Syncing

Last modified: 13/02/2026

Overview

Syncing updates Sprout's card database from your Markdown notes.

After creating, editing, or deleting card blocks, sync so changes take effect in your card database.

How to sync

• Header button: click the Sprout sync button in any view when Sprout is open.
• Manual command: run Sprout: Sync cards from the command palette.
• Automatic sync: runs when editing cards in Card Browser or edit modals.

What happens during sync

1. Scan: find card blocks in Markdown files.
2. Parse: read fields using the configured delimiter (default |).
3. Match: connect blocks with existing ^sprout-######### anchors to stored scheduling data.
4. Create: add new blocks that do not yet have anchors.
5. Update: refresh stored data for changed blocks.
6. Remove: delete cards whose source blocks were removed.
7. Anchor: insert ^sprout-######### above or below blocks (based on settings).

Card anchors

After syncing, each card block gets an anchor line:

^sprout-#########

This anchor links note content to scheduling data.

Do not edit or delete it. If it is removed, next sync creates a new ID and previous progress is not linked to that block.

TIP

If you remove an anchor by mistake, find the card ID in Card Browser and re-add the line.

Quarantined cards

If a card block has invalid syntax, Sprout quarantines it instead of deleting it.

See quarantined entries in Settings with error details, fix the note, then sync again.

Excluded content

• Fenced code blocks: ignored by default (can be changed in Settings → Indexing).
• Non-Markdown files: not scanned.