CLI models

Summarize can use installed CLIs (Claude, Codex, Gemini, Cursor Agent, OpenClaw, OpenCode, GitHub Copilot) 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/flash)
• cli/agent/<model> (e.g. cli/agent/auto)
• cli/openclaw/<model> (e.g. cli/openclaw/main)
• openclaw/<model> (alias for the same OpenClaw CLI path)
• cli/opencode/<model> (e.g. cli/opencode/openai/gpt-5.4)
• cli/opencode (use the OpenCode runtime default model)
• cli/copilot/<model> (e.g. cli/copilot/gpt-5.2)
• cli/copilot (use the Copilot CLI runtime default model)

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.

Codex GPT Fast:

• --model codex-fast maps to cli/codex/gpt-fast.
• OpenAI fast mode is not a CLI model. Use --model openai/gpt-5.5 --fast --thinking medium; see docs/openai.md.

#Auto mode

Auto mode can prepend CLI attempts in two ways:

• cli.enabled set in config:
• Auto always uses this list order.
• Also acts as an allowlist for explicit --cli / --model cli/....
• Auto CLI fallback (cli.autoFallback, default enabled):
• Applies only to implicit auto (when no model is set via flag/env/config).
• Default behavior: only when no API key is configured.
• Default order: claude, gemini, codex, agent, openclaw, opencode, copilot.
• Remembers + prioritizes the last successful CLI provider (~/.summarize/cli-state.json).

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).

Set explicit CLI allowlist:

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

Configure auto CLI fallback:

{
  "cli": {
    "autoFallback": {
      "enabled": true,
      "onlyWhenNoApiKeys": true,
      "order": ["claude", "gemini", "codex", "agent", "openclaw", "opencode", "copilot"]
    }
  }
}

Disable auto CLI fallback:

{
  "cli": { "autoFallback": { "enabled": false } }
}

Note: --model auto (explicit) does not trigger auto CLI fallback unless cli.enabled is set.

#CLI discovery

Binary lookup:

• CLAUDE_PATH, CODEX_PATH, GEMINI_PATH (optional overrides)
• AGENT_PATH (optional override)
• OPENCLAW_PATH (optional override)
• OPENCODE_PATH (optional override)
• COPILOT_PATH (optional override)
• 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
• Agent: uses built-in file tools in agent --print mode (no extra flags)
• OpenCode: opencode run --format json ... --file <path> when a file/image path is required
• Copilot: copilot -p <prompt>; passes --model <model> when one is configured

#Config

{
  "cli": {
    "enabled": ["claude", "gemini", "codex", "agent", "openclaw", "opencode", "copilot"],
    "autoFallback": {
      "enabled": true,
      "onlyWhenNoApiKeys": true,
      "order": ["claude", "gemini", "codex", "agent", "openclaw", "opencode", "copilot"]
    },
    "codex": { "model": "gpt-5.2" },
    "gemini": { "model": "flash", "extraArgs": ["--verbose"] },
    "claude": {
      "model": "sonnet",
      "binary": "/usr/local/bin/claude",
      "extraArgs": ["--verbose"]
    },
    "agent": {
      "model": "auto",
      "binary": "/usr/local/bin/agent"
    },
    "openclaw": {
      "model": "main",
      "binary": "/usr/local/bin/openclaw"
    },
    "opencode": {
      "binary": "/usr/local/bin/opencode"
    },
    "copilot": {
      "binary": "/usr/local/bin/copilot"
    }
  }
}

Notes:

• CLI output is treated as text only (no token accounting).
• If a CLI call fails, auto mode falls back to the next candidate.
• Cursor Agent CLI uses the agent binary and relies on Cursor CLI auth (login or CURSOR_API_KEY).
• Codex CLI normal text summaries run isolated by default: codex exec --ephemeral --ignore-user-config --ignore-rules -C <temp-dir> ... with a sanitized temporary CODEX_HOME that carries auth only. Set cli.codex.isolated to false only when you intentionally need Codex to inherit local config/rules.
• Gemini CLI is invoked in headless mode with --prompt for compatibility with current Gemini CLI releases.
• OpenClaw uses openclaw agent --agent <model> --message <prompt> --json because current OpenClaw requires -m/--message; very large extracted inputs are rejected before launch to avoid argv limits.
• OpenCode uses opencode run --format json, streams prompt text over stdin, and uses the runtime default model when none is configured.
• Copilot uses copilot -p, treats stdout as plain text, and uses the runtime default model when none is configured.

#Quick smoke test (all CLI providers)

Use a tiny local text file and run each provider with a longer timeout (Gemini can be slower):

printf "Summarize CLI smoke input.\nOne short paragraph. Reply can be brief.\n" >/tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt

summarize --cli codex --plain --timeout 2m /tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt
summarize --cli claude --plain --timeout 2m /tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt
summarize --cli gemini --plain --timeout 2m /tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt
summarize --cli agent --plain --timeout 2m /tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt
summarize --cli openclaw --plain --timeout 2m /tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt
summarize --cli opencode --plain --timeout 2m /tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt
summarize --cli copilot --plain --timeout 2m /tmp/summarize-cli-smoke.txt

If Agent fails with auth, run agent login (interactive) or set CURSOR_API_KEY.

#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