Skills
skills/briansunter/mankey/anki-ai-cli

anki-ai-cli

SKILL.md

Anki-AI CLI & MCP Tool Reference

Anki-AI is an MCP server and CLI for managing Anki via Anki-Connect. Works with Node.js (npx) or Bun.

Prerequisites

  1. Anki Desktop must be running
  2. Anki-Connect add-on must be installed: Anki > Tools > Add-ons > Get Add-ons > Code: 2055492159 > Restart Anki

Setup

MCP Server (Claude Desktop / Claude Code)

Add to your MCP config (claude_desktop_config.json or .mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["anki-ai"]
    }
  }
}

CLI

npx anki-ai deck list                    # List decks
npx anki-ai tools                        # List all 96 tools
npx anki-ai note add --deck Default --model Basic --front "Q" --back "A"
npx anki-ai run <toolName> '<json>'      # Run any tool by name

Configuration

Option Description
--url <url> Anki-Connect server URL
ANKI_CONNECT_URL Environment variable (default: http://127.0.0.1:8765)

Troubleshooting

  • Cannot connect: Ensure Anki is running with Anki-Connect installed
  • Permission dialog: Click "Yes" on first Anki-Connect connection
  • macOS background: Run defaults write net.ankiweb.dtop NSAppSleepDisabled -bool true if Anki sleeps

CLI Subcommands

deck

Command Description
deck list List all deck names
deck create <name> Create a deck (use :: for nesting)
deck stats <names...> Get new/learn/review/total counts
deck delete <names...> Delete decks and their cards

note

Command Description
note add --deck D --model M --front F --back B [--tags t1,t2] [--allow-duplicate] Create a note
note find <query> [--offset N] [--limit N] Search notes
note info <ids...> Get note details
note update <id> [--fields '{}'] [--tags t1,t2] Update a note
note delete <ids...> Delete notes permanently
note tags <id> Get tags for a note

card

Command Description
card find <query> [--offset N] [--limit N] Search cards
card info <ids...> Get card details
card suspend <ids...> Suspend cards
card unsuspend <ids...> Unsuspend cards
card answer <cardId> <ease> Answer card (1=Again 2=Hard 3=Good 4=Easy)
card next [--deck D] [--limit N] Get next due cards in review order

model

Command Description
model list List all note types
model fields <name> Get field names for a model
model create --name N --fields f1,f2 --templates '<json>' [--css C] [--cloze] Create model

stats

Command Description
stats today Today's review count
stats due [--deck D] Due cards with learning/review breakdown
stats collection Full collection statistics HTML

Generic Runner

npx anki-ai run <toolName> '<jsonArgs>'
# Example:
npx anki-ai run addNote '{"deckName":"Default","modelName":"Basic","fields":{"Front":"Hello","Back":"World"}}'
npx anki-ai run findCards '{"query":"deck:Default is:due","limit":20}'

Any of the 96 tools below can be called via run. Arguments are validated with Zod before execution.

Complete Tool Reference

For full parameter schemas, types, and defaults, see references/tools-by-category.md.

Deck Tools (6)

  • deckNames - List all decks with pagination (offset, limit)
  • createDeck - Create deck (deck name, :: for nesting) returns ID
  • getDeckStats - Stats for decks (decks[]) returns new/learn/review/total
  • deckNamesAndIds - Deck name-to-ID mapping with pagination
  • getDeckConfig - Get config group for a deck (deck)
  • deleteDecks - Delete decks (decks[], cardsToo default true)

Note Tools (16)

  • addNote - Create single note (deckName, modelName, fields{}, tags[], allowDuplicate)
  • addNotes - Bulk create (notes[]) returns array of IDs (null for failures)
  • findNotes - Search (query, offset, limit) returns IDs + pagination
  • notesInfo - Full note data (notes[]) auto-batches >100
  • updateNote - Update fields/tags (id, fields{}, tags[])
  • updateNoteFields - Update only fields (note.id, note.fields{})
  • deleteNotes - Delete permanently (notes[])
  • getTags - All collection tags with pagination
  • getNoteTags - Tags for one note (note ID)
  • addTags - Add tags to notes (notes[], tags space-separated)
  • removeTags - Remove tags from notes (notes[], tags space-separated)
  • replaceTags - Replace tag in specific notes (notes[], tagToReplace, replaceWithTag)
  • replaceTagsInAllNotes - Global tag replace (tagToReplace, replaceWithTag)
  • clearUnusedTags - Remove orphaned tags (no params)
  • removeEmptyNotes - Delete notes with no cards (no params)
  • notesModTime - Modification timestamps (notes[])

Card Tools (19)

