Skip to main content
Resources are the learning materials that make up your study plans. Study Sync supports a wide variety of resource types, from video content to documents and custom links.

​
Global Resource Pool

Study Sync uses a global resource pool architecture:
How It Works: When you add a resource by URL, Study Sync checks if it already exists in the database. If it does, the existing resource is reused. If not, a new resource is created.This means the same YouTube video, PDF, or article can be used in multiple study plans without duplication.

​
Benefits

  • Consistency: The same resource has identical metadata everywhere
  • Efficiency: No duplicate storage of resource information
  • Progress Tracking: Global progress works because resources are globally unique
  • Updates: Metadata improvements benefit all plans using that resource

​
Supported Resource Types

​
YouTube Videos

Add individual YouTube videos to your study plan.How to Add:
  • Paste any YouTube video URL (youtube.com or youtu.be)
  • Study Sync automatically fetches:
    • Video title
    • Duration (in minutes)
    • Thumbnail image
    • Video ID
Example URLs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ
Features:
  • Embedded playback in the instance interface
  • Automatic duration tracking
  • No manual metadata entry required

​
Adding Resources

​
In Study Plans

When creating or editing a study plan:
1

Select Resource Type

Choose the appropriate resource type from the dropdown menu.
2

Enter URL

Paste the resource URL. For YouTube videos, this is all you need.
3

Provide Metadata (if required)

Depending on the resource type, fill in:
  • Title
  • Page count
  • Reading speed
  • Estimated time
4

Add to Plan

Click “Add Resource” to include it in your study plan.

​
In Instances

You can also add resources directly to instances:
  1. Enter edit mode in your instance
  2. Click the “Add” button
  3. Fill in the same information as above
  4. The resource is added to your instance only (not the original plan)
Resources added to instances don’t modify the original study plan. This allows personal customization without affecting others.

​
Resource Metadata

Each resource includes important metadata:

​
Automatically Fetched

  • YouTube Videos: Title, duration, thumbnail, video ID
  • YouTube Playlists: Individual video metadata for each item

​
Manually Entered

  • PDFs: Title, pages, reading speed
  • Articles: Title, estimated reading time
  • Google Drive: Optional title and time
  • Custom Links: Title (required), optional time

​
System Metadata

  • Type: The resource category
  • URL: Link to the resource
  • Added By: User who created the resource
  • Created At: Timestamp of creation
  • Updated At: Last modification time

​
Organizing Resources

​
Reordering

Change the sequence of resources to optimize learning flow:
  • In Plans: Drag and drop resources in the creation/edit interface
  • In Instances: Use edit mode to rearrange resources
  • Order Matters: Resources are presented in sequence during studying

​
Sorting Options

On plan detail pages, sort resources by:
  • Original Order: As arranged by the plan creator
  • Title: Alphabetically by resource name
  • Duration: Shortest to longest
  • Type: Grouped by resource category

​
Removing Resources

  • From Plans: Edit the plan and remove unwanted resources
  • From Instances: Use edit mode to delete resources from your instance
  • From Pool: Resources can’t be deleted from the global pool (prevents breaking existing plans)

​
Resource Deduplication

Study Sync automatically prevents duplicates:

​
URL-Based Detection

  • Resources are uniquely identified by URL
  • Adding the same URL twice reuses the existing resource
  • Applies to all resource types

​
Playlist Handling

  • When importing a playlist, each video is checked
  • Videos already in the plan are skipped
  • You’re notified: “Added X videos, Y already in plan”

​
Cross-Plan Sharing

  • The same resource can appear in unlimited plans
  • Changes to resource metadata affect all instances
  • Progress tracking works across all uses

​
Resource Display

Resources are displayed with visual indicators:

​
Type Icons

  • YouTube: Red play button icon
  • PDF: Blue document icon
  • Article/Links: Green link icon

​
Status Badges

  • Resource type label (colored badge)
  • Duration/time estimate
  • Completion status (in instances)
  • Note indicator (if notes exist)

​
Interactive Elements

  • Click to play/view in instance interface
  • External link button to open in new tab
  • Embedded player for supported types

​
Best Practices

​
Choose Appropriate Types

  • Use the most specific type available
  • YouTube videos auto-fetch metadata (easiest)
  • PDFs allow precise time calculation
  • Articles work for most web content
  • Custom links for everything else

​
Accurate Time Estimates

Precise timing helps students:
  • Plan study sessions effectively
  • Meet deadlines realistically
  • Track progress meaningfully
Tips:
  • Test resources before adding
  • Consider your target audience’s skill level
  • Add buffer time for complex topics
  • Update estimates based on feedback

​
Resource Quality

Curate high-quality materials:
  • Verify URLs are active and accessible
  • Check content relevance and accuracy
  • Ensure resources match learning objectives
  • Include diverse formats for engagement

​
Logical Sequencing

Order resources thoughtfully:
  • Introduction → Fundamentals → Advanced
  • Theory → Practice → Application
  • Short → Long for sustained motivation
  • Mix types to maintain interest

​
Next Steps

Study Plans

Learn how to organize resources into study plans

Progress Tracking

Track completion across all your resources

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us