CLI models

Summarize can use installed CLIs (Claude, Codex, Gemini) as local model backends.

Model ids

• cli/claude/<model> (e.g. cli/claude/sonnet)
• cli/codex/<model> (e.g. cli/codex/gpt-5.2)
• cli/gemini/<model> (e.g. cli/gemini/gemini-3-flash-preview)

Use --cli [provider] (case-insensitive) for the provider default, or --model cli/<provider>/<model> to pin a model. If --cli is provided without a provider, auto selection is used with CLI enabled.

Auto mode

Auto mode does not use CLIs unless you set cli.enabled in config.

Why: CLI adds ~4s latency per attempt and higher variance. Recommendation: enable only Gemini unless you have a reason to add others.

Gemini CLI performance: summarize sets GEMINI_CLI_NO_RELAUNCH=true for Gemini CLI runs to avoid a costly self-relaunch (can be overridden by setting it yourself).

When enabled, auto prepends CLI attempts in the order listed in cli.enabled (recommended: ["gemini"]).

Enable CLI attempts:

{
  "cli": { "enabled": ["gemini"] }
}

Disable CLI attempts:

{
  "cli": { "enabled": [] }
}

Note: when cli.enabled is set, it also acts as an allowlist for explicit --cli / --model cli/....

CLI discovery

Binary lookup:

• CLAUDE_PATH, CODEX_PATH, GEMINI_PATH (optional overrides)
• Otherwise uses PATH

Attachments (images/files)

When a CLI attempt is used for an image or non-text file, Summarize switches to a path-based prompt and enables the required tool flags:

• Claude: --tools Read --dangerously-skip-permissions
• Gemini: --yolo and --include-directories <dir>
• Codex: codex exec --output-last-message ... and -i <image> for images

Config

{
  "cli": {
    "enabled": ["claude", "gemini", "codex"],
    "codex": { "model": "gpt-5.2" },
    "gemini": { "model": "gemini-3-flash-preview", "extraArgs": ["--verbose"] },
    "claude": {
      "model": "sonnet",
      "binary": "/usr/local/bin/claude",
      "extraArgs": ["--verbose"]
    }
  }
}

Notes:

• CLI output is treated as text only (no token accounting).
• If a CLI call fails, auto mode falls back to the next candidate.

Generate free preset (OpenRouter)

summarize ships with a built-in preset free, backed by OpenRouter :free models. To regenerate the candidate list (and persist it in your config):

summarize refresh-free

Options:

• --runs 2 (default): extra timing runs per selected model (total runs = 1 + runs)
• --smart 3 (default): number of “smart-first” picks (rest filled by fastest)
• --set-default: also sets "model": "free" in ~/.summarize/config.json