Summarize

OpenClaw contributorsResearchOpenClaw

Summarize articles, files and video links, or extract a transcript for closer review.

View source

Illustrative Summarize workflow: Article, video or PDF; example output includes Main ideas, Supporting evidence, Questions to follow up.

Set up Summarize

This skill ships with OpenClaw. Inspect its setup and check the required tools in the runtime where OpenClaw runs.

Inspect the bundled skill

openclaw skills info summarize

Check runtime requirements

openclaw skills check

These commands inspect skill availability; they do not install dependencies or connect accounts. Follow the source’s setup requirements in your own environment.

What this skill helps with

OpenClaw’s Summarize skill guides the summarize CLI for URLs, local files and YouTube links. It separates content extraction from model-based summarisation and includes options for output length and structured JSON.

When to use it

Use it to understand a long article, condense a PDF or obtain a best-effort video transcript. For a very long transcript, start with the requested summary or a useful section of the source.

What to bring

Provide a public URL, video link or accessible local file, the desired length and the questions that matter. Model-based summaries require a configured provider; extraction-only mode does not produce an LLM summary.

What to expect

Expect extracted content, a transcript or a summary of the accessible source. Video extraction is best effort and blocked pages may require separately configured fallback services. The sample below is illustrative.

How the skill works

Choose extraction or summary

Use transcript or extraction mode when the original wording matters. Use a summary when you need the main ideas in a shorter form.

Set the output scope

Choose the requested length or token limit and retain enough source context to explain the main claims.

Check source limitations

Identify unavailable or incomplete content. Do not present failed extraction as a verified summary of the whole source.

Related skills and guides

Summarize skill questions

Can it return a transcript without a summary?

Yes. The source documents an extraction option and best-effort YouTube transcript extraction.

Does every video or article work?

No. Availability depends on the source and configured extraction services. Incomplete or blocked content must be reported.

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