Anki

Anki is a free, open-source application for learning foreign languages and memory training. The essence of the program is to use cards with a question on one side and the answer on the other, for example foreign words and their translation. In the simplest cards, a word appears in front of you that you need to learn. After that you should press the "Show Answer" button. You will see a translation of the word or phrase. Next, you will need to specify how easy it was for you to remember the answer. Based on this rating, Anki's spaced repetition schedule decides when you will see this card again. If you can't answer, you'll see the card again during this session. Thus, the program is an individual training system, which will help you learn new words faster, while not forgetting the old ones.

The key feature of the application is the wide range of possibilities to create and edit cards. You can add additional card fields. For example, adding a field of "examples" will make it easier for you to remember the word thanks to the sentences in which it is used. By creating several fields, you can simultaneously learn words, use them in stable phrases, and so on. Cards can also contain images, audio, video and scientific markup. This greatly enhances the application possibilities of Anki. In addition, add-ons can be installed and detailed training statistics can be viewed. Shared decks can be downloaded from AnkiWeb, making it easier for you to learn and edit them the way you want them. The desktop program runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and a free AnkiWeb account syncs your collection with AnkiDroid on Android and the paid AnkiMobile app on iOS. In 2026 its creator Damien Elmes handed the stewardship of Anki to the AnkiHub team, and the code remains open source. It will take time to figure out all the features of this application, but it is worth it.

Anki's main benefit is its personalized learning system that enhances memory recall and accelerates language learning through customized flashcards.