---
title: "9. Spaced Repetition"
description: "Auto-flashcards from #learn tagged notes."
source: "Obsidian Academy"
source_url: https://obsidian-academy.pages.dev/workflows/09-spaced-repetition/
saved: 2026-05-16
tags: [obsidian-academy, saved-from-web, workflows]
---

**TL;DR** — Tag any note `#learn` and Claude generates 3–5 Q&A flashcards from it in `40-Resources/cards/`. Run "review my cards" and it serves a randomized batch of 10. Forgetful future-you actually retains what current-you reads.

> [!NOTE]
> **Skill status: coming soon.** The `review-cards` skill isn't built yet — this page is the design sketch.

## When to use it

- After finishing a chapter, article, or course
- Vocabulary you keep forgetting (technical terms, language learning, names of people in a new org)
- Anything where you've thought "I should remember this" — tag it `#learn` and move on
- Daily 5-minute review on the phone (read-only, doesn't need typing)

> **Try it now:** `"review my cards"`
>
> Variants planned: *"flashcards please"*, *"quiz me"*. To generate cards: *"make cards from [note name]"*.

What card generation looks like:

Source note (with `#learn` tag):

```md
# Why bidirectional links matter

Bidirectional links in Obsidian work both ways — if note A links to note B,
note B automatically shows A in its backlinks panel. This makes idea
connections discoverable without manual maintenance.
```

Generated cards (in `40-Resources/cards/why-bidirectional-links.md`):

```md
---
source: [[Why bidirectional links matter]]
created: 2026-05-15
---

Q: What's a bidirectional link in Obsidian?
A: A link from note A to note B that automatically appears in B's backlinks.

Q: Why do bidirectional links matter?
A: They make connections discoverable without manual maintenance.

Q: What's the alternative?
A: Manual cross-linking, which silently rots.
```

## Under the hood (design)

- **Skill location (planned):** `~/.claude/skills/review-cards/SKILL.md`
- **Card generation skill (planned):** `~/.claude/skills/make-cards/SKILL.md`
- **Reads:** notes tagged `#learn`; `40-Resources/cards/*` for review batches
- **Writes:** `40-Resources/cards/[slug].md` (one file per source note); appends `review_count` and `last_reviewed` frontmatter to each card after use
- **Algorithm:** simple SRS — cards reviewed less recently surface more often. Don't over-engineer Leitner boxes.

## Watch out for (anticipated)

- **Card quality matters more than quantity.** 3 sharp cards beat 10 fluffy ones.
- **Don't review broken cards.** If you generate cards from a note and they're bad, regenerate — don't review garbage.
- **Mobile-first review session.** Set up the workflow so review works fine on the Galaxy S26+ in the morning. No typing required, just remember-then-flip.

## Make it yours (planned customizations)

- **Card styles** — Q&A, cloze deletion, image occlusion (different note types take different formats).
- **Tag scoping** — `#learn/programming`, `#learn/spanish`, `#learn/people` to filter review sessions.
- **Export to Anki** — generate `.apkg` files for use in the Anki ecosystem.

## Related workflows

- **[Research Synthesizer](https://obsidian-academy.pages.dev/workflows/07-research-synthesizer/)** — After synthesizing, tag the synthesis #learn to seed cards
- **[Inbox Zero](https://obsidian-academy.pages.dev/workflows/02-inbox-zero/)** — Routes #learn-tagged inbox items into Resources