  • findCards - Search (query, offset, limit) returns IDs + pagination
  • getNextCards - Due cards in review order (deck, limit, offset)
  • cardsInfo - Full card data (cards[]) auto-batches >100
  • answerCards - Batch answer (answers[].cardId, answers[].ease 1-4)
  • suspend / unsuspend - Toggle suspension (cards[])
  • areSuspended - Check suspension status (cards[]) returns booleans
  • areDue - Check due status (cards[]) returns booleans
  • getEaseFactors / setEaseFactors - Get/set ease (cards[], easeFactors[])
  • getIntervals - Current intervals in days (cards[], complete)
  • cardsToNotes - Map card IDs to note IDs (cards[])
  • cardsModTime - Modification timestamps (cards[])
  • forgetCards - Reset to new state (cards[])
  • relearnCards - Move to relearning queue (cards[])
  • setSpecificValueOfCard - Modify internal properties (card, keys[], newValues[])
  • getDecks - Deck names for cards (cards[])
  • changeDeck - Move cards to deck (cards[], deck)
  • canAddNotes - Validate without creating (notes[]) returns booleans

Model Tools (9)

  • modelNames - List all models with pagination
  • modelFieldNames - Field names for model (modelName)
  • modelNamesAndIds - Model name-to-ID mapping with pagination
  • createModel - Create note type (modelName, inOrderFields[], cardTemplates[], css, isCloze)
  • modelFieldsOnTemplates - Fields used per template (modelName)
  • modelTemplates - Get templates for model (modelName)
  • modelStyling - Get CSS for model (modelName)
  • updateModelTemplates - Update templates (model.name, model.templates{})
  • updateModelStyling - Update CSS (model.name, model.css)

Media Tools (5)

  • storeMediaFile - Store file (filename, one of: data base64 / url / path, deleteExisting)
  • retrieveMediaFile - Get file as base64 (filename)
  • getMediaFilesNames - List files (pattern with wildcards)
  • deleteMediaFile - Delete file (filename)
  • getMediaDirPath - Get media folder path (no params)

Stats Tools (7)

  • getNumCardsReviewedToday - Today's review count (no params)
  • getDueCardsDetailed - Due cards breakdown (deck optional)
  • getNumCardsReviewedByDay - Reviews by day (no params)
  • getCollectionStatsHTML - Full stats HTML (wholeCollection)
  • cardReviews - Review history (deck, startID)
  • getLatestReviewID - Latest review ID (deck)
  • getReviewsOfCards - Reviews for specific cards (cards[])

GUI Tools (17)

  • guiBrowse - Open browser (query, reorderCards{})
  • guiAddCards - Open add dialog (note{})
  • guiCurrentCard - Current review card (no params)
  • guiAnswerCard - Answer current card (ease 1-4)
  • guiShowQuestion / guiShowAnswer - Toggle card sides
  • guiStartCardTimer - Start review timer
  • guiDeckOverview - Open deck overview (name)
  • guiDeckBrowser - Open deck list
  • guiDeckReview - Start reviewing (name)
  • guiSelectedNotes - Get selected notes in browser
  • guiSelectCard - Select card in browser (card)
  • guiEditNote - Open edit dialog (note)
  • guiUndo - Undo last action
  • guiCheckDatabase - Run integrity check
  • guiImportFile - Open import dialog (path)
  • guiExitAnki - Close Anki

System Tools (17)

  • sync - Sync with AnkiWeb
  • getProfiles / loadProfile / getActiveProfile - Profile management
  • exportPackage - Export .apkg (deck, path, includeSched)
  • importPackage - Import .apkg (path)
  • version - Anki-Connect version
  • requestPermission - Request API permission
  • apiReflect - API metadata (scopes[], actions[])
  • reloadCollection - Reload from disk
  • multi - Batch multiple actions (actions[])
  • setDueDate - Override due date (cards[], days)
  • suspended - Check single card suspension (card)
  • saveDeckConfig - Update deck config (config{})
  • setDeckConfigId - Assign config to decks (decks[], configId)
  • cloneDeckConfigId - Clone config (name, cloneFrom)
  • removeDeckConfigId - Delete config (configId)

Common Workflows

Check learning progress and mastery

# Deck overview: new/learning/review/total counts
npx anki-ai deck stats "Japanese::JLPT N5"

# Today's study stats
npx anki-ai stats today

# Due cards with queue breakdown (learning vs review vs new)
npx anki-ai stats due --deck "Japanese::JLPT N5"

# Find well-known cards (high interval = strong retention)
npx anki-ai run findCards '{"query":"deck:Default prop:ivl>30"}'

