Open-Sourcing My Cheatsheets: Why I Still Write Them by Hand
Even though AI is great for learning, sometimes it's best to get into the nitty gritty and write out a cheatsheet yourself. I decided to open source mine to help others!
AI is Amazing, But...
Don't get me wrong—AI has completely changed how we learn. ChatGPT, Claude, and other LLMs can explain concepts, debug code, and even generate study guides on demand. It's incredible.
But here's the thing: sometimes you need to slow down and write things out yourself.
The Act of Creating a Cheatsheet
When I sit down to make a cheatsheet for a module, I'm not just copying formulas or summarizing lecture slides. I'm:
- Filtering: What actually matters for the exam? What's fluff?
- Connecting: How do these concepts relate to each other?
- Compressing: Can I fit this proof on half a page? Can I visualize this algorithm?
- Internalizing: By the time I'm done typesetting in LaTeX, I've reviewed the material 3-4 times.
AI can generate a cheatsheet for you in seconds. But you won't have the same deep understanding as if you'd built it yourself.
Why LaTeX?
I type all my cheatsheets in LaTeX because:
- Precision: Math notation looks beautiful and is easy to read
- Control: I can format exactly how I want—margins, spacing, columns
- Reusability: Once I build a template, I can reuse it for future modules
- Portability: PDFs work everywhere
It's also a skill worth having. LaTeX is the standard in academia and technical writing.
Open-Sourcing Them
I've compiled cheatsheets for multiple modules over the years. Some were inspired by others, but most I've typed out from scratch.
Instead of keeping them private, I decided to open-source them so others can benefit.
You can find the repo here: github.com/anselmlong/cheatsheets
Cheatsheets Included:
- CS2105: Networking (Midterm)
- CS2107: Security (Midterm)
- CS2109S: AI/ML (Final)
- CS4243: Computer Vision (Midterm)
- IS2218: Information Systems (Final)
- ST2334: Statistics (Final)
Feel free to use them, star the repo if it helps, and contribute improvements if you spot errors!
Previews
Here are some samples of what the cheatsheets look like:
CS2105 (Networking)
CS4243 (Computer Vision)
ST2334 (Statistics)
Disclaimer
Do your own due diligence—nothing in here is absolutely ground truth. Content may change, and if you spot improvements, feel free to add to my cheatsheets!
Final Thoughts
AI is a powerful tool for learning, but it's not a replacement for deep, hands-on work.
Writing cheatsheets forces you to:
- Engage with the material
- Make decisions about what's important
- Build mental models
And now, by open-sourcing them, maybe they can help someone else too.
If you're a student: try making your own cheatsheet for your next exam. Even if your professor doesn't allow cheatsheets, the process alone will help you understand the material better.
And if you find my cheatsheets useful, give the repo a star! ⭐