DoomDigest

Turns your doomscrolling into digestible summaries.

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🌍 Inspiration

We spend hours daily consuming information online; articles, social posts, research papers, and technical documentation; but rarely retain or organize it efficiently. DoomDigest was inspired by the need for an AI-driven tool that automatically summarizes, tracks, and syncs content without interrupting browsing or reading flow.

Whether you’re a student studying, a developer breaking down API docs, or a professional reading industry news; DoomDigest helps you learn, remember, and organize smarter.

⚙️ What It Does

DoomDigest is a Chrome extension that:

  • Automatically detects and summarizes web pages and social media feeds using Chrome AI or Gemini. Smart Content Detection: Automatically detects and summarizes articles, emails, social media posts and feeds using Chrome AI or Gemini.
  • Allows readers, students, and developers to take quick notes while reading; notes are automatically saved and synced.
  • Generates daily/weekly productivity analytics on what you read or studied.
  • Syncs summaries, notes, and reports directly to Google Drive.
  • Exports digests in multiple formats (TXT, Markdown, JSON) for easy sharing or import into Notion, Obsidian, or Docs.
  • Works seamlessly in the background, even when the sidebar isn’t open.

🛠️ How We Built It

  • Frontend: HTML + Vanilla JS + Tailwind, bundled with Rollup for modular builds and fast load times.
  • Background Logic: Chrome extension service worker manages all core features; Drive sync/export, alarms, content detection, and background AI summarization.
  • AI Integration: Chrome built-in AI via Prompt API, with fallback to Google Gemini API for reliability and richer summaries.
  • Storage: IndexedDB for local content caching and deduplication; Chrome storage for preferences and sync settings.
  • Architecture: Multi-context setup with a background service worker, popup, sidepanel, and settings page communicating via message passing.
  • Google Drive Sync: Implemented directly in background.js using OAuth tokens obtained through chrome.identity, removing the need for any backend or cloud function.

💥 Challenges We Ran Into

  • Background async ops closed message ports prematurely.
  • Managing consistent data flow between content, background, and UI scripts.
  • Hit chrome.storage.sync 8KB quota → migrated to IndexedDB.
  • Handling model download states, prompt length errors, and timeouts.
  • Making context menu actions work even when sidebar isn’t open.

🏆 Accomplishments We’re Proud Of

  • Built a fully modular Chrome AI extension with Drive integration.
  • Achieved zero external dependencies for AI summarization (all local).
  • Smooth offline experience with persistent storage.
  • Automated analytics generation and cross-device data sync.
  • Expanded functionality for note-taking and developer documentation breakdown — all directly in the browser.

📚 What We Learned

  • Deep understanding of Chrome’s AI and extension APIs.
  • Handling async messaging and CSP in MV3 service workers.
  • Designing privacy-friendly AI tools that run locally.
  • Managing OAuth without exposing secrets.
  • Building multipurpose tools usable by both casual readers and technical users.

🚀 What’s Next for DoomDigest

  • Smart Email Reports: Automatically email weekly or daily digests to users.
  • Team Analytics: Shared reading and study reports for teams or study groups.
  • PDF Annotation & Smart Notes: Highlight text in PDFs or web docs and auto-generate AI summaries per section.
  • Browser Cross-Sync: Support for Edge and Firefox AI APIs.
  • Custom AI Models: Integrate user-specific Gemini prompts for personalized summaries and note styles.

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