anki-connect

AnkiConnect

Overview

Enable reliable interaction with Anki through the AnkiConnect local HTTP API. Use this skill to translate user requests into AnkiConnect actions, craft JSON requests, run them via curl/jq (or equivalent tools), and interpret results safely.

Preconditions and Environment

• If Anki is not running, launch Anki, then wait until the AnkiConnect server responds at http://127.0.0.1:8765 (default). Verify readiness using curl, e.g. curl -sS http://127.0.0.1:8765 should return Anki-Connect.

Safety and Confirmation Policy (Critical)

CRITICAL — NO EXCEPTIONS

Before any destructive or modifying operation on notes or cards (adding, updating, deleting, rescheduling, suspending, unsuspending, changing deck, or changing fields/tags), request confirmation from the user. Use the AskUserQuestion tool if available; otherwise ask via chat. Only request confirmation once per logical operation, even if it requires multiple API calls (e.g., search + update + verify). Group confirmation by intent and scope (e.g., “Update 125 notes matching query X”).

Treat the following as confirmation-required by default:

• Notes: addNote, addNotes, updateNoteFields, updateNoteTags, updateNote, updateNoteModel, deleteNotes, removeEmptyNotes, replaceTags, replaceTagsInAllNotes, clearUnusedTags.
• Cards: setEaseFactors, setSpecificValueOfCard, suspend, unsuspend, forgetCards, relearnCards, answerCards, setDueDate, changeDeck.
• Deck or model modifications that materially change cards/notes (deck deletion, model edits). Ask even if the action is not explicitly listed above.

API Fundamentals

Request Format

Every request is JSON with:

• action: string action name
• version: API version (use 6 unless user specifies otherwise)
• params: object of parameters (optional)

Response Format

Every response is JSON with:

• result: return value
• error: null on success or a string describing the error

Always check error before using result.

Permissions

• Use requestPermission first when interacting from a non-trusted origin; it is the only action that accepts any origin.
• Use version to ensure compatibility; older versions may omit the error field in responses when version ≤ 4.

curl + jq Patterns

Prefer jq to build JSON and parse responses. Keep requests explicit and structured.

Minimal request template

jq -n --arg action "deckNames" --argjson version 6 '{action:$action, version:$version}' \
| curl -sS http://127.0.0.1:8765 -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d @-

With params

jq -n \
	--arg action "findNotes" \
	--argjson version 6 \
	--arg query "deck:French tag:verbs" \
	'{action:$action, version:$version, params:{query:$query}}' \
| curl -sS http://127.0.0.1:8765 -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d @-

Handling result/error

curl -sS http://127.0.0.1:8765 -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d @- \
| jq -e 'if .error then halt_error(1) else .result end'

Batching multiple actions

Use multi to reduce round-trips and to group actions under a single confirmation when modifying data.

jq -n --argjson version 6 --arg query "deck:French" \
	'{action:"multi", version:$version, params:{actions:[
		{action:"findNotes", params:{query:$query}},
		{action:"notesInfo", params:{notes:[]}} 
	]}}' \
| curl -sS http://127.0.0.1:8765 -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d @-

Replace the empty array with the result of the previous action when chaining; in CLI usage, split into two calls unless using a scripting language.

Core Workflow Guidance

1) Verify connectivity and version

• Call requestPermission (safe).
• Call version to confirm the API level and use version: 6 in requests.

2) Discover supported actions

• Use apiReflect with scopes: ["actions"] to list supported actions.
• Use this list to map user intent to action names.

3) Resolve user request into action sequence

• Identify read-only vs destructive operations.
• For destructive/modifying operations on notes/cards, request confirmation once with the scope and count.
• Prefer findNotes/findCards + notesInfo/cardsInfo for previews before modification.

4) Execute and validate

• Execute the call(s) in order.
• Check error for each response.
• Report summarized results and any IDs returned.

Common Task Recipes (CLI-Oriented)

List decks

• Action: deckNames

Create deck

• Action: createDeck
• Confirmation required if the deck is being created as part of a card/note modification workflow.

Search notes / cards

• Actions: findNotes, findCards
• Use Anki search syntax (see “Search Syntax Quick Notes” below).

Preview note data

• Action: notesInfo (note IDs)

Add notes

• Actions: addNote, addNotes
• Confirmation required.
• Use canAddNotes or canAddNotesWithErrorDetail for preflight checks.

