AnkiMCP Add-on vs CLI: Which Way to Connect Anki to AI?
AnkiMCP gives you two official ways to connect Anki to an AI assistant: an add-on that runs inside Anki, and a CLI (command-line interface) — a program you start by typing a command instead of clicking an icon. Both are built by the same author. For most people, start with the add-on. It’s the simplest to install and the most capable.
This page explains both paths and helps you choose. You need no technical background. The two are complementary, not rivals.
The short version
The add-on installs like any other Anki add-on and starts on its own. It’s the easiest to set up and can do the most with Anki.
The CLI is a separate program you run yourself. You only need it for STDIO, the direct connection that some coding tools require. Whichever you choose, Anki must be open and running.
What is the add-on?
The add-on is a small program written in Python that runs inside the Anki desktop app. You install it the way you install any Anki add-on, and it starts automatically.
It reaches your cards through Anki’s own built-in tools directly. There’s nothing else to install — no extra software and no other add-on.
The add-on is also the more capable of the two. Because it lives inside Anki, it can reach deep parts the other path can’t. That includes FSRS scheduling (Anki’s modern review-timing system) and the review scheduler itself. It also shares extra information with the AI, like your study stats.
It connects over HTTP (the normal web connection), on your computer only, and over the managed tunnel for remote access.
What is the CLI?
The CLI is a standalone MCP server written in Node.js that runs as a separate program, outside of Anki. MCP, the Model Context Protocol, is the open standard that lets AI assistants connect to outside apps.
The CLI reaches Anki through AnkiConnect, a separate Anki add-on (made by others) that you must install first. So this path has two pieces to set up: Node.js and AnkiConnect. Anki still has to be open the whole time.
What the CLI adds is STDIO, a direct pipe between two programs on the same computer — no network involved. Many coding tools prefer it. The CLI also supports HTTP (local) and the managed tunnel (remote).
How the two compare
Here’s a side-by-side look at the main differences.
| Add-on | CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Install like any Anki add-on; auto-starts | Install Node.js and AnkiConnect, then run it |
| How it reaches Anki | Anki’s built-in tools, directly | Through the AnkiConnect add-on |
| Connection type | HTTP (local) + managed tunnel (remote) | STDIO + HTTP (local) + managed tunnel (remote) |
| What it can do | More: FSRS scheduling, review scheduler, extra resources | Slightly less; a few niche tools the add-on doesn’t have yet |
Both need Anki open and running. Neither works on its own without Anki.
Which should you choose?
Use the add-on. It’s the simplest to install, has access to more of Anki’s features, and is the right choice for almost everyone.
Only choose the CLI if you need STDIO — the direct program-to-program connection that some coding tools like Cursor or Cline require. It also covers the occasional tool that isn’t in the add-on yet.
If you don’t need STDIO, the add-on is the answer.
Connecting remotely
Want your AI assistant to reach Anki from another device or service? Both paths can connect through the same secure managed tunnel, using an OAuth login (you sign in to grant access). This managed tunnel has free and paid tiers, so you skip the manual network setup yourself.
Ready to set it up? Follow the step-by-step guide for your AI assistant: Claude on the web, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or other MCP clients.
If you’re a developer who wants to read the source or contribute, the code lives in the anki-mcp-server repository on GitHub, with the add-on in its own companion repository.
Common questions
Do I need both the add-on and the CLI? No. Pick one. Use the add-on unless you need STDIO, the connection some coding tools require.
Does either one work without Anki open? No. Both need the Anki desktop app open and running. They act on your real collection, so Anki has to be there.
Why is the add-on both easier and more capable? Because it runs inside Anki, it skips the extra add-on and reaches deeper tools, like FSRS scheduling, that an outside program can’t.
What’s the difference between AnkiConnect and the AnkiMCP add-on? AnkiConnect is a separate, well-known Anki add-on that the CLI relies on. The AnkiMCP add-on doesn’t need it; it talks to Anki directly.
Disclaimer: “Anki” is a registered trademark of Ankitects Pty Ltd. AnkiMCP is an independent, community-built project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Ankitects. MCP is an open standard originated by Anthropic; AnkiMCP is likewise not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic.