6 ms·

Show HN: Mochi – Make notes with markdown, study them with spaced repetition

91 points by knubie 7y ago

Hackbraten 7y ago
This is amazing. I’ve been struggling with memorizing stuff for decades. Where has this been all my life?
- knubie 7y ago
  Hey, thanks for checking it out! Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions, suggestions or bugs. matt at mochi.cards
hypocrazybr 7y ago
very cool! are there any release date planned for the linux version?
- knubie 7y ago
  Thanks! I can build a linux version tonight, actually. I just haven't tested on linux yet.
- knubie 7y ago
  Just added a Linux build to the website. Enjoy!
  - hypocrazybr 7y ago
    thanks, will check it out!
sdan 7y ago
Your design looks almost exactly like Notion.so.
- AlphaWeaver 7y ago
  Yeah, I can see they clearly took inspiration from Notion. Also, your screenshot on the main page clips if my page isn't wide enough, and it doesn't scroll, so I wasn't able to read the intro you put in the application.
AlphaWeaver 7y ago
Does this have the ability to export? Data portability is pretty important when putting your knowledge in a spaced repetition system. Also, does it support import from Anki? That might be a major selling point. Edit: It looks like this stores data in localStorage? From the Privacy Policy [0] page: > Mochi does not store any of your data on its servers. All content created in Mochi is stored on your computer. While that certainly makes privacy easy, I would want to know that this doesn't "back up" my notes anywhere. If the storage was corrupted I would hate to lose my hard work. [0]: https://mochi.cards/privacy.html https://mochi.cards/privacy.html
- knubie 7y ago
  It does support exporting in the form of .mochi files, which is basically just a zip file containing media from the deck and a plain text EDN for describing the data, which could be easily converted to JSON or CSV or whatever. The browser version persists to local storage, but the desktop app persists to a flat file that is backed up every time the app launches.
  - AlphaWeaver 7y ago
    Great, thanks for the transparency. When you say that the flat file is backed up, what do you mean by that?
    - knubie 7y ago
      It's a bit complicated, but changes in the app are stored separately, and then applied to the stored db on app start-up. So the previous stored db is backed up before the new changes are applied. Hope that answers your question.
      - AlphaWeaver 7y ago
        My primary concern is about data recoverability, which it appears there isn't currently a solution for. Looks great though, just wanted to try to understand.
sorokod 7y ago
How does it compare to Anki?
- knubie 7y ago
  Initially I started building Mochi in response to Anki. Back then Anki was super powerful but I had a lot of trouble figuring out the UI and I got frustrated with how clunky the UX was. I wanted to make something a lot simpler and a little more accessible. I also wanted to be able to just write markdown for my cards. Mochi also has the ability to link cards to each other, or link cards to notes and vice versa. I'm also exploring the idea of creating cards from notes / embedding cards into notes.
kixiQu 7y ago
This looks amazing! I've wanted something like this for work stuff that can't leave my laptop.
jsonau 7y ago
Kudos on the homepage "screenshot" -- It's actually the app itself. Love the app!
fiatjaf 7y ago
Is there anything like that but with stuff you DON'T write? I mean you write what you want to remember, but not the contents. Then you get email reminders every once in a while and you must try to remember at that time, without looking.
- knubie 7y ago
  Hmm not sure I understand what you're describing. I think I may have seen something like that posted here on HN though.
rajekas 7y ago
Very well done. Strikes me as literate programming married to Anki, so great for explanation as well as memorization.
asdkhadsj 7y ago
This looks great! Few questions: 1. Any mobile version planned? 2. Any planned SDK? I've got a knowledge base i'v been working on and I plan on adding a Spaced Repetition frontend. Rather than write my own, integrating with this excellent UI would be great! 3. Any planned purchase options? If I can get support for my #1 and #2, I'd love to support this with my wallet :)
- knubie 7y ago
  Hey, thanks for checking out the app! 1. No plans in the immediate future, but the app is written for Electron, and is usable in-browser today as a web app, so creating a mobile version of the web app version should be pretty straightforward. The only difficulty there would be syncing data. Everything is offline at this point. 2. Don't have an SDK at the moment, but there is an import option. I haven't documented the format of import files, but it's basically a zip file with media + an EDN (alternative to JSON). Being able to programmatically create import files was definitely a design goal from the beginning. Shoot me an email at matt at mochi.cards and I can help you out with your particular use case. 3. Thanks! I didn't add a payment option because I wanted to get feedback from HN before I went through the trouble of adding payment / trial version etc. If I create the mobile/web-app version with cloud syncing I would probably charge a small monthly fee for that.
remyM 7y ago
Holy lord, this is awesome. One thing - will this eventually shift to a paid service or are you hosting it for free forever? I wouldn't mind paying for a slightly more polished version of this in-browser.
- knubie 7y ago
  Thanks! I'm mulling over a web app version with cloud syncing for a small monthly fee. If you've got any suggestions, feel free to reach out: matt at mochi.cards
gabrielcsapo 7y ago
Looks great! Trying it out when I get home. Saw this and had to comment https://github.com/enyojs/mochi https://github.com/enyojs/mochi. I miss webos.
smartis2812 7y ago
This is a great project. Thank you. I'll give you feedback in a month after long term testing.
ron22 7y ago
The updates for the desktop app happen automatically. I would like the option turn auto update off.
arunaugustine 7y ago
Very cool, and polished. Just what I wanted as an alternative to Anki!
peternicky 7y ago
VERY nice work! I haven't dug too deep into the application, yet, but being able to write flash cards in markdown and then study them using spaced repetition is a combo that will make me more inclined to use this technique when studying topics. Thank you for creating this.

