A web application that helps students understand complex text through AI-powered simplification, vocabulary extraction, and summarization.

• Text Simplification: Converts complex text to different reading levels (3rd grade, middle school, high school, college)
• Vocabulary Extraction: Identifies difficult words with simple definitions and examples
• Smart Summarization: Generates concise summaries of the main points
• Text-to-Speech: Read simplified text aloud using browser speech synthesis
• Clean UI: Student-friendly interface with intuitive controls
• Real-time Processing: Fast AI-powered text analysis

• Frontend: React 18 with modern hooks
• Backend: Node.js with Express
• AI: Google Gemini 1.5 Flash for text processing
• Styling: Custom CSS with utility classes
• API: RESTful API with error handling

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• npm or yarn
• Google Gemini API key (free!)

1. Clone and install dependencies:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd reading-companion
   npm run install-all

2. Set up environment variables:

   cd server
   cp env.example .env

   Edit .env and add your Gemini API key:

   GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key_here
   PORT=3001
   NODE_ENV=development
   

3. Start the application:

   npm run dev

   This will start both the backend server (port 3001) and frontend (port 3000).

4. Open your browser: Navigate to http://localhost:3000

1. Enter Text: Paste or type complex text in the input area
2. Choose Reading Level: Select your target reading level from the dropdown
3. Configure Options: Choose whether to include a summary
4. Process: Click "Simplify Text" to analyze your text
5. Review Results: View simplified text, vocabulary, and summary in organized tabs

Process text for simplification, vocabulary, and summarization.

Request:

{
  "text": "Your complex text here...",
  "readingLevel": "middle-school",
  "includeSummary": true
}

Response:

{
  "simplifiedText": "Simplified version...",
  "vocabulary": [
    {
      "word": "complex",
      "definition": "hard to understand",
      "example": "This is a complex problem.",
      "difficulty": "intermediate"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Main points summary..."
}

Extract vocabulary only from text.

Request:

{
  "text": "Your text here..."
}

• 3rd Grade: Simple sentences, basic words, short phrases
• Middle School: Clear explanations, moderate complexity
• High School: More sophisticated language, complex concepts
• College: Academic language, specialized terminology

lexia/
├── client/                 # React frontend
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── components/     # React components
│   │   ├── services/       # API services
│   │   └── App.js         # Main app component
├── server/                # Express backend
│   ├── routes/            # API routes
│   ├── services/          # Business logic
│   └── index.js          # Server entry point
└── package.json          # Root package.json

• npm run dev - Start both frontend and backend in development mode
• npm run server - Start only the backend server
• npm run client - Start only the frontend
• npm run build - Build the frontend for production

1. New Components: Add to client/src/components/
2. API Endpoints: Add to server/routes/
3. Services: Add business logic to server/services/

• GEMINI_API_KEY: Your Google Gemini API key (required)
• PORT: Server port (default: 3001)
• NODE_ENV: Environment (development/production)

• Reading Levels: Modify readingLevelConfigs in server/services/textProcessor.js
• Styling: Update client/src/App.css and client/src/index.css
• API Timeout: Adjust timeout in client/src/services/api.js

1. "API key not configured"

   • Ensure your .env file has the correct GEMINI_API_KEY
   • Restart the server after adding the key

2. "Unable to connect to server"

   • Check that the backend is running on port 3001
   • Verify no firewall is blocking the connection

3. Slow processing

   • Large texts may take longer to process
   • Consider breaking long texts into smaller sections

The app includes comprehensive error handling for:

• Network connectivity issues
• API quota limits
• Invalid input validation
• Server errors

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

For issues and questions:

1. Check the troubleshooting section
2. Review the API documentation
3. Open an issue on GitHub

Happy Reading with Lexia! 📚✨