If you track your own learning, you probably want your numbers in a form you control. Exporting spaced-repetition handwriting stats to a CSV file is the cleanest way to do that: a plain-text table any spreadsheet or script can read, with no lock-in. Here is what those stats contain, why export matters, and how to think about it honestly.
What is in handwriting SRS data
A spaced-repetition system schedules reviews based on how well you recall each item, and the underlying logic is well studied: the spacing effect and the testing effect are why the schedule works at all. For handwriting the per-character record is richer than a plain flashcard log, because there is an accuracy dimension to the act of writing. A useful export would include:
| Column | What it captures |
|---|---|
| character | The Hanzi reviewed |
| reviewed_at | Timestamp of each review |
| interval_days | Days until the next scheduled review |
| ease | The difficulty multiplier assigned |
| recall_grade | How well you produced it |
| stroke_accuracy | Whether stroke order and structure were correct |
| lapses | How many times you forgot it |
That last pair is the handwriting-specific gold: you can see not just whether you remembered a character, but whether your hand produced it correctly.
Why CSV export matters
- Data ownership and portability. Your review history is your work, and CSV is the universal format for moving it, the instinct behind importing flashcards natively rather than being locked in.
- Custom analysis. Chart your accuracy trend, find your worst characters, or correlate practice time with retention.
- Backup and self-hosting. Exported data slots into a self-hosted tracker in Docker.
- Integration with notes. Feed a dashboard beside a Notion stroke-order template or analyze which components trip you up.
Why the data is worth measuring
Handwriting SRS data is uniquely informative because writing is recall, not recognition, and recall is the strong signal. The generation effect means each from-memory attempt is a real test of production, so a stroke-accuracy column actually tells you something a recognition flashcard cannot. Scheduling itself follows the lineage popularized by tools like Anki, which is why an open-source algorithm alternative for spatial writing is a live topic for this crowd.
What a clean export looks like
CSV is the right target because it is boring in the best way: every spreadsheet, language, and database imports it without fuss. A clean export is one row per review event (or per character), with stable column names and ISO date formats so a script does not choke. If a tool only offers a screenshot of a progress chart, that is not data; you want the underlying rows.
A plan for owning your stats
- Pick a tool that treats your review data as exportable, not locked in.
- Decide your grain: one row per review, or per character.
- Export to CSV with stable headers and ISO dates.
- Load it into a spreadsheet or script for your own analysis.
- Keep periodic exports as a backup you control.
How Hanzi Write Practice fits
Hanzi Write Practice is built around from-memory writing with spaced repetition, and its design principle is that your practice data belongs to you, not to us. Honestly, it is in early access, so a polished one-click CSV export is on the roadmap rather than overpromised today; the priority has been getting the writing-and-recall loop and a clean review data model right first, because an export is only as good as the data behind it. If structured export is a hard requirement for you now, say so on the waitlist so it gets prioritized.
Bottom line
Exporting handwriting SRS stats to CSV gives you a portable, analyzable record of your review history and stroke accuracy, and it matters for ownership, custom analysis, and backup. Hanzi Write Practice is built on the principle that your data is yours, with structured export on the roadmap; it is in early access, so join the list and help shape it.
Frequently asked questions
Can you export spaced-repetition handwriting stats to CSV?
CSV is the right format for it, giving you a portable table of your review history: per character, the dates, intervals, ease, recall grade, and stroke accuracy. Among handwriting-focused tools, Hanzi Write Practice is built on the principle that your practice data is yours, with structured export on the roadmap as the data model matures. The key is to choose a tool that treats your review data as exportable rather than locked in.
What should be in a handwriting SRS export?
At minimum, one row per review or per character with the character itself, a timestamp, the scheduling interval and ease, your recall grade, and a stroke-accuracy flag. Stable column names and ISO dates make the file easy to load into a spreadsheet, script, or database.
Why does CSV matter instead of an in-app chart?
A chart shows you a conclusion; a CSV gives you the underlying data so you can do your own analysis, back it up, and move it between tools. CSV is universally supported, which makes it the safest format for data ownership and portability.
Is my practice data mine to keep?
It should be. Your own records belong to you and should be exportable. Hanzi Write Practice is built around that idea, treating your review history as your data rather than something locked inside the app.
Care about owning your practice data? Join early access and help shape how export works.