# Obsidian Parallel Reader
> **[中文文档](./README.zh-CN.md)**
Split-view reading for Obsidian — your original note on the left, AI-generated summary cards on the right, with scroll-sync highlighting.
Inspired by [this reading workflow demo](https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1FxoGBVETm/).
## Features
- **Adaptive segmentation** — the LLM decides natural topic boundaries. Short sections merge, long ones split. No dependency on markdown headings.
- **Scroll-sync** — scrolling the editor auto-highlights the matching card on the right.
- **Streaming** — real-time SSE streaming for OpenAI Chat and Anthropic APIs, so you see progress as it generates.
- **20+ providers** — Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, OpenRouter, Groq, DeepSeek, Moonshot, Ollama, LM Studio, and more. Plus Claude Code CLI and Codex CLI backends.
- **Persistent cache** — summaries are cached by content SHA-1 + settings fingerprint. Reopen a note and cards appear instantly. Edits or config changes show a stale banner.
- **Rich rendering** — cards render through Obsidian's `MarkdownRenderer`, so tables, bold, code, and wikilinks all work natively.
- **Card editing** — right-click any card to copy, edit, delete, or jump to source.
- **Export** — save cards as a Markdown note in your vault, or copy to clipboard.
- **Bilingual UI** — full Chinese and English support for commands, settings, and notices.
## Quick Start
### Step 1: Install the Plugin
1. Go to the [Releases page](https://github.com/fancive/obsidian-parallel-reader/releases) and download three files from the latest release: **main.js**, **manifest.json**, **styles.css**
2. Open your vault folder, navigate to `.obsidian/plugins/` (create it if it doesn't exist), and create a new folder called `parallel-reader`
3. Put the three downloaded files into that folder
4. Open Obsidian → **Settings** → **Community plugins** → find **Parallel Reader** → toggle it **on**
> **Tip**: Can't see the `.obsidian` folder? On macOS press `Cmd+Shift+.` in Finder; on Windows enable "Show hidden files" in File Explorer.
### Step 2: Set Up Your AI Provider
1. In Obsidian, go to **Settings** → **Parallel Reader**
2. Choose a **Provider preset** (e.g. Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, etc.)
3. Paste your **API Key**
4. (Optional) Change the **Model** if you prefer a different one
5. Click **Test** to verify the connection
That's it! Open any note and run the command **"Parallel Reader: Generate"** from the command palette (`Cmd/Ctrl+P`).
Supported providers
| Provider | Notes |
|----------|-------|
| **Anthropic** | Default, recommended |
| **OpenAI** | GPT models |
| **Google Gemini** | Gemini models |
| **OpenRouter / Groq / DeepSeek / Moonshot / ...** | OpenAI-compatible |
| **Ollama / LM Studio** | Local models, no API key needed |
| **Custom endpoint** | Any OpenAI or Anthropic compatible API |
CLI backends (advanced)
If you have **Claude Code** or **Codex** installed locally, you can use them as backends instead of API keys. Just switch the backend in settings — the plugin automatically detects common install locations. If auto-detection fails, you can manually enter the path in settings.
## Usage
| Action | Effect |
|--------|--------|
| Click a card | Jump editor to that section |
| Right-click a card | Context menu: copy, edit, delete, jump to source |
| Scroll the editor | Right-side card auto-highlights |
| `Alt+↑` / `Alt+↓` | Navigate between cards |
| `Enter` in summary pane | Jump to active card's source line |
| Ribbon icon | Open the parallel reader pane |
| File context menu | Generate / regenerate / clear cache |
## How It Works
The LLM returns structured JSON:
```json
{
"cards": [
{
"title": "Short heading",
"anchor": "Verbatim quote from source for positioning",
"gist": "One-sentence lead-in",
"bullets": ["Supporting detail 1", "Supporting detail 2"]
}
]
}
```
**Anchor** is the key mechanism — a verbatim quote that the plugin locates via `indexOf` with multi-level fallbacks, keeping scroll-sync working without relying on headings.
**Gist + bullets** gives both overview and scannable detail — pure prose felt like a wall of text, pure bullets felt fragmented.
## Development
```bash
npm install
npm run dev # watch mode
npm run build # production build
npm run typecheck # TypeScript strict mode
npm run lint # Biome
npm test # build + typecheck + tests
```
## Star History
## License
[MIT](./LICENSE)
