Anki MCP v0.7.1: Now Works with Cursor IDE, Cline & More

We’re excited to announce Anki MCP 0.7.1, which brings STDIO mode support to the npm package. Now you can use Anki MCP with popular MCP desktop clients like Cursor IDE, Cline, and Zed Editor - not just Claude Desktop!

What’s New

🔌 STDIO Mode Flag

A new --stdio flag for the ankimcp CLI command enables STDIO transport mode, making the server compatible with any MCP client that supports STDIO communication.

What this means for you:

• Use Anki with Cursor IDE - AI-powered code editor
• Use Anki with Cline - VS Code extension for AI assistance
• Use Anki with any other MCP client that supports STDIO

🎯 Universal Configuration

The same simple configuration works across all MCP clients:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server", "--stdio"],
      "env": {
        "ANKI_CONNECT_URL": "http://localhost:8765"
      }
    }
  }
}

Just add this to your MCP client’s configuration and you’re ready to go!

Why This Matters

Previously, Anki MCP was distributed in two separate formats:

1. MCPB bundle - For Claude Desktop only (one-click install)
2. NPM package - HTTP mode only (for web-based AI assistants)

This meant users of other MCP clients like Cursor or Cline couldn’t easily use Anki MCP - they had to manually point to source files or build from scratch.

Now with v0.7.1, the NPM package supports both modes:

• HTTP mode (default) - For web-based AI assistants
• STDIO mode (with --stdio flag) - For desktop MCP clients

One package, all use cases! 🎉

Getting Started

For Cursor IDE and Cline Users

Both clients use the same configuration format:

Method 1: Using npx (recommended)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server", "--stdio"]
    }
  }
}

Method 2: Using global installation

First install: npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server

Then configure:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anki-mcp": {
      "command": "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server",
      "args": ["--stdio"]
    }
  }
}

Configuration file locations:

• Cursor IDE: ~/.cursor/mcp.json (macOS/Linux) or %USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json (Windows)
• Cline: Edit via Cline settings UI in VS Code, or directly edit cline_mcp_settings.json

Windows + Cline: If you encounter spawn npx ENOENT errors, use "command": "cmd" with "args": ["/c", "npx", "-y", "@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server", "--stdio"]

Use Cases

Learning While Coding

With Cursor or Cline, you can:

• Create flashcards for programming concepts while writing code
• Review algorithm cards during coding sessions
• Build technical vocabulary decks as you learn new frameworks

Example workflow:

You: (In Cursor while learning React Hooks)
"Create flashcards for useState, useEffect, and useContext with examples"

AI: *Creates Anki cards with code snippets and explanations*

Installation Options

You now have three ways to use Anki MCP:

1. MCPB Bundle (Claude Desktop)

→ Download from Releases

One-click install, perfect for Claude Desktop users.

2. NPM Package with STDIO (Other MCP Clients)

Using npx (no installation):

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --stdio

Using global install:

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server
@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server --stdio

For Cursor, Cline, and other STDIO-compatible MCP clients.

3. NPM Package with HTTP (Web-Based AI)

Using npx (no installation):

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server

Using global install:

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server
@ankimcp/anki-mcp-server

For ChatGPT, Claude.ai, and other web-based AI assistants (use with ngrok).

Upgrade Now

Update NPM Package

npm install -g @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server@latest

Or use without installing:

npx @ankimcp/anki-mcp-server@latest --stdio

New Users

Follow our installation guide for MCP clients to get started!

Learn More

Want to dive deeper?

• Installation Guide for MCP Clients - Step-by-step setup for Cursor, Cline
• GitHub Repository - Source code and documentation
• Full Changelog - Complete list of changes

Happy learning across all your favorite AI tools! 📚💻

Full Changelog: v0.7.1 on GitHub