Anki MCP Server

Name: Anki MCP Server
Author: AnkiMCP.ai

Study, create and manage Anki flashcards from an AI client through the AnkiConnect add-on

By AnkiMCP.ai TypeScript Local · stdio Productivity

GitHub npm Website

65 popularity score ★ 547 ↓ 1.1k/wk

Connect your client

Local (npm)

Add in one click

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code Add to LM Studio Add to Goose

Opens the app, which asks before it adds the server.

Or add it by command or config

Claude CodeTerminal

claude mcp add anki -- npx -y @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --stdio

Claude Desktopclaude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server",
        "--stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server",
        "--stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "anki": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server",
        "--stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Codex~/.codex/config.toml

[mcp_servers.anki]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server", "--stdio"]

Gemini CLITerminal

gemini mcp add --scope user anki npx -- -y @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --stdio

Local (from source)

Add in one click

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code Add to LM Studio

Opens the app, which asks before it adds the server. Then replace each <NAME> in its settings with your value.

Or add it by command or config

FirstTerminal

git clone https://github.com/ankimcp/anki-mcp-server.git
cd anki-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build

Claude CodeTerminal

claude mcp add anki -- node '<ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONE>/dist/main-stdio.js'

Claude Desktopclaude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "<ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONE>/dist/main-stdio.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "<ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONE>/dist/main-stdio.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "anki": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "<ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONE>/dist/main-stdio.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Codex~/.codex/config.toml

[mcp_servers.anki]
command = "node"
args = ["<ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONE>/dist/main-stdio.js"]

Gemini CLITerminal

gemini mcp add --scope user anki node -- '<ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONE>/dist/main-stdio.js'

Settings 12

`ANKI_CONNECT_URL`	Optional: Address of AnkiConnect; http://localhost:8765 by default.
`ANKI_CONNECT_API_KEY`	Optional: Key, if AnkiConnect is configured to require one.
`ANKI_CONNECT_TIMEOUT`	Optional: AnkiConnect request timeout in ms; 5000 by default.
`READ_ONLY`	Optional: true or 1 blocks content changes and manual rescheduling; rating, suspend and sync still work.
`MEDIA_IMPORT_DIR`	Optional: Limit file-path media imports to this folder.
`MEDIA_ALLOWED_TYPES`	Optional: Extra MIME types allowed for file-path imports, comma-separated.
`MEDIA_ALLOWED_HOSTS`	Optional: Private network hosts allowed for URL imports, comma-separated.
`PORT`	Optional: HTTP mode port; 3000 by default.
`HOST`	Optional: HTTP mode bind address; 127.0.0.1 by default.
`ALLOWED_HOSTS`	Optional: HTTP mode: extra Host header values to accept when bound beyond loopback.
`TUNNEL_SERVER_URL`	Optional: Tunnel mode: WebSocket server; wss://tunnel.ankimcp.ai by default.
`LOG_LEVEL`	Optional: debug, info, warn or error; info by default.

What it does

Anki MCP Server is a Node.js process that sits between an MCP client and a running copy of the Anki desktop app. It does not open the Anki collection file itself: every action goes as a request to the AnkiConnect add-on, which listens on http://localhost:8765 by default.

With it an assistant can run a review session (fetch due cards, show the front, record an Again/Hard/Good/Easy rating), add notes one at a time or up to 100 in one call, search notes with Anki's query syntax, edit fields, manage tags, decks and note types (fields, templates, CSS), store and fetch media, read deck and review statistics, and drive parts of the Anki window such as the card browser and the Add dialog.

It runs over stdio for desktop clients, as a local Streamable HTTP server (the default when no flag is given), or through a tunnel so a cloud-hosted assistant can reach the Anki on your machine. Its makers now point most users to their AnkiMCP add-on, which runs the server inside Anki; this npm package remains maintained and is the route for stdio clients and the Claude Desktop .mcpb bundle.

Beyond the 53 tools the README lists, version 0.27.0 also registers two MCP prompts (a review-session prompt and a twenty-rules prompt for writing cards) and a system-info resource (src/mcp/primitives/essential/index.ts). Its config schema also reads LOG_LEVEL (debug, info, warn or error; info by default) and a 5000 ms AnkiConnect timeout unless ANKI_CONNECT_TIMEOUT is set (src/config/config.schema.ts). The project is still pre-1.0 and its versioning note allows breaking changes in 0.x releases.

What it needs

Runtime	Node.js 22+

Node.js 22.12.0 or newer (npx comes with it). The Anki desktop app must be running with the AnkiConnect add-on installed; if AnkiConnect is set to require a key, pass it as ANKI_CONNECT_API_KEY. Tunnel mode needs a one-time browser sign-in (ankimcp --login) to the ankimcp.ai tunnel service; the --ngrok flag needs ngrok installed globally with an authtoken. Building from source needs git and npm.

Limits

Works only while Anki is open with AnkiConnect reachable. updateNoteFields fails silently if the note is open in Anki's browser window at the time, an AnkiConnect limitation its README names. createDeck accepts at most two levels (Parent::Child). Media imports by file path accept only image, audio and video types unless MEDIA_ALLOWED_TYPES adds more, and URL imports refuse private and loopback addresses unless MEDIA_ALLOWED_HOSTS lists them. Tunnel mode serves only the 2025 MCP protocol revision, so a client that speaks only 2026-07-28 must use stdio or HTTP. Without a TTY, --tunnel exits until you run --login first.

