Technology truly shines when it solves a real problem, no matter how small. A few days ago, I found myself in a situation many parents will recognize: helping my oldest son review a science lesson. The added difficulty was that the subject is bilingual, so he not only had to memorize terms like “joints” or “spinal column” but also their English translation and phonetics.
Our initial method was the classic one: the ancient art of “covering the answer with your hand” to guess. It was functional, but monotonous, unmotivating, and not very effective. As we struggled to stay focused, an idea struck me: what if instead of fighting distraction, we combat it with a better tool? Could I, with the help of AI, create a small, custom study application in a matter of minutes?
This post is the result of that experiment—the creation of a custom study app with flashcards. Let’s look at the initial specifications, the creation process, and, most importantly, the final result ready for use.
Beyond Anki and Quizlet: The Search for Custom Simplicity
Incredibly powerful study tools like Quizlet, AnkiApp, or ProProfs already exist. They are fantastic and offer a multitude of possibilities. However, they often come with a learning curve or a number of options that can be overwhelming for an immediate and specific need.
Primarily, I didn’t need a social ecosystem for the required concepts, nor multiple spaced repetition methods. The priority was to have a quick solution with very specific requirements:
- Flexible data entry: The ability to create lists of terms manually, but also the option to generate translations or definitions automatically.
- Simple gamification: Adding a game-like element with points and images to keep a child engaged.
- Bilingual focus: Making it easy to review terms in multiple languages.
- No distractions: A clean, straightforward interface.
With these goals in mind, and relying on the same “AI copilot” techniques I’ve explored in other posts, the “Flashcards de Estudio” app was born.
The Solution: Introducing the “Flashcards de Estudio” App
The application is designed to be minimalist yet powerful, offering three ways to start studying in seconds:
1. Manual Mode: Total Control
This is the most direct method. It allows you to add “Term” and “Definition” rows one by one. It’s perfect for short review lists or when you already have the material prepared and just want to quickly digitize it to start studying.
2. Automatic Mode (AI): The Magic Touch
This is where the magic of AI comes into play. In this mode, you just need to type a term, and the AI automatically generates the definition or translation in the language you choose. For my son’s science lesson, I simply entered the list of words in Spanish, and the AI instantly completed their English translation and an approximation of their phonetics. It’s a spectacular time-saver. To use it, you need to generate a free Key at Google AI Studio and enter it in the “Your Gemini API Key” field to use the Gemini AI engine for content generation.
The application supports translations and definition generation in several languages:
3. Import from File: For Power Users
For longer lists (vocabulary for an entire topic, lists of capitals, etc.), the application allows you to upload a text (.txt) or CSV (.csv) file with the terms and definitions. You simply prepare your list in a file, upload it, and the application generates the cards instantly. This feature is ideal for those who want to prepare material for their children or for students who need to digitize entire subjects.
How It Works: Easy and Fun
Once the terms and the mode of operation have been selected, it’s simply a matter of starting to study. During the session, cards will be displayed for the user to practice the translations or terms before flipping them and indicating whether they got it right or wrong. If correct, the application will add 2 points and a congratulatory emoji and message will appear; if wrong, it will not add points and an encouraging message will appear. In these cases, the mistakes are recorded so that at the end of the session, they can be reviewed again until we are sure we have mastered them.
If all answers are successfully correct, an animated celebration gif will be displayed at the end, and from this screen, we can either study all the terms again or return to the home screen to generate new content.
A Living and Community-Open Project
What started as a solution for an afternoon of studying has become a personal project that I plan to continue improving. “Flashcards de Estudio” is a living project. My intention is to gradually add new features, such as different game modes, progress tracking over time, or the ability to share card decks.
I will chronicle these improvements in future blog posts. Also, once the comment feature is active on Datalaria, I will be happy to gather your ideas and suggestions to make this an even better learning tool for everyone.
Conclusion: The Power of Creating Your Own Tools
This small application is a perfect testament to the era we live in. A personal need, which in the past would have remained a simple complaint or a fruitless search for the “perfect app,” can now be materialized into a custom solution thanks to AI.
This is the era of custom content creation. We no longer just consume digital tools; we can build, adapt, and improve them with unprecedented agility.
I hope you find this tool useful. I invite you to try the flashcards app, use it in your own study sessions, and, above all, think about that small problem in your daily life that perhaps, with the help of an AI copilot, you could start solving today.
Sources and Resources:
- Try the App: Flashcards Study App (on GitHub Pages)
- Source Code: Project Repository on GitHub
- Google AI StudioGoogle AI Studio