Flashcards

Stratum includes a spaced repetition (SRS) flashcard system for active recall learning based on the SM-2 algorithm.

How Flashcards Work

Create blocks with question:: and answer:: properties in your notes. Stratum automatically generates flashcards from these blocks. The block content is the question and question:: true is a boolean marker that marks the block as a flashcard; the answer:: property holds the answer.

- What is a monad in functional programming?
  .question:: true
  .answer:: A monad is a design pattern that allows chaining operations while handling side effects.

- What is the difference between `var` and `let` in Rust?
  .question:: true
  .answer:: `var` doesn't exist in Rust. Variables are immutable by default (`let`); use `let mut` for mutability.

Only blocks that have both a question:: and an answer:: property produce a card.

Creating Flashcards

Flashcards are created the same way you take any other note:

1. Add a new block in the editor and type the question as the block content.
2. Add a question:: true property to the block to mark it as a flashcard.
3. Add an answer:: property with the answer text.
4. The card appears in the Flashcards panel automatically — no extra step is needed.

You can also combine flashcards with the #flashcard tag for easier searching.

Review Session

1. Open the Flashcards panel.
2. Cards are loaded for review — cards whose schedule is due are presented first.
3. Look at the front — try to recall the answer.
4. Click the card to show the back.
5. Rate your recall using the on-screen buttons:

Rating	Meaning	Effect on schedule
Blackout (0)	Forgotten	Resets the card — interval set to 1 day, repetitions cleared
Hard (2)	Recalled with difficulty	Counts as an incorrect response — reset, then rescheduled to 1 day
Good (3)	Recalled with effort	Successful recall — interval grows
Easy (5)	Effortless recall	Strongest ease-factor adjustment and interval growth

Spaced Repetition Algorithm

Stratum uses a modified SM-2 algorithm:

• Ease factor — adjusts per card based on your recall difficulty; it is never lowered below 1.3
• Interval — grows after successful recalls (1 day, then 6 days, then multiplied by the ease factor)
• Next review — calculated automatically after each rating and written back to the card's properties

Schedule Persistence

Card schedules are not lost when you restart Stratum. After each rating, the updated SM-2 schedule (ease, interval, reps, next_review) is written back to the block's properties and saved to the note's .md file on disk, then the search index is refreshed. Because schedules live in your plain-text notes, they survive app restarts, syncs, and vault re-indexing.

Card Properties

Property	Description	Example
question:: true	Marks a block as a flashcard question
answer:: <text>	The answer text, stored as a property on the same block

Session Complete

When all loaded cards have been reviewed, the session shows a summary with a button to start again.

Tips

• Create flashcards as you take notes — "write once, review forever"
• Use the #flashcard tag alongside question:: for easy searching
• Review daily — short sessions are more effective than cramming
• Rewrite cards you consistently fail — the problem might be the card, not your memory