Text-Gen
The Text Generator Plugin is an open-source AI assistant tool that utilizes the power of Generative Artificial Intelligence to organize inf...
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What is Text-Gen?
Text-Gen is an open-source AI Assistant Plugin for Obsidian that brings generative artificial intelligence to knowledge creation and organization. The tool allows users to generate ideas, attractive titles, summaries, outlines, and whole paragraphs directly within their Obsidian notes based on their knowledge database.
Text-Gen pricing
Pricing model: Free
The Text Generator Plugin itself is completely free and open-source with no licensing fees. However, users must provide their own API key from external AI providers like OpenAI, Google Generative AI (Gemini-Pro), Anthropic (Claude), or HuggingFace. These providers typically have their own pricing - OpenAI charges per token, Google AI Studio offers a free tier for Gemini, and other providers have separate pricing models. The plugin has an optional sponsorship via Buy Me a Coffee for supporting the developer.
Text-Gen pros
- Free and open-source with no licensing fees
- Seamlessly integrated into Obsidian editor
- Supports multiple AI providers (OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic, HuggingFace)
- GPT-4 (128k) support for longer context
- Custom template creation for repetitive tasks
- Community template hub for sharing prompts
- Hotkey assignment for quick template execution
- Flexible prompt context using considered context options
- Code blocks for on-page dynamic template generation
- Frontmatter configuration for provider switching
- Works on Desktop and Mobile platforms
- 542k+ downloads proving community trust
- Active development with 207 releases
- MIT license for unrestricted use
- Template packages manager for default and custom prompts
Text-Gen cons
- Requires API key from paid AI providers (OpenAI, Google, etc.)
- Documentation still in progress and incomplete
- Community plugin requires turning off safe mode
- Only compatible with Obsidian 1.6.0+
- Script execution must be manually enabled in settings
- No built-in AI model (depends on external providers)
- Manual installation