Lemma
approvedby Sabin Pokharel
An Obsidian plugin for creating and reviewing flashcards powered by the FSRS spaced repetition algorithm. - This plugin has not been manually reviewed by Obsidian staff.
๐ง Lemma โ Flashcards for Obsidian
The modern, FSRS-powered flashcard plugin that lives inside your notes.
No separate app. No data export. Just write, tag, and study โ right where your knowledge lives.
๐ธ See It in Action
Desktop + Mobile ยท LaTeX Math Support ยท Activity Charts ยท Custom Study Sessions
โจ Why Lemma?
Most spaced repetition tools force you to leave Obsidian, export your notes, and manage a separate database. Lemma doesn't.
Your notes are your decks. Add a
#flashcardstag to any note, write cards in familiar Markdown, and Lemma handles the science of when to review them.
| Feature | Lemma | Anki | Other SR Plugins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lives inside Obsidian | โ | โ | โ |
| FSRS 4.5 algorithm | โ | โ (addon) | Partial |
| Native mobile support | โ | โ | โ ๏ธ varies |
| LaTeX / rich Markdown | โ | โ | โ ๏ธ varies |
| Cross-device sync (CouchDB) | โ | โ | โ |
| Custom study sessions | โ | โ | โ |
| Zero file pollution | โ | N/A | โ ๏ธ varies |
| Open source & free | โ | โ | โ |
๐ Features
๐ฌ FSRS Scheduling โ The Science of Memory
Lemma uses FSRS 4.5 (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler), the state-of-the-art algorithm developed from 20 years of cognitive science research. It outperforms classic SM-2 by learning your forgetting curve โ not a one-size-fits-all approximation.
๐ Cards Live in Your Notes
Write flashcards directly in any Markdown note. No imports, no exports, no app switching.
---card--- ^fsrs-abc123
What is the powerhouse of the cell?
---
**Mitochondria** โ produces ATP through cellular respiration.
๐ต Cloze Deletions โ Fill-in-the-Blank Style
The ==c1::mitochondria== is the powerhouse of the ==c2::cell==.
Each cloze number becomes a separate, independently scheduled card.
๐ Dashboard View
See all your decks in one place โ due counts, new cards, and total reviewed โ so you always know exactly where to focus.
๐ฏ Custom Study Sessions
Cramming for an exam? Filter cards by tag, card state (new / learning / due), or set a card limit. Exam mode is just three clicks away.
๐ Review Statistics
Track your 30-day activity streak and 7-day forecast chart to stay consistent and motivated.
๐ฑ Full Mobile Support
Lemma is built for both desktop and mobile. The review interface is fully responsive, with native safe-area support for notched devices and large tap targets.
โ๏ธ Optional CouchDB Sync
Already running a self-hosted CouchDB instance (or using a service like Cloudant)? Connect once and your review history syncs seamlessly across all devices.
โก Quick Start (2 minutes)
Step 1: Install from Community Plugins โ search "Lemma"
Step 2: Add #flashcards to any note's frontmatter or inline
---
tags: [flashcards]
---
Step 3: Write your first card
---card--- ^my-first-card
What is spaced repetition?
---
A learning technique that schedules reviews at increasing intervals to maximize long-term retention.
Step 4: Open the Lemma Dashboard from the status bar or Command Palette โ "Open dashboard"
That's it. Lemma automatically detects your cards and schedules them for optimal review.
๐ Full card syntax guide: FLASHCARD_GUIDE.md
๐ Card Formats
Basic Q&A Cards
---card--- ^unique-id
Front content (question)
---
Back content (answer, supports **Markdown**, $LaTeX$, ![[images]], and more)
Cloze Deletion Cards
The ==c1::Ebbinghaus== forgetting curve shows memory decays without ==c2::repetition==.
๐ก Pro tip: Add a
^block-idto any card so its review history persists even when you edit the card text.
โจ๏ธ Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Space / Enter | Reveal answer |
1 | Again (forgot) |
2 | Hard |
3 | Good |
4 | Easy |
Esc | Exit session |
๐ Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
Add a new flashcard | Insert a card template with a pre-generated block ID |
Open dashboard | Open the Lemma deck overview |
Sync now | Trigger a manual CouchDB sync |
Check sync status | View sync connection status |
Reset all card progress | Clear all scheduling data |
โ๏ธ Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Deck tag | Tag that marks a note as a deck (default: flashcards) |
| Max new cards/day | Daily cap on new card introductions |
| Max reviews/day | Daily cap on review cards |
| Review font size | Font size in the review modal |
| FSRS parameters | Advanced: tune the scheduling algorithm to your memory |
| PouchDB storage | Use IndexedDB for large collections (10k+ cards) |
| Sync | CouchDB server URL, username, and password |
๐ฆ Installation
Option A โ Community Plugin Browser (Recommended)
- Open Settings โ Community plugins
- Click Browse and search for Lemma
- Click Install, then Enable
Option B โ Direct Install Link
Click โ Add to Obsidian
Option C โ Manual Installation
- Download the latest release
- Copy
main.js,manifest.json, andstyles.cssto:<your-vault>/.obsidian/plugins/lemma-flashcards/ - Reload Obsidian and enable the plugin under Settings โ Community plugins
๐ค Contributing
Bug reports, feature requests, and PRs are all welcome!
- Found a bug? Open an issue
- Have an idea? Start a discussion
- Want to contribute code? Fork the repo and open a PR against
main
๐ License
ISC License โ see LICENSE for details.
๐ Changelog
See CHANGELOG.md for the full release history.
If Lemma helps you study smarter, consider giving it a โญ on GitHub โ it helps others discover it!
Made with โค๏ธ by Sabin Pokharel
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