Anki – open source software, can help you to remember anything and yes possibly everything if you are willing to.
Anki uses a system called Spaced Repetition which is actually based on a phenomenon called spacing effect.
What can one learn using Anki
- You can learn a new language, I just started with French
- You can memorize famous people’s names and faces; let me know if you need my picture 😉
- You can master guitar chords and lengthy poems.
- The possibilities are endless, you just have to try and see for yourself.
Installing Anki
Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux/BSD, Mac, and Android/iPhone.
Installer Size: 25 MB
Space Required for Installation: 80 MB
Download and run the anki-2.0.26.exe installer.
Choose the interface language that suits you and click yes for the confirmation dialog that it prompts.
Creating a Deck
- Launch the anki.exe from your desktop.
- Click on the Create Deck button and provide a name for your deck. That’s it you have created your deck.
Now that you have created your first deck, let us go ahead and add some cards to it.
Adding Anki Flash Cards
- Let us quickly create a card using the below question and answer.
Question: Who is the author of Mahabharata?
Answer: Vyasa
- Click on the Add link which is in between Decks and Browse links.
- Enter the above answer in the Front text section and the question in the Back text section. Click Add.
- You can keep adding as many cards as you want to this deck and when you are done just click on the Close button.
- You can also attach Images, Audio and Video files to the cards to make it more engaging. Well is that it? No, actually you can customize the card itself and the fields in it, when you add a new card click on the Cards… button which will help you to make some customization’s.
- The customization’s can be done easily if you are aware of basic HTML and CSS knowledge.
- Now you will be taken back to the Deck you have created. Click on the Study Now button to give it a shot.
Note: If you enter a question and answer, which is already available (duplicate), then Anki will detect and show you duplicate card, provided it is an exact match. Texts in cards are case sensitive hence Vyasa is different from VYASA.
Online Anki Flashcards
If you are in a hurry to see how these flash cards work then you can click on the Get Shared button, which will take you to the online ankiweb. Various Decks are placed under 10 languages and under 10 categories. You can download the deck that suits your interest and start learning them.
Anki also provides statistics based on your learning which I will leave it to you to explore. The Anki team has put in tremendous effort to craft a wonderful manual which I would strongly recommend, if you are pretty serious about using Anki.
ohh really awesome application actually I think it helps ne a lot.. good job dude
Hi Ajay, glad to hear that it is helpful to you. Have a good day.
Hey Sri,
Man, you find some of the most interesting stuff my friend. So you have to actually upload all the questions and answers yourself? So if you wanted to learn how to play the guitar you just had to find the videos that showed you and upload them? Am I understanding that correctly? Seems like a lot of work and you’d have to go find the answer anyway. I guess if you just need to refer back to it after some time it would remain in the same place right?
~Adrienne
Hello Adrienne, interesting software isn’t it? I liked it very much. I accept that it involves a lot of work in preparing the Decks and Cards. You are correct, one has to manually setup the question and answers (answers could be pictures/videos/sound files) and it all gets saved and you can revisit them whenever you want. There are also some online ready-made decks available, so check them out too.
This tool is the result of the learning technique called “spaced repetition”. Just like people would rehearse songs, you just have to learn using these cards. This tool improves memory, so one can train their kids using this awesome tool. Thanks for dropping by, have a wonderful week ahead.
Hi Varshan,
Thanks for this article, hearing about this software for first time. So how far has your French language progressed? I will also try this software and see how far it can help me to improve my memory…
Hello Vijesh,
Loved Anki the first time i came across it, been using it regularly since then. It is a very useful App that could help you to memorize things. French is a lovely language and I am trying my best, thanks for stopping by. Bonne Journee