Prompt Engineering

TL;DR Prompt

Build a prompt that produces a true tl;dr — the gist of a long piece in a few scannable points, brevity enforced, nothing invented.

Open in Structured Summary Prompt

Overview

A tl;dr is not a short summary — it is the irreducible gist, and most AI "tl;dr" attempts are still three paragraphs. This builds a prompt that forces brevity: at most a handful of standalone, specific points, with a "when in doubt, cut" rule and fidelity guardrails so it compresses the source instead of paraphrasing loosely. Open it in the Structured Summary Prompt to dial the length or switch the source type.

How to use this resource

Open the example in the tool

It loads with realistic inputs already filled in.
Swap in your own details

Adjust the inputs and options to match your case.
Generate and copy

Produce the output and paste it where you need it.

Why This Works

Brevity is enforced ("when in doubt, cut") — the difference between a tl;dr and a short summary
A few standalone points are scannable in seconds, which is the whole point of a tl;dr
Fidelity rules keep it compressing the source, not loosely paraphrasing it

Best for

Getting the gist of a long article or thread fast
Adding a scannable tl;dr to the top of a doc
Quick triage of whether something is worth a full read

Not for

A thorough summary with sections — use a longer length
Summaries that must preserve every nuance

FAQ

How is this different from asking for a short summary?

A tl;dr is the irreducible gist, not a shorter paraphrase. The output is a single ## Key Points section capped at 5 bullets, each standalone and specific, governed by a "when in doubt, cut" rule where every sentence must earn its place. For a thorough sectioned summary the resource says to switch to a longer length instead.

Will a tl;dr this short still get the numbers and names right?

The fidelity rules require preserving numbers, dates, and names exactly as written, and summarizing only what's in the source with no outside knowledge added. The quote rules also force paraphrasing throughout — no direct quotes. Brevity is enforced without loosening accuracy, though you still run the generated prompt in your own assistant and own the final read.

Customize This Resource

Opens this setup in Structured Summary Prompt. Generate to get the full summary prompt — then adjust the structure, length, and fidelity rules.

Open in Structured Summary Prompt

Prompt Template

Copy it as-is, or use Open in Structured Summary Prompt to load it pre-filled and customize it with your own context.

TASK
Condense a long article or post into a short tl;dr a reader can scan in seconds.
Summarize the source text in the input. Do not write new content — compress what is there.

SOURCE
The source is an article or blog post.
Reading guidance: The headline claim and the conclusion usually bracket the argument; examples in the middle are support, not substance.
Emphasis: Surface the main argument and what actually supports it.

OUTPUT STRUCTURE
Use exactly these markdown sections, in this order:
## Key Points
At most 5 bullet points, ordered by importance — each standalone and specific.

LENGTH RULES
- Brevity wins: when in doubt, cut. Every sentence must earn its place.
- Never pad a thin section — a short faithful section beats a full invented one.

FIDELITY RULES
- Summarize only what appears in the source — do not add outside knowledge.
- Keep interpretation minimal; when you interpret, make it recognizable as interpretation.
- Preserve numbers, dates, and names exactly as written.

QUOTE RULES
- Paraphrase everything — do not include direct quotes.

OUTPUT RULES
- Return only the summary in markdown — no preamble ("Here is the summary"), no closing commentary.
- Use the section headings exactly as written above.
- Do not address the reader or the author — summarize the source.

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Related tools

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Structured Summary Prompt

Build summary prompts with fixed sections, length caps, and no-invention fidelity rules.

Structured Output

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