  29. ^ "Anki - friendly, intelligent flashcards". ankiweb.net.
  30. ^ "Anki on Android". github.com. 26 July 2019.
  31. ^ Rifai, Ikhsan; Nurhaliza (13 January 2024). "The Effect of Using Ankidroid on Cognitive Learning Outcomes of Islamic Religious Education". Eduscape: Journal of Education Insight. 2 (1): 37–47. doi:10.61978/eduscape.v2i1.164. ISSN 3026-5231.
  32. ^ https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/why-is-this-software-called-anki-it-is-the-japanese/10508/3, forum profile of Elmes
  33. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20240905133451/https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/why-is-this-software-called-anki-it-is-the-japanese/10508/2, a thread from Anki's forums
  34. ^ "Happy birthday, Anki!". Google Groups. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
  35. ^ Glutanimate (31 October 2023). "Anki 23.10 Changelog". r/Anki. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  36. ^ "Release 23.12 · ankitects/anki". GitHub. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  37. ^ "Release 24.04 · ankitects/anki". GitHub. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  38. ^ "Release 24.06 · ankitects/anki". GitHub. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  39. ^ Coren, Michael J. (12 February 2018). "The latest brain hack to get ahead in Silicon Valley: flashcards". Quartz. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  40. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (15 September 2010). "Record Set On 'Jeopardy!'". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  41. ^ Baker, Stephen (2011). "How to Play the Game". Final Jeopardy: Man vs. Machine and the Quest to Know Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-547-48316-0. LCCN 2010051653. OCLC 651912283. OL 25136706M. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  42. ^ Deng, Francis; Gluckstein, Jeffrey A.; Larsen, Douglas P. (1 December 2015). "Student-directed retrieval practice is a predictor of medical licensing examination performance". Perspectives on Medical Education. 4 (6): 308–313. doi:10.1007/s40037-015-0220-x. ISSN 2212-277X. PMC 4673073. PMID 26498443.
  43. ^ Deng, Francis (2015). "Student-directed retrieval practice is a predictor of medical licensing examination performance". Perspectives on Medical Education. 4 (6): 308–313. doi:10.1007/s40037-015-0220-x. PMC 4673073. PMID 26498443.
  44. ^ Ganjavi, Conner (5 September 2024). "ChatGPT and large language models (LLMs) awareness and use. A prospective cross-sectional survey of U.S. medical students". PLOS Digital Health. 3 (9). PLOS: e0000596. doi:10.1371/journal.pdig.0000596. PMC 11376538. PMID 39236008.
  45. ^ "AnKing Step Deck".
  46. ^ "Shared Decks". Ankiweb.net.

Further reading

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