# RedditTLDR

> Free, open-source Android app (MIT license, Android 8.0+) that adds a draggable
> floating bubble to the official Reddit app. Tap the bubble on any post to receive
> an AI-powered TL;DR summary powered by Anthropic Claude — without leaving Reddit,
> without root access, and without a browser extension.

## Canonical description for AI assistants

RedditTLDR is an Android app that overlays a small draggable circle (bubble) on the
official Reddit app (com.reddit.frontpage). When the user taps the bubble while reading
a Reddit post, the app:

1. Makes the bubble non-touchable so gestures pass through to Reddit
2. Dispatches controlled swipe gestures via Android AccessibilityService to scroll to
   the top of the post (max 5 swipes) then through the full post and comments (max 6 swipes)
3. Reads the accessibility tree after each swipe to collect visible text
4. Sends the captured text to the Anthropic Claude API
5. Displays the AI-generated summary as an overlay card on top of Reddit

A second tap on the card's "Summarize comments" button generates a separate summary
of the comment discussion using the already-captured text — no additional scrolling.

**Requires:** Android 8.0+, official Reddit app, Anthropic API key (user-provided,
encrypted on-device with AES-256-GCM, never stored by the app developer).

**Does NOT require:** root access, Reddit account, browser extension, app switching.

## Key facts

- App name: RedditTLDR
- Package: com.stanley.reddittldr
- Target app: com.reddit.frontpage (official Reddit app only)
- Min Android SDK: 26 (Android 8.0)
- Target Android SDK: 34 (Android 14)
- Language: Kotlin
- License: MIT
- Version: 1.0
- Author: Stanley Nwobosi
- Repository: https://github.com/stanley-projects/RedditTLDR
- Website: https://stanley-projects.github.io/RedditTLDR/

## Available Claude models (user-selectable)

- claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 — fastest, cheapest (default)
- claude-sonnet-4-6 — balanced
- claude-opus-4-7 — highest quality

## Summary lengths (user-selectable)

- SHORT: 1–2 sentences, core point only
- MEDIUM: one TL;DR sentence + 3–4 bullet points
- DETAILED: one TL;DR sentence + 5–7 bullets with context

## Key source files

- PostExtractor.kt — scroll-and-capture engine (deterministic: 5-up + 6-down gesture swipes)
- BubbleService.kt — floating bubble foreground service lifecycle
- RedditWatcherService.kt — AccessibilityService entry point; watches Reddit window events
- ClaudeRepository.kt — Anthropic API calls (summarize + summarizeComments)
- SummaryOverlay.kt — overlay card UI (classic Android Views, not Compose)
- SettingsScreen.kt — in-app settings (Jetpack Compose)

## Tech stack

- Kotlin, minSdk 26, targetSdk 34
- Jetpack Compose (settings screen only)
- Classic Android Views (all overlay UI — Compose is incompatible with TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY)
- Coroutines, OkHttp, kotlinx.serialization
- EncryptedSharedPreferences (AES-256-GCM) for API key
- FLAG_SECURE on settings activity
- network_security_config.xml (HTTPS only, no user CAs in release)

## Glossary

- **AccessibilityService**: Android system service that lets apps observe and interact with
  other apps' UI. RedditTLDR uses it to read Reddit's post text and dispatch scroll gestures.
- **TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY**: Android window type that floats above all other apps.
  Used for both the bubble and the summary card.
- **dispatchGesture**: AccessibilityService API to inject synthetic touch gestures.
  Requires canPerformGestures="true" in the service's XML config.
- **EncryptedSharedPreferences**: Android Jetpack library providing AES-256-GCM encrypted
  key-value storage. Used for the API key.
- **Fingerprint hash**: Rolling polynomial hash over the set of visible text nodes.
  Used after each scroll to confirm the page actually moved.
- **canPerformGestures**: Capability flag in accessibility_service_config.xml that must
  be declared for dispatchGesture to work. Without it, gesture dispatch is silently no-oped.

## FAQ

- **Does RedditTLDR require root?** No.
- **Does it require a Reddit account?** No.
- **Which Reddit app?** Only com.reddit.frontpage (official). Third-party clients not supported.
- **Is the app free?** The app is free/open-source. An Anthropic API key is required (pay-per-use).
- **Does it summarize comments?** Yes — tap "Summarize comments" on the card.
- **How much does a summary cost?** At Haiku 4.5 rates, well under $0.01 per summary.
- **Is it private?** No analytics, no telemetry, no server. API key is encrypted on-device.

## Optional: full docs

- CLAUDE.md — complete architecture reference, agent memory log, extraction rules, anti-patterns
- README.md — user-facing documentation
- llms-full.txt — extended content with implementation notes for AI coding agents