Facts#

Facts are the smallest content records used to build cards in Rete. A fact is one complete learning item — often a word pair, concept, term with definition, or a small set of related information you want to remember.

A fact is not the same as a card. Facts hold the underlying material; cards are what you see during study, each with its own front/back layout and schedule.

A fact does not store fields. Column names (fields) live on the deck only. Each fact stores entries — the actual text and optional media for each column position.

Entries#

A fact is a list of entries, one per column on the deck, in the same order as the deck’s field list. If the deck fields are English and Japanese:

• Entry 0 → English → hello
• Entry 1 → Japanese → こんにちは

Each entry can hold:

• Text — words, meanings, definitions, example sentences, notes
• Image — after you upload a file, referenced in that entry
• Audio — pronunciation, readings, or clips tied to that entry
• Video — optional, same pattern as image and audio
• Structured data — optional richer payloads when the product uses them for an entry

You can attach audio to the same entry as text (e.g. hello plus a pronunciation clip). Or use one entry for only an image or sound — the media still lives on the fact; the deck field is just the column label.

When you edit or review, Rete may show deck field names as labels (e.g. English: hello), but the fact stores entries only — not column names.

With more deck columns you add more entries. Complete entries help the system build useful cards and make review easier to follow.

Generating cards#

Facts are the basis for cards. By default, adding a fact creates one card:

• Front = the first entry (index 0)
• Back = all remaining entries (1, 2, …)

For two entries (hello / こんにちは), that yields:

Front: hello
Back: こんにちは

With three or more entries, the default is still “first entry on the front, everything else on the back.”

Multiple cards from one fact#

The model also allows multiple cards (siblings) from one fact — for example both English→Japanese and Japanese→English — so you can practice recall in more than one direction. In everyday use today, adding a fact creates the default single card; extra layouts are an advanced capability of the same content model.

Owned decks vs imported decks#

On decks you own, you create and edit facts freely.

On imported decks, the published snapshot defines the shared source. You can still study with your own schedule, adjust tags and new-card pace, and work with cards (including hide/delete). Suggested content changes can go to the author as contributions rather than silently rewriting the published source. See Import an existing deck and Menus and actions (Edit Fact, Add fact, unsent contributions).

Summary#

Decks define fields (column names). Facts store entries (content and media) in column order. Cards are generated from facts for daily review. Decks organize topics, facts hold the material, and cards carry the study experience — including spacing, due dates, and optional hiding.