Ankify is a powerful tool for converting Markdown notes into Anki flashcards. It helps you maintain a consistent knowledge base in Markdown format while seamlessly syncing with Anki for effective spaced repetition learning.
- Markdown to Anki Integration: Convert structured Markdown files into Anki flashcards
- Bidirectional Syncing: Keep track of Anki IDs in your Markdown files for future updates
- Hierarchical Organization: Cards are organized into decks based on file and heading structure
- Batch Processing: Process individual files or entire directories at once
- Dry Run Mode: Preview changes without modifying your Anki collection
- Model Context Protocol Support: Integrate directly with AI assistants like Claude
- Python 3.6+
- Anki with AnkiConnect addon installed
- Anki must be running when you use Ankify
# Install from source
pip install .
# Or install in development mode
pip install -e .Ankify expects Markdown files structured as follows:
---
title: Your Document Title
deck: root_deck::some_deck
---
# Main Section
## Subsection
### Card Title
^unique_card_id # Optional, will be auto-generated if missing
#### Question
```
Your question goes here.
Markdown formatting is supported!
Lists work too:
- Item 1
- Item 2
```
#### Answer
```
Your answer here. Full markdown support!
```Each file should have:
- YAML frontmatter with a title (optional) and a deck (optional). Deck will
have higher precedence than title. If neither is provided, then you will need
to specify the
--root-deck-nameflag. - Level 1 headings (
#) for main sections - Level 2 headings (
##) for subsections - Level 3 headings (
###) for individual cards - Optional card ID line starting with
^after the card title - Question/Answer pairs using Level 4 headings (
####) and code blocks
# Process a single file
ankify path/to/your/notes.md
# Process a single file with custom root deck name
ankify path/to/your/notes.md --root-deck-name "Your Deck"
# Process an entire directory
ankify path/to/your/notes/
# Dry run (no changes to Anki), but prints out each card in the console.
ankify path/to/your/notes.md --dry-run
# Limit to first N cards
ankify path/to/your/notes.md --limit 10To use Ankify with AI assistants that support the Model Context Protocol:
-
Create an MCP configuration file with the following format:
{ "globalShortcut": "Ctrl+Space", "mcpServers": { "ankify": { "command": "/Users/yourusername/path/to/ankify/.venv/bin/ankify", "args": ["--mcp"] } } } -
Replace the command path with the path to your Ankify installation (you can find this with
which ankify) -
Add this configuration file to your AI assistant that supports MCP (such as Claude Desktop)
- Ankify parses your Markdown files, extracting questions and answers
- It creates a hierarchical deck structure in Anki based on headings:
RootDeck::H1::H2 - When cards are added to Anki, their IDs are stored in the Markdown with a
^prefix - On subsequent runs, Ankify updates existing cards instead of creating duplicates
- Connection errors: Ensure Anki is running and AnkiConnect addon is installed
- Missing cards: Check your Markdown structure follows the expected format
- Card count mismatch: Ensure each level 3 heading has corresponding Question and Answer sections
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.