Summarize Text

A bash script that either summarizes or proofreads text using Ollama (local), OpenAI, or Claude APIs. It reads text from multiple sources (STDIN, files, URLs, clipboard, or selection) and outputs results to STDOUT, notifications, dialogs, clipboard, or typed automatically.

The script operates in one of two modes: summarization when run as summarize-text or polishing when run as polish-text.

Quick Start

Installation

Clone the repo and add the directory to your PATH.

Dependencies

Required

• At least one of
  • Ollama installed with Mistral (or other models)
  • An API key for OpenAI or Claude
• curl
• jq

Optional (for enhanced functionality)

• html2text (for URL processing)
• pbcopy/pbpaste (macOS) or xclip/xsel (Linux) for clipboard operations
• notify command for notifications (falls back to osascript on macOS)
• dialog command for dialogs (falls back to osascript on macOS)
• mactype command for automatic typing

Install (macOS)

brew install curl jq html2text
brew install --cask ollama
brew services start ollama
ollama pull mistral

Install (Linux - Debian/Ubuntu)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install curl jq html2text

• Follow Ollama install instructions here

then

ollama pull mistral
ollama serve

Usage

The script accepts input from multiple sources and can output results in various ways.

Basic Examples

# Input methods
cat document.txt | ./summarize-text           # stdin
./summarize-text document.txt                 # file
./summarize-text --clipboard                  # clipboard
./polish-text --selection                     # selection (polish mode)

# Output methods  
./summarize-text document.txt                 # stdout (default)
./summarize-text document.txt --paste         # copy to clipboard
./polish-text document.txt --notification     # system notification
./summarize-text --clipboard --dialog         # system dialog

# URL and AI options
./summarize-text https://example.com --claude
./polish-text document.txt --ollama=llama2

Dual Functionality

This script provides two different modes depending on how it’s invoked:

Summarize Mode (default)

When run as summarize-text or summarize:

• Summarizes text in bullet points
• Calls out pertinent themes and interesting points
• Default prompt: “Briefly summarize the following text in a few bullet points, preserving the original meaning. At the end, call out themes that seem pertinent or interesting.”
• Prompt is configurable

Polish Mode

When run as polish-text or polish:

• Takes scattered or unclear text and structures it clearly
• Improves grammar, clarity, and professional tone
• Default prompt: “Please sharpen and improve the language and message of the following text, preserving key points and meaning. Keep things respectful, accurate, brief and clear. Utilize bullet points if appropriate. Never use emojis.”
• Prompt is configurable#+BEGIN_SRC bash

./summarize-text document.txt # Summarization ./polish-text document.txt # Polishing

Command Line Options

AI Model Selection

• -l|--ollama[=model_name] : Use Ollama API (default: mistral)
• -o|--openai[=model_name] : Use OpenAI API (default: gpt-4)
• --claude : Use Claude API
• --preprompt[=]PRE_PROMPT : Custom pre-prompt text

Input Sources

• -c|--clipboard : Read from system clipboard
• -s|--selection : Read from selection (prompts for copy + 0.3s delay)
• filename : Read from file
• URL : Read from web page (http/https)
• STDIN : Read from pipe (default)

Output Destinations

• -n|--notification : Show as system notification
• -d|--dialog : Show in system dialog box
• -t|--type : Type result automatically (requires mactype)
• -p|--paste : Copy result to clipboard
• STDOUT : Print to terminal (default)

Usage Patterns

# Get help
./summarize-text --help

# Basic usage
./summarize-text file.txt
cat file.txt | ./summarize-text

# Input options
./summarize-text --clipboard --openai
./summarize-text --selection --ollama=llama2

# Output options  
./summarize-text file.txt --notification
./summarize-text --clipboard --paste

# Combined workflows
./summarize-text --selection --claude --dialog

Configuration

Ollama Setup

1. Install Ollama (see Quick Start above)
2. Pull additional models if desired:

# Default model (already pulled in quick start)
ollama pull mistral

# Other popular models
ollama pull llama2
ollama pull phi
ollama pull codellama

OpenAI Setup

1. Get your API key from https://platform.openai.com/
2. Create the key file:

echo 'export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' > ~/.ssh/.openai-api-key.sh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/.openai-api-key.sh

Example .openai-api-key.sh file:

export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"

Claude Setup

1. Install Claude CLI: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-cli
2. Set up your API key:

echo 'export CLAUDE_API_KEY_NAME="your-api-key-name"' > ~/.ssh/.claude-api-key.sh
echo 'export CLAUDE_API_KEY="your-api-key"' >> ~/.ssh/.claude-api-key.sh
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/.claude-api-key.sh

Example .claude-api-key.sh file:

#!/bin/bash
export CLAUDE_API_KEY_NAME="my-claude-key"
export CLAUDE_API_KEY="sk-ant-12340000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"

License

MIT

Changelog

v2.0.0 - 2025-10-15

• Added text polishing functionality (polish-text mode)
• Added clipboard input support (–clipboard/-c)
• Added selection input support (–selection/-s) with 0.3s delay
• Added notification output (–notification/-n) with system fallbacks
• Added dialog output (–dialog/-d) with system fallbacks
• Added paste output (–paste/-p) for clipboard workflows
• Added type output (–type/-t) for automatic typing
• Fixed OpenAI model from gpt-5 to gpt-4
• Fixed Claude option conflict (–claude only, freed -c for clipboard)
• Improved prompt construction with proper newline handling
• Enhanced cross-platform clipboard support (macOS/Linux)
• Improved utility detection using command -v instead of hardcoded paths
• Updated help text and examples
• Refactored output handling with unified output_result() function

v1.1.0 - 2025-08-23

• Added support for file input
• Added support for URL input with automatic HTML conversion
• Added support for custom Ollama models
• Improved argument parsing
• Enhanced logging output

v1.0.0 - 2025-08-23

• Initial release
• Amended for Bash 3.2+ compatibility
• Support for Ollama, OpenAI, and Claude APIs
• STDIN text processing