91 points by knubie 7y ago

Hackbraten 7y ago

This is amazing. I’ve been struggling with memorizing stuff for decades. Where has this been all my life?

knubie 7y ago
Hey, thanks for checking it out! Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions, suggestions or bugs. matt at mochi.cards

hypocrazybr 7y ago

very cool! are there any release date planned for the linux version?

knubie 7y ago
Thanks! I can build a linux version tonight, actually. I just haven't tested on linux yet.
knubie 7y ago
Just added a Linux build to the website. Enjoy!
- hypocrazybr 7y ago
  thanks, will check it out!

sdan 7y ago

Your design looks almost exactly like Notion.so.

AlphaWeaver 7y ago
Yeah, I can see they clearly took inspiration from Notion. Also, your screenshot on the main page clips if my page isn't wide enough, and it doesn't scroll, so I wasn't able to read the intro you put in the application.

AlphaWeaver 7y ago

Does this have the ability to export? Data portability is pretty important when putting your knowledge in a spaced repetition system. Also, does it support import from Anki? That might be a major selling point. Edit: It looks like this stores data in localStorage? From the Privacy Policy [0] page: > Mochi does not store any of your data on its servers. All content created in Mochi is stored on your computer. While that certainly makes privacy easy, I would want to know that this doesn't "back up" my notes anywhere. If the storage was corrupted I would hate to lose my hard work. [0]: https://mochi.cards/privacy.html https://mochi.cards/privacy.html

knubie 7y ago
It does support exporting in the form of .mochi files, which is basically just a zip file containing media from the deck and a plain text EDN for describing the data, which could be easily converted to JSON or CSV or whatever. The browser version persists to local storage, but the desktop app persists to a flat file that is backed up every time the app launches.
- AlphaWeaver 7y ago
  Great, thanks for the transparency. When you say that the flat file is backed up, what do you mean by that?
  - knubie 7y ago
    It's a bit complicated, but changes in the app are stored separately, and then applied to the stored db on app start-up. So the previous stored db is backed up before the new changes are applied. Hope that answers your question.
    - AlphaWeaver 7y ago
      My primary concern is about data recoverability, which it appears there isn't currently a solution for. Looks great though, just wanted to try to understand.

sorokod 7y ago

How does it compare to Anki?

knubie 7y ago
Initially I started building Mochi in response to Anki. Back then Anki was super powerful but I had a lot of trouble figuring out the UI and I got frustrated with how clunky the UX was. I wanted to make something a lot simpler and a little more accessible. I also wanted to be able to just write markdown for my cards. Mochi also has the ability to link cards to each other, or link cards to notes and vice versa. I'm also exploring the idea of creating cards from notes / embedding cards into notes.

kixiQu 7y ago

This looks amazing! I've wanted something like this for work stuff that can't leave my laptop.

jsonau 7y ago

Kudos on the homepage "screenshot" -- It's actually the app itself. Love the app!

fiatjaf 7y ago

Is there anything like that but with stuff you DON'T write? I mean you write what you want to remember, but not the contents. Then you get email reminders every once in a while and you must try to remember at that time, without looking.

knubie 7y ago
Hmm not sure I understand what you're describing. I think I may have seen something like that posted here on HN though.

rajekas 7y ago

Very well done. Strikes me as literate programming married to Anki, so great for explanation as well as memorization.

asdkhadsj 7y ago

This looks great! Few questions: 1. Any mobile version planned? 2. Any planned SDK? I've got a knowledge base i'v been working on and I plan on adding a Spaced Repetition frontend. Rather than write my own, integrating with this excellent UI would be great! 3. Any planned purchase options? If I can get support for my #1 and #2, I'd love to support this with my wallet :)

knubie 7y ago
Hey, thanks for checking out the app! 1. No plans in the immediate future, but the app is written for Electron, and is usable in-browser today as a web app, so creating a mobile version of the web app version should be pretty straightforward. The only difficulty there would be syncing data. Everything is offline at this point. 2. Don't have an SDK at the moment, but there is an import option. I haven't documented the format of import files, but it's basically a zip file with media + an EDN (alternative to JSON). Being able to programmatically create import files was definitely a design goal from the beginning. Shoot me an email at matt at mochi.cards and I can help you out with your particular use case. 3. Thanks! I didn't add a payment option because I wanted to get feedback from HN before I went through the trouble of adding payment / trial version etc. If I create the mobile/web-app version with cloud syncing I would probably charge a small monthly fee for that.

remyM 7y ago

Holy lord, this is awesome. One thing - will this eventually shift to a paid service or are you hosting it for free forever? I wouldn't mind paying for a slightly more polished version of this in-browser.

knubie 7y ago
Thanks! I'm mulling over a web app version with cloud syncing for a small monthly fee. If you've got any suggestions, feel free to reach out: matt at mochi.cards

gabrielcsapo 7y ago

Looks great! Trying it out when I get home. Saw this and had to comment https://github.com/enyojs/mochi https://github.com/enyojs/mochi. I miss webos.

smartis2812 7y ago

This is a great project. Thank you. I'll give you feedback in a month after long term testing.

ron22 7y ago

The updates for the desktop app happen automatically. I would like the option turn auto update off.

arunaugustine 7y ago

Very cool, and polished. Just what I wanted as an alternative to Anki!

peternicky 7y ago

VERY nice work! I haven't dug too deep into the application, yet, but being able to write flash cards in markdown and then study them using spaced repetition is a combo that will make me more inclined to use this technique when studying topics. Thank you for creating this.