# Get full learning data for specific cards (interval, ease, reps, lapses)
npx anki-ai card info <cardId1> <cardId2>
# Returns: interval (days until review), factor (ease multiplier),
#   reps (successful reviews), lapses (times forgotten),
#   queue (0=new, 1=learning, 2=review, 3=relearning),
#   type (0=new, 1=learning, 2=review, 3=relearn)

Find struggling cards

# Cards failed many times (high lapse count)
npx anki-ai run findCards '{"query":"deck:Default prop:lapses>5"}'

# Cards with low ease (difficulty multiplier, 2500 = default)
npx anki-ai run findCards '{"query":"deck:Default prop:ease<2.0"}'

# Cards currently in relearning (recently forgotten)
npx anki-ai run findCards '{"query":"deck:Default is:learn -is:new"}'

# Get ease factors for specific cards
npx anki-ai run getEaseFactors '{"cards":[123,456]}'

Create cards from content

# Single card
npx anki-ai note add --deck "Japanese" --model Basic --front "日本語" --back "Japanese language" --tags japanese,vocabulary

# Bulk create via generic runner
npx anki-ai run addNotes '{"notes":[
  {"deckName":"Japanese","modelName":"Basic","fields":{"Front":"猫","Back":"cat"},"tags":["japanese"]},
  {"deckName":"Japanese","modelName":"Basic","fields":{"Front":"犬","Back":"dog"},"tags":["japanese"]}
]}'

# Cloze deletion
npx anki-ai run addNote '{"deckName":"Science","modelName":"Cloze","fields":{"Text":"The {{c1::mitochondria}} is the powerhouse of the cell"}}'

# Check what fields a model needs before creating
npx anki-ai model fields "Basic (and reversed card)"

Review cards programmatically

# Get next due cards in review order (Learning > Review > New)
npx anki-ai card next --deck Default --limit 5

# Answer cards: 1=Again 2=Hard 3=Good 4=Easy
npx anki-ai card answer <cardId> 3

# Batch answer multiple cards
npx anki-ai run answerCards '{"answers":[
  {"cardId":123,"ease":3},
  {"cardId":456,"ease":4}
]}'

Manage tags and organize

# Find all cards with a tag
npx anki-ai note find "tag:japanese"

# Add tags to notes
npx anki-ai run addTags '{"notes":[123,456],"tags":"vocab important"}'

# Replace a tag across entire collection
npx anki-ai run replaceTagsInAllNotes '{"tagToReplace":"old-tag","replaceWithTag":"new-tag"}'

# Clean up unused tags
npx anki-ai run clearUnusedTags '{}'

# Move cards between decks
npx anki-ai run changeDeck '{"cards":[123,456],"deck":"Japanese::Advanced"}'

Bulk operations and search

# Search with Anki query syntax
npx anki-ai card find "deck:Japanese is:due" --limit 50
npx anki-ai note find "tag:vocab added:7"        # Added in last 7 days
npx anki-ai card find "prop:ivl>90 deck:Default"  # Well-known cards

# Suspend/unsuspend cards
npx anki-ai card suspend 123 456 789
npx anki-ai card unsuspend 123 456 789

# Reset cards to new state (clear scheduling)
npx anki-ai run forgetCards '{"cards":[123,456]}'

# Reschedule cards
npx anki-ai run setDueDate '{"cards":[123,456],"days":"0"}'  # Due today
npx anki-ai run setDueDate '{"cards":[123,456],"days":"7"}'  # Due in 7 days

Search Query Syntax

Query Matches
deck:Name Cards in deck (use quotes for ::: "deck:A::B")
tag:name Notes with tag
-tag:name Notes without tag
is:due Cards due for review
is:new New cards (never reviewed)
is:review Review cards (graduated from learning)
is:learn Cards in learning phase
is:suspended Suspended cards
prop:ivl>N Cards with interval > N days
prop:ease<N Cards with ease factor < N
prop:lapses>N Cards failed more than N times
prop:reps>N Cards reviewed more than N times
added:N Cards added in last N days
rated:N Cards rated in last N days
"field:value" Cards where field contains value

Combine queries with spaces (AND). Example: deck:Japanese is:due prop:lapses>3

Key Patterns

Pagination: Tools returning lists support offset/limit. Response includes pagination: { total, offset, limit, hasMore, nextOffset }.

Auto-batching: notesInfo and cardsInfo auto-split requests >100 items.

Input flexibility: IDs accept number/string/array. Tags accept array, space-separated string, or JSON string.

Weekly Installs
1
Repository
briansunter/mankey
GitHub Stars
3
First Seen
9 days ago
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