Software Development#Flashcards, LLM, Offline-first, Data Synchronization👥 CommunityAnalyzed: Jan 3, 2026 17:04
Flash Notes: Flashcards for Your Notes, LLM, iOS/macOS Sync
Published:Apr 7, 2024 17:54
•1 min read
•Hacker News
Analysis
The article describes the development of Flash Notes, an app that generates flashcards from user notes. The developer initially struggled with traditional flashcard apps and sought a way to automatically create flashcards from existing notes. The development process involved challenges in data synchronization across multiple devices and offline functionality, leading to the adoption of CRDT and eventually Automerge. The integration of ChatGPT for generating and predicting flashcards is highlighted as a key feature. The article emphasizes the importance of offline-first app design and the use of LLMs in enhancing the app's functionality.
Key Takeaways
- •Flash Notes generates flashcards from user notes.
- •The app utilizes CRDT and Automerge for offline-first data synchronization.
- •ChatGPT is integrated for flashcard generation and prediction.
- •The development highlights the challenges of building offline-first apps.
Reference
“The app started as my wishful thinking that flashcards should really be derived from notes...ChatGPT happened, and it felt like a perfect match for the app, as it's already text-focused.”