Deck management

Create, organize, and manage your vocabulary decks efficiently in KAnki

KAnki allows you to organize flashcards into decks by proficiency level. You can manage decks directly in the configuration file or use external tools for easier editing.

Deck structure

Decks in KAnki are organized by proficiency levels defined in KANKI_CONFIG.levels. Each level corresponds to a key in the VOCABULARY object.

kanki_config.js

var KANKI_CONFIG = {
  language: "Japanese",
  levels: ["N5", "N4"]  // Available decks
};

var VOCABULARY = {
  "N5": [
    // N5 level cards
  ],
  "N4": [
    // N4 level cards
  ]
};

Creating a new deck

1. Add the level to KANKI_CONFIG

   Add your new level name to the levels array:

   kanki_config.js

   var KANKI_CONFIG = {
     language: "Japanese",
     levels: ["N5", "N4", "N3"]  // Added N3
   };
   
2. Create the vocabulary section

   Add a corresponding key in the VOCABULARY object:

   kanki_config.js

   var VOCABULARY = {
     "N5": [
       {"front": "こんにちは", "back": "Hello", "notes": "Greeting"}
     ],
     "N4": [
       {"front": "急ぐ", "reading": "いそぐ", "back": "To hurry", "notes": "Verb"}
     ],
     "N3": [
       {"front": "約束", "reading": "やくそく", "back": "Promise", "notes": "Noun"}
     ]
   };
   
3. Save and transfer to Kindle

   Save the file and transfer it to your Kindle’s kanki/js/ directory.

Deck management tools

Managing large decks directly in the configuration file can be tedious. Use these tools for easier deck management:

Üben (Recommended)

Üben is the official companion tool for KAnki with a modern UI.

Features

• Import .apkg files from Anki
• Visual card editor with preview
• Deck organization and management
• Direct export to kanki_config.js format
• Community deck sharing

Workflow

1. Import or create deck

   Upload an Anki .apkg file or create a new deck in Üben.

2. Edit cards

   Add, modify, or delete cards using the visual editor.

3. Export configuration

   Export your deck as kanki_config.js.

4. Transfer to Kindle

   Copy the exported file to kanki/js/kanki_config.js on your Kindle.

KAnki Web Editor

The KAnki Web Editor by Kindlemodshelfguy provides a browser-based editing interface.

Features

• Upload existing configuration files
• Add, edit, and delete cards through a UI
• Preview cards for different Kindle generations
• Export modified configuration

How to use

1. Visit https://kindlemodshelf.me/editor.html
2. Upload your current kanki_config.js
3. Make your changes in the web interface
4. Download the updated configuration
5. Transfer to your Kindle

Manual editing

For small decks or quick changes, edit kanki_config.js directly.

Best practices

• Use a code editor with JavaScript syntax highlighting
• Maintain consistent formatting for readability
• Validate JSON syntax before transferring
• Keep backup copies of your configuration

Example structure

kanki_config.js

var VOCABULARY = {
  "N5": [
    {
      "front": "こんにちは",
      "back": "Hello",
      "notes": "Greeting"
    },
    {
      "front": "水",
      "reading": "みず",
      "back": "Water",
      "notes": "Noun"
    }
  ]
};

Importing Anki decks

You can convert existing Anki decks to KAnki format:

1. Find or export an Anki deck

   Download a shared deck from AnkiWeb or export your own deck as .apkg.

2. Import to Üben

   Upload the .apkg file to Üben.

3. Customize for KAnki

   Edit the deck to match your preferred level structure and add any missing fields.

4. Export and transfer

   Export as kanki_config.js and copy to your Kindle.

When importing from Anki, you may need to manually map Anki’s tags or note types to KAnki’s level system.

Organizing large decks

By proficiency level

Organize cards into levels that match standardized proficiency frameworks:

kanki_config.js

var KANKI_CONFIG = {
  language: "Spanish",
  levels: ["A1", "A2", "B1", "B2", "C1", "C2"]
};

By topic or theme

Alternatively, organize by subject matter:

kanki_config.js

var KANKI_CONFIG = {
  language: "Japanese",
  levels: ["Greetings", "Food", "Travel", "Business"]
};

By word type

Group by grammatical category:

kanki_config.js

var KANKI_CONFIG = {
  language: "French",
  levels: ["Nouns", "Verbs", "Adjectives", "Phrases"]
};

Changing level names will reset your progress for those decks. If you need to reorganize, export your progress data first.

Card best practices

Keep cards simple

Focus on one concept per card:

Good example

{"front": "食べる", "reading": "たべる", "back": "To eat", "notes": "Verb"}

Use consistent formatting

Maintain uniform capitalization and punctuation:

kanki_config.js

var VOCABULARY = {
  "N5": [
    {"front": "こんにちは", "back": "Hello", "notes": "Greeting"},
    {"front": "ありがとう", "back": "Thank you", "notes": "Gratitude"},
    {"front": "さようなら", "back": "Goodbye", "notes": "Parting"}
  ]
};

Add context in notes

Use the notes field to provide helpful context:

kanki_config.js

{"front": "高い", "reading": "たかい", "back": "Expensive/Tall", "notes": "Adjective"}

Real example from KAnki

Here’s a complete working configuration from the KAnki source:

kanki_config.js

var KANKI_CONFIG = {
  language: "Japanese",
  levels: ["N5", "N4"]
};

var VOCABULARY = {
  "N5": [
    {"front": "こんにちは", "back": "Hello", "notes": "Greeting"},
    {"front": "ありがとう", "back": "Thank you", "notes": "Gratitude"},
    {"front": "さようなら", "back": "Goodbye", "notes": "Parting"},
    {"front": "水", "reading": "みず", "back": "Water", "notes": "Noun"},
    {"front": "本", "reading": "ほん", "back": "Book", "notes": "Noun"},
    {"front": "食べる", "reading": "たべる", "back": "To eat", "notes": "Verb"}
  ],
  "N4": [
    {"front": "急ぐ", "reading": "いそぐ", "back": "To hurry", "notes": "Verb"},
    {"front": "必要", "reading": "ひつよう", "back": "Necessary", "notes": "Na-Adjective"},
    {"front": "練習", "reading": "れんしゅう", "back": "Practice", "notes": "Noun/Suru-verb"}
  ]
};

Exporting to Anki

If you want to use your KAnki deck on desktop or mobile, convert it to Anki format:

1. Visit KankiToAnki
2. Upload your kanki_config.js file
3. Download the generated .apkg file
4. Import into Anki desktop or mobile app

Deck maintenance tips

• Regular backups: Keep copies of your kanki_config.js file
• Version control: Use git to track changes if editing manually
• Test after changes: Load a few cards after editing to verify syntax
• Start small: Begin with 20-30 cards per level before expanding

Next steps

Language setup

Configure KAnki for different languages

Custom fonts

Install fonts that support your language