5Ws1H

Turn any article into a quick, digestible summary with 5Ws1H – get the what, who, why, when, where, and how in seconds, so you can stay informed without the long reads!

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Inspiration

I used to struggle with reading long articles just to find out the basic facts—what happened, when, who was involved, why it mattered, where it took place, and how it all unfolded. It often felt like a chore to sift through endless details to get to the important points.

Then I learned about the 5Ws and 1H technique, a method used in journalism and investigations to summarize stories by answering six key questions: What, Who, Why, When, Where, and How. This approach helps reporters and investigators quickly get to the heart of a story, covering all the essential details in a clear and simple way.

What it does

Inspired by this technique, I created the app 5Ws1H to make it easy for you to get the key facts from any article quickly. The app uses this technique to give you a concise summary, so you don’t have to read through the entire text to stay informed. With 5Ws1H, you get straight to the important details and save time.

All you need to do is share the link with the app or paste it within the app, just tap 'Summarize,' and the app will quickly generate a summary for you. You can read this summary right away and, if needed, ask follow-up questions to get more details. The app also features an overlay mode, allowing you to view the summary while browsing other apps without switching screens.

All your summarized articles are saved in the History page, so you can easily revisit them whenever you like. 5Ws1H streamlines your reading process, helping you stay informed and saving you time by focusing on what’s truly important.

How we built it

I built 5Ws1H using Compose Multiplatform, which enabled me to create a consistent and smooth experience on both Android and iOS with a single codebase. This framework allowed me to design responsive and intuitive interfaces across devices. Currently, the app is available on Android, with an iOS version coming soon.

For summarizing articles, I utilized the Gemini model within the Genkit framework. Genkit made it straightforward to implement Gemini, allowing the app to generate clear and concise summaries based on the 5Ws and 1H technique. To address users' follow-up questions, I integrated the RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) technique, enabling the app to provide detailed and accurate answers based on the article’s content. This approach ensures that users receive essential information quickly and can easily explore further details when needed.

What we learned

This is my first time integrating In-App Purchases into a mobile application. Previously, I’ve relied on advertisements or direct sales for my projects. I found the process to be surprisingly straightforward and smooth, allowing me to offer additional features seamlessly to users while enhancing the app’s functionality.

What's next for 5Ws1H

  • A browser extension is currently in development and will be available soon. Although I couldn't complete it before the initial deadlines, the extension will simplify the process of summarizing articles while browsing on desktop.
  • At present, the project is primarily a tool for summarizing articles. However, I envision expanding it into a more advanced content generator. In the future, I plan to add features that allow users to set preferences and receive personalized, summarized articles daily. This upgrade will make the app not only a tool for quick summaries but also a customized content feed tailored to individual interests and needs.
  • I’m also considering adding options that would allow users to easily share summarized articles with others through various channels. This would facilitate broader dissemination of important information and enable users to quickly pass along relevant content to their network, making the app even more versatile and useful.

Built With

  • android
  • compose
  • kotlin
  • multiplaform
  • revenuecat
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