LightRead: AI-Powered Web Summarization Extension
A comprehensive Chrome extension with advanced prompt engineering that transforms how users consume web content through personalized AI summarization
Project Overview
Duration
4 months
Role
Solo Full-Stack Developer
Status
Beta Release (Pre-Marketing)
LightRead is a sophisticated full-stack SaaS Chrome extension that leverages Google's Gemini API with advanced prompt engineering to provide highly customizable text summarization. The project demonstrates end-to-end product development including extension architecture, backend API design, user authentication, payment processing, and AI integration.
The Problem
Existing summarization tools lack personalization and context awareness. Users need different summary styles for different purposes - academic research requires technical language, while casual reading benefits from simplified explanations. Most tools provide one-size-fits-all solutions.
User Pain Points
- Information overload with lengthy web content
- Need for context-appropriate summary styles (academic vs. casual)
- Lack of difficulty level adjustment (ELI5 vs. technical)
- No seamless integration with browsing workflow
- Limited customization in existing summarization tools
Solution & Key Features
LightRead provides a seamless, context-aware summarization experience with sophisticated prompt engineering that adapts to user preferences and content requirements.
Context Menu Integration
Right-click any highlighted text and select "Summarize with LightRead" for instant processing without leaving the current page.
Advanced Customization (Pro)
Adjust tone (academic, conversational, humorous), difficulty (ELI5, college, technical), and length with real-time regeneration capabilities.
Inline Popup Display
Custom popup script injects summary directly into the webpage HTML, maintaining user context and workflow continuity.
Complete SaaS Features
User dashboard, saved summaries, usage tracking, subscription management, and payment processing with Stripe integration.
Technical Architecture & Deployment
Complete system architecture showing data flow between all components
Production Deployment Pipeline
Backend API
Containerized Flask application with environment-based configuration management
Frontend Dashboard
Optimized static site deployment with automatic SSL and global CDN
Chrome Extension
Successfully published after passing Google's security and quality review
Chrome Extension Components
Toolbar Window
Manages user authentication, account settings, and subscription status
Content Script & Popup
Injects popup into page HTML, handles text selection and summary display
Flask Backend Server
Handles API routing, user management, and business logic
Advanced Prompt Engineering
Sophisticated prompts for tone, difficulty, and length customization
Data & Payment Infrastructure
User authentication, data persistence, and subscription management
Technical Challenges & Solutions
Sophisticated prompt engineering pipeline with tier-based feature access
Challenge: Context-Aware Prompt Engineering
Creating prompts that adapt to different content types and user preferences while maintaining consistency and quality.
Solution:
Developed a sophisticated prompt template system with dynamic parameter injection for tone, difficulty, and length, tested across diverse content types to ensure reliable output quality.
Challenge: Seamless Browser Integration
Injecting custom UI elements into existing webpages without breaking layouts or interfering with site functionality.
Solution:
Implemented isolated CSS scoping and DOM injection techniques with conflict prevention, ensuring the popup renders consistently across different websites and layouts.
Challenge: Real-Time Regeneration
Allowing premium users to modify summary parameters and regenerate content without losing context or user flow.
Solution:
Built stateful popup components that maintain original text context while enabling dynamic API calls with updated parameters, including loading states and error handling.
Challenge: Full-Stack SaaS Architecture
Coordinating authentication, payment processing, usage tracking, and feature gating across extension and web dashboard.
Solution:
Implemented unified user session management with Supabase, integrated Stripe webhooks for subscription changes, and built middleware for feature access control based on subscription status.
Business Model & Monetization
Freemium Tier
- • 5 summaries per day
- • Standard length options
- • Basic dashboard access
- • Summary history
- • Text-to-speech integration
LightRead Pro - $5/month
- • 30 summaries per day
- • Advanced tone customization
- • Difficulty level adjustment
- • Real-time regeneration
- • Priority support
- • Early access to new features
Current Status & Development Insights
Project Status
- Successfully published on Chrome Web Store - passed Google's rigorous security review
- Complete production deployment across Docker/Heroku, Vercel, and Chrome store
- 3 active beta users providing valuable feedback and feature requests
- Full SaaS infrastructure operational: payments, authentication, usage tracking
- Advanced prompt engineering system delivering personalized results
- Marketing phase planned - focus on user acquisition and feedback integration
Technical Achievements
Development Skills Demonstrated
- • Chrome Extension Development & Store Publishing
- • Backend API Design & Docker Containerization
- • Database Design & User Management (Supabase)
- • Payment Integration & Subscription Logic (Stripe)
- • AI/ML Integration & Advanced Prompt Engineering
- • Multi-platform Deployment (Heroku, Vercel, Chrome Store)
- • Frontend Development & Professional UX Design
