Migration guide - anki import json

How to import JSON flashcard data into Deckbase

JSON is the lingua franca of structured data. If your cards live in an API, database, or custom app, this guide helps you map JSON fields to Deckbase cards with precision.

Deckbase7 min read

When to use this workflow

Developers and power users migrating from custom tools, APIs, or programmatic card generators who need schema-level control over import.

Treat this as an operational migration process, not just a one-time file upload. The goal is not only successful import, but better review consistency and lower card maintenance overhead in the weeks after switching.

Pre-import checklist

  • JSON file uses an array of objects with consistent keys for front and back.
  • Strings are valid UTF-8 and do not contain unescaped control characters.
  • Optional fields like tags and notes use predictable keys across all objects.

If one checklist item fails, fix it before import. Upstream cleanup is faster than repairing hundreds of cards after migration.

Step-by-step migration flow

  1. 1
    Validate JSON structure with a linter and confirm every object has required front and back keys.
  2. 2
    Decide mapping: which keys become card front, back, tags, and notes.
  3. 3
    Run a small test import with 10 objects and inspect card rendering.
  4. 4
    Fix encoding issues or nested objects that flattened incorrectly.
  5. 5
    Import the full dataset and verify total card count matches expected rows.

Common errors and fixes

Nested objects flattened into [object Object]

Pre-process nested fields into plain strings before import.

Unicode escape sequences not rendered

Convert \uXXXX escapes to actual Unicode characters before upload.

Missing required keys in some objects

Filter or patch incomplete objects so every card has a front and back.

Arrays inside fields treated as strings

Join array values with commas or split into separate tag entries.

Use a small pilot deck after each fix. If pilot quality holds, apply the same correction pattern to the full batch.

Example output quality checks

  • Front: What is JSON Schema? | Back: A vocabulary that defines valid structure for JSON documents.
  • Front: Difference between JSON array and object? | Back: Array is ordered list; object is unordered key-value collection.
  • Front: Why validate JSON before import? | Back: Early validation prevents malformed cards and import failures at scale.

During QA, verify each sample card for clarity, atomicity, and answer precision. Avoid importing cards that only test wording without testing understanding.

A practical test: if you can answer accurately in under 10 seconds during review, the card is usually scoped well. If not, split or rewrite it.

FAQ

Can I import JSON from a REST API directly?

Save the API response to a .json file first, validate it, then import into Deckbase.

What if my JSON uses camelCase and Deckbase expects snake_case?

Map keys explicitly during import; field names do not need to match exactly.

Are large JSON files supported?

Yes, but test with a small subset first to confirm schema alignment and rendering.

Import structured JSON data into Deckbase

Map your schema once, validate with a pilot, then migrate your full card library.

Import JSONSee CSV workflow

Tip: for advanced workflows, keep your original export as backup and track each migration attempt by batch name and date.

Query intent targeted: anki import json. This guide is reviewed as a practical migration workflow page, not a generic informational article.