Who it suits

Suits Anki users who want an assistant to quiz them, write cards in bulk or tidy decks and note types, using a desktop client that starts servers over stdio (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline, Zed, opencode). It can change and delete collection content, so --read-only (READ_ONLY=true) is the safer start for exploring. If you only need HTTP or tunnel access for claude.ai or ChatGPT, its makers recommend their AnkiMCP add-on (github.com/ankimcp/anki-mcp-server-addon), which runs inside Anki and needs neither Node.js nor AnkiConnect.

Tools 53

sync: Sync the collection with AnkiWeb
get_due_cards: List cards due for review, optionally for one deck; answers hidden by default
get_cards: List cards filtered by state (due, new, learning, suspended, buried) and deck
present_card: Show the question side of a card for review
rate_card: Record an Again, Hard, Good or Easy rating and schedule the card
forgetCards: Reset cards to new without logging a review
setDueDate: Move cards' next due date without logging a review
areSuspended: Report whether cards are suspended
suspend: Suspend cards so review skips them
unsuspend: Return suspended cards to review
listDecks: List decks, with study-queue counts if asked
deckStats: Detailed statistics for one deck
createDeck: Create an empty deck, up to two levels deep
changeDeck: Move cards to another deck, creating it if missing
addNote: Create one note with fields and tags
addNotes: Create up to 100 notes in one deck and note type
findNotes: Search notes with Anki query syntax
notesInfo: Fetch fields, tags, note type and card IDs of notes
updateNoteFields: Edit the fields of an existing note, HTML allowed
deleteNotes: Delete notes and their cards; needs explicit confirmation
getTags: List every tag in the collection
addTags: Add tags to given notes
removeTags: Remove tags from given notes
replaceTags: Rename a tag on given notes
clearUnusedTags: Delete tags no note uses
getMediaFilesNames: List files in the media folder, optionally by pattern
retrieveMediaFile: Return a media file as base64
storeMediaFile: Add a media file from base64, a local path or a URL
deleteMediaFile: Delete a file from the media folder
modelNames: List note types
modelFieldNames: List the fields of a note type
modelStyling: Return a note type's CSS
modelTemplates: Return a note type's front and back templates
createModel: Create a note type with fields, templates and CSS
updateModelStyling: Replace a note type's CSS
updateModelTemplates: Replace a note type's card templates
addModelField: Add a field to a note type
removeModelField: Remove a field and its content from a note type; needs confirmation
renameModelField: Rename a field in a note type
repositionModelField: Change a field's position in a note type
collection_stats: Statistics across all decks with per-deck breakdown
review_stats: Review history: retention, streaks and time patterns
guiBrowse: Open Anki's card browser with a search
guiSelectCard: Select a card in the card browser
guiSelectedNotes: Return IDs of notes selected in the browser
guiAddCards: Open the Add dialog pre-filled with note details
guiEditNote: Open the editor for a note
guiDeckOverview: Open the overview screen of a deck
guiDeckBrowser: Open the deck list screen
guiCurrentCard: Return the card shown in review mode, answer included
guiShowQuestion: Show the question side of the current card
guiShowAnswer: Show the answer side of the current card
guiUndo: Undo the last action in Anki

Popularity

65 popularity score, on our list (the bar is 36)

★ 547 ↓ 1.1k/wk

GitHub stars	547	32.9 points
Stars in 30 days	+39	8 points
npm downloads, last week	1,076	24.3 points

Measured 2026-11-07. How the score works.

Where it is published

Code	ankimcp/anki-mcp-server ★ 547
npm	@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server 0.27.0, 2026-10-04

What it can reach

Runs	On your machine
Reaches	Files on your machine, The internet
Changes things	Yes: it can write, send, create or delete
Sign-in	None
Licence	MIT (npm)
Last code change	2026-11-07

Runs on your machine and talks to AnkiConnect over HTTP (localhost by default); it can add, edit and delete notes, decks, tags, note types and media, deleteNotes and removeModelField need a confirmation flag. storeMediaFile can read a local file by path and download from a URL: path imports are limited to media MIME types (MEDIA_IMPORT_DIR narrows them to one folder), URL imports block private, loopback and link-local addresses, and filenames are stripped of path traversal. HTTP mode binds to 127.0.0.1 and rejects non-loopback Host headers unless ALLOWED_HOSTS is set. Tunnel mode relays requests through the makers' service at tunnel.ankimcp.ai after an OAuth device sign-in, storing credentials in ~/.ankimcp/credentials.json; --ngrok exposes the server publicly with no authentication.

Over time

GitHub stars 547 +39 (+8 %)

547508

9 Oct 20267 Nov 2026

npm downloads a week 1.1k +1.0k (+2052 %)

2.5k33

17 Nov 20257 Nov 2026

Before the site measured it, read from npm's daily download counts.

Popularity score 65 +6 (+11 %)

6655

9 Oct 20267 Nov 2026

What is rising across the directory

Sources

Page checked 2026-10-14.

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Connect your client

Add in one click

Or add it by command or config

Add in one click

Or add it by command or config

Settings 12

What it does

What it needs

Limits

Who it suits

Tools 53

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