ExDocAnki - generate Anki flashcards from Elixir project documentation using ExDoc

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Hi everyone,

I built a small Elixir library called ex_doc_anki to generate Anki flashcards from any Elixir project’s documentation using ExDoc.

The main goal is to help you study Elixir APIs through spaced repetition, turning documentation into practice.

How it works:

  • uses ExDoc under the hood to extract documentation
  • for each function, type, and callback, generates a card
  • Front: Module.function/arity (e.g., Enum.map/2)
  • Back: documentation, type spec, and code examples
  • outputs a CSV file you can import directly into Anki
    Typical usage inside a project:
    {:ex_doc_anki, “~> 0.1.1”, only: :dev, runtime: false}
    Then:

Generate cards for your project

mix doc_anki

Generate cards for a dependency

mix doc_anki ecto
mix doc_anki phoenix ecto ecto_sql
The CSV is saved at doc/anki_cards.csv. To import into Anki:

  1. File → Import, select the CSV
  2. Set separator to Semicolon
  3. Map column 1 to Front, column 2 to Back
    A few notes:
  • it works as a Mix task added to your project, not as a standalone CLI
  • you can generate cards for any dependency, even transitive ones
  • if you already have ex_doc as a dependency, you may need to adjust the :only option (the docs explain why)
    It has already been useful in my own workflow, especially for memorizing common Elixir patterns and function signatures.
    Feedback is very welcome, especially around:
  • card formatting and content quality
  • edge cases in documentation parsing
  • ideas for improving the Anki import experience
    Links:
  • Hex.pm: ex_doc_anki | Hex
  • GitHub:

Thanks!

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