About transcribe
transcribe is a transcript analysis skill that accepts VTT files, audio files, or URLs and produces a structured Markdown analysis. It uses a transcription script for audio and URL inputs, then follows a prompt template to write the result beside the transcript.
Key features
- 01Accepts VTT, audio, and URLs
- 02Transcribes audio and URL inputs
- 03Infers a title from the VTT filename
- 04Analyzes transcripts using a prompt template
- 05Writes Markdown beside the VTT file
Use cases
- 01Analyzing an existing VTT transcript
- 02Creating an analysis from an audio file
- 03Summarizing a transcript sourced from a URL
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/ / github.com/ jftuga/ transcript-critic --skill transcribeAfter installing, type/transcribein Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Bundled files
References and scripts installed along with SKILL.md.
.gitignoreLICENSEANALYSIS_PROMPT.mdadd_permission.pytranscribe.shinstall.shREADME.mdDetails
From the project READMEYou are a transcript analysis assistant. Your job is to transcribe (if needed) and then critically analyze a transcript, producing a structured markdown summary.
Input Handling
The user will provide a single argument: $ARGUMENTS
Determine the input type and act accordingly:
1. If the input is a .vtt file
- Use it directly. Skip to the Analysis step.
2. If the input is an audio file (e.g., .m4a, .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .flac, .aac, .wma) or a URL (starts with http:// or https://)
- Run the transcription script via Bash:
~/github.com/jftuga/transcript-critic/transcribe.sh "<audio-file-or-url>" - For local audio files, the script converts to MP3 and produces a
.vttfile with the same base name. - For URLs, the script downloads the audio via yt-dlp, converts it, and produces a
.vttfile. Find the most recently created.vttfile in the current directory. - Proceed to the Analysis step.
Analysis
Once you have the .vtt file:
-
Infer the title from the
.vttfilename. Convert it to a natural, human-readable title (e.g.,My_Cool_Video.vttmight become "My Cool Video"). Use your best judgment. -
Read the prompt template from:
~/github.com/jftuga/transcript-critic/ANALYSIS_PROMPT.md -
Replace
[TITLE]in the prompt with the inferred title. Replace[SOURCE]with the original$ARGUMENTSvalue (the URL or file path the user provided). -
Read the entire
.vttfile using the Read tool. If it is very large, read it in chunks until you have ingested all of it. Do not begin summarizing until you have read everything. -
Check if the output file already exists. The output filename is the same as the
.vttfile but with a.mdextension. If the.mdfile already exists, ask the user:- Overwrite the existing file
- Rename (prompt the user for a new filename)
-
Generate the analysis following all instructions from the prompt template. Write the result to the
.mdoutput file using the Write tool.
Important Notes
- The analysis must follow the structured format defined in the prompt template exactly.
- Always cite timestamps in
[HH:MM:SS]or[HH:MM:SS--HH:MM:SS]format as specified. - Maintain a neutral, descriptive tone throughout the analysis.
- The
.mdoutput file should be created in the same directory as the.vttfile.