Update note fields or tags

• Actions: updateNoteFields, updateNoteTags, or combined updateNote
• Confirmation required.
• Warning: Do not have the note open in the browser; updates may fail to apply.

Delete notes

• Action: deleteNotes
• Confirmation required.

Suspend/unsuspend cards

• Actions: suspend, unsuspend
• Confirmation required.

Move cards to a deck

• Action: changeDeck
• Confirmation required.

Set due date or reschedule

• Action: setDueDate
• Confirmation required.

Media upload/download

• Actions: storeMediaFile, retrieveMediaFile, getMediaFilesNames, getMediaDirPath, deleteMediaFile
• Use base64 (data), file path (path), or URL (url) for upload.

Sync

• Action: sync

Search Syntax Quick Notes (for findNotes/findCards)

• Separate terms by spaces; terms are ANDed by default.
• Use or, parentheses, and - for NOT logic.
• Use deck:Name, tag:tagname, note:ModelName, card:CardName.
• Use front:... or other field names to limit by field.
• Use re: for regex, w: for word-boundary searches, nc: to ignore accents.
• Use is:due, is:new, is:learn, is:review, is:suspended, is:buried to filter card states.
• Use prop: searches for properties like interval or due date.
• Escape special characters with quotes or backslashes as needed.

Action Catalog (Use as a mapping reference)

Card Actions

• getEaseFactors
• setEaseFactors
• setSpecificValueOfCard
• suspend
• unsuspend
• suspended
• areSuspended
• areDue
• getIntervals
• findCards
• cardsToNotes
• cardsModTime
• cardsInfo
• forgetCards
• relearnCards
• answerCards
• setDueDate

Deck Actions

• deckNames
• deckNamesAndIds
• getDecks
• createDeck
• changeDeck
• deleteDecks
• getDeckConfig
• saveDeckConfig
• setDeckConfigId
• cloneDeckConfigId
• removeDeckConfigId
• getDeckStats

Graphical Actions

• guiBrowse
• guiSelectCard
• guiSelectedNotes
• guiAddCards
• guiEditNote
• guiAddNoteSetData
• guiCurrentCard
• guiStartCardTimer
• guiShowQuestion
• guiShowAnswer
• guiAnswerCard
• guiUndo
• guiDeckOverview
• guiDeckBrowser
• guiDeckReview
• guiImportFile
• guiExitAnki
• guiCheckDatabase
• guiPlayAudio

Media Actions

• storeMediaFile
• retrieveMediaFile
• getMediaFilesNames
• getMediaDirPath
• deleteMediaFile

Miscellaneous Actions

• requestPermission
• version
• apiReflect
• sync
• getProfiles
• getActiveProfile
• loadProfile
• multi
• exportPackage
• importPackage
• reloadCollection

Model Actions

• modelNames
• modelNamesAndIds
• findModelsById
• findModelsByName
• modelFieldNames
• modelFieldDescriptions
• modelFieldFonts
• modelFieldsOnTemplates
• createModel
• modelTemplates
• modelStyling
• updateModelTemplates
• updateModelStyling
• findAndReplaceInModels
• modelTemplateRename
• modelTemplateReposition
• modelTemplateAdd
• modelTemplateRemove
• modelFieldRename
• modelFieldReposition
• modelFieldAdd
• modelFieldRemove
• modelFieldSetFont
• modelFieldSetFontSize
• modelFieldSetDescription

Note Actions

• addNote
• addNotes
• canAddNotes
• canAddNotesWithErrorDetail
• updateNoteFields
• updateNote
• updateNoteModel
• updateNoteTags
• getNoteTags
• addTags
• removeTags
• getTags
• clearUnusedTags
• replaceTags
• replaceTagsInAllNotes
• findNotes
• notesInfo
• notesModTime
• deleteNotes
• removeEmptyNotes

Statistic Actions

• getNumCardsReviewedToday
• getNumCardsReviewedByDay
• getCollectionStatsHTML
• cardReviews
• getReviewsOfCards
• getLatestReviewID
• insertReviews

Notes and Pitfalls

• Keep Anki in the foreground on macOS or disable App Nap to prevent AnkiConnect from pausing.
• When updating a note, ensure it is not being viewed in the browser editor; updates may not apply.
• importPackage paths are relative to the Anki collection.media folder, not the client.
• deleteDecks requires cardsToo: true to delete cards along with decks.

Resources

No bundled scripts or assets are required for this skill.