https://github.com/labib2002/briefly
One-click Youtube summarizer for the shortest, hassle-free data-packed summary.
https://github.com/labib2002/briefly
automation summarization summary transcript transcription youtube youtube-api
Last synced: 8 months ago
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One-click Youtube summarizer for the shortest, hassle-free data-packed summary.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/labib2002/briefly
- Owner: labib2002
- License: mit
- Created: 2025-05-17T15:07:01.000Z (9 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-05-17T15:18:30.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-05-17T16:24:54.339Z (9 months ago)
- Topics: automation, summarization, summary, transcript, transcription, youtube, youtube-api
- Language: JavaScript
- Homepage:
- Size: 22.5 KB
- Stars: 1
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.md
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README
# Briefly ⚡️
Summarize YouTube videos instantly — right from your browser.
Skip the video, keep the value. With one right-click or through the extension popup, Briefly pulls the transcript for the current YouTube video. It can copy the transcript to your clipboard or auto-summarize it using Google’s Gemini in AI Studio. Perfect for research, note-taking, or just staying informed — without the watch time.
[](LICENSE.md)
---
## Features
| Action | What happens |
| ------ | ------------ |
| **Get & Copy Transcript** | Uses a bundled JavaScript library (based on `youtube-transcript-api`) directly in the extension → fetches the full transcript (with preferred language logic) → copies it to your clipboard via Chrome’s Offscreen API. |
| **Summarise in AI Studio** | Same transcript fetching method → opens `aistudio.google.com` → pastes a pre-defined prompt + transcript → attempts to selects preferred model → disables/enables preferred “Thinking mode” → clicks **Run**. |
---
| Feature | info |
| ------ | ------------ |
| **Popup Interface** | Access core actions (copy, summarize) for the active YouTube tab directly from the extension icon. |
| **Robust notifications** | API / network / automation errors bubble up clearly. |
| **Cross-platform** | works on Chrome, Edge, Brave, etc. (Manifest v3). |
---
## Quick Start
### 1 ▪ Clone
```bash
git clone https://github.com/labib2002/briefly.git
cd briefly
```
### 2 ▪ Load the extension
1. Open `chrome://extensions` (or the equivalent for your browser, e.g., `edge://extensions`).
2. Turn on **Developer mode**.
3. Click **Load unpacked** → select the `briefly` project folder (the one containing `manifest.json`).
---
## Usage
1. Navigate to a YouTube video page (`youtube.com/watch?...`, `youtu.be/...`, `youtube.com/shorts/...`).
2. **Option 1: Context Menu**
* Right-click any YouTube video link on a webpage.
* Choose:
* **Briefly: Get & Copy Transcript Text**
* **Briefly: Automate Summary in AI Studio**
3. **Option 2: Extension Popup**
* While on a YouTube video page, click the Briefly extension icon in your browser toolbar.
* Click either **Copy Transcript** or **Summarize in AI Studio**.
4. Read the notification that appears. If you picked AI Studio, switch to the new tab and watch Gemini work its magic.
---
## Configuration
| File | What to tweak |
| -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **`background.js`** | `PREFERRED_LANGUAGES` array, `promptText` template for AI Studio, AI Studio automation time-outs. |
| **`content_script_aistudio.js`** | CSS selectors for AI Studio elements & default model name string (e.g., "Gemini 2.5 Flash Preview"). |
---
## Troubleshooting 🛠️
| Symptom | Likely cause / fix |
| ------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Transcript unavailable / error fetching transcript** | Uploader disabled transcripts, no transcripts in your `PREFERRED_LANGUAGES` (see `background.js`), or a temporary YouTube issue. Check the Service Worker console. |
| **Automation stalls or fails in AI Studio** | Google’s AI Studio UI might have changed – adjust selectors in `content_script_aistudio.js`. Use DevTools console in the AI Studio tab to inspect errors. The target model ("Gemini 2.5 Flash Preview") might also be unavailable or renamed. |
| **Clipboard error** | Rare; open the extension’s *Service worker* console in `chrome://extensions` for details. |
| **Buttons in popup are disabled** | Ensure you are on an active YouTube video page (`youtube.com/watch`, `youtu.be`, `youtube.com/shorts`). |
---
* **Service worker logs (for background tasks, transcript fetching)** → `chrome://extensions` → find Briefly → click *Service worker*.
* **Content-script logs (for AI Studio automation)** → Open DevTools (F12) console in the AI Studio tab.
* **Popup logs (for popup UI issues)** → Right-click the extension icon → *Inspect popup* → Console tab.
---
## Roadmap / Future Ideas
* [ ] **Direct Gemini API Integration** – Add option for Google’s public Gemini API (or Vertex AI) directly, bypassing AI Studio UI automation for a faster and more reliable summarization.
* [ ] **Enhanced Popup / Options UI** – Allow users to customize preferred languages, edit the AI Studio prompt, select different summarization models, and toggle other features through a dedicated options page or an enhanced popup.
* [X] **Process Current Video via Popup** – One-click actions in the extension popup to process the video in the active tab (Implemented in v1.4).
* [ ] **Standalone Application** – Package Briefly as a desktop application, removing the need for a browser extension (e.g., using Electron or similar).
* [ ] **Local LLM Support** – Send transcripts to a locally running LLM (e.g., via Ollama / GGUF models) for offline summaries.
* [ ] **Internationalisation (i18n)** – Translate extension UI text and default prompts into multiple languages.
* [ ] **Customizable Summarization Profiles** – Allow users to define and switch between different summarization styles or lengths (e.g., "brief overview," "detailed points," "key takeaways").
* [ ] **Support for more video platforms** – Extend transcript and summarization capabilities to other platforms beyond YouTube.
*Pull-requests welcome – open an issue first so we don’t duplicate work!*
---
## Contributing
1. **Fork** → branch → PR (use [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org)).
2. First-timers welcome – check **good-first-issue**.
---
## License
Released under the **MIT License** – see [`LICENSE.md`](LICENSE.md).
> The core logic for fetching YouTube transcripts is derived from the excellent
[youtube-transcript-api](https://pypi.org/project/youtube-transcript-api/) Py library, adapted for direct use within the browser extension.