summarize
Summarize or extract text/transcripts from URLs, podcasts, and local files (great fallback for “transcribe this YouTube/video”).
Best use case
summarize is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Summarize or extract text/transcripts from URLs, podcasts, and local files (great fallback for “transcribe this YouTube/video”).
Teams using summarize should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/summarize/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How summarize Compares
| Feature / Agent | summarize | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Summarize or extract text/transcripts from URLs, podcasts, and local files (great fallback for “transcribe this YouTube/video”).
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Summarize
Fast CLI to summarize URLs, local files, and YouTube links.
## When to use (trigger phrases)
Use this skill immediately when the user asks any of:
- “use summarize.sh”
- “what’s this link/video about?”
- “summarize this URL/article”
- “transcribe this YouTube/video” (best-effort transcript extraction; no `yt-dlp` needed)
## Quick start
```bash
summarize "https://example.com" --model google/gemini-3-flash-preview
summarize "/path/to/file.pdf" --model google/gemini-3-flash-preview
summarize "https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ" --youtube auto
```
## YouTube: summary vs transcript
Best-effort transcript (URLs only):
```bash
summarize "https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ" --youtube auto --extract-only
```
If the user asked for a transcript but it’s huge, return a tight summary first, then ask which section/time range to expand.
## Model + keys
Set the API key for your chosen provider:
- OpenAI: `OPENAI_API_KEY`
- Anthropic: `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`
- xAI: `XAI_API_KEY`
- Google: `GEMINI_API_KEY` (aliases: `GOOGLE_GENERATIVE_AI_API_KEY`, `GOOGLE_API_KEY`)
Default model is `google/gemini-3-flash-preview` if none is set.
## Useful flags
- `--length short|medium|long|xl|xxl|<chars>`
- `--max-output-tokens <count>`
- `--extract-only` (URLs only)
- `--json` (machine readable)
- `--firecrawl auto|off|always` (fallback extraction)
- `--youtube auto` (Apify fallback if `APIFY_API_TOKEN` set)
## Config
Optional config file: `~/.summarize/config.json`
```json
{ "model": "openai/gpt-5.4" }
```
Optional services:
- `FIRECRAWL_API_KEY` for blocked sites
- `APIFY_API_TOKEN` for YouTube fallbackRelated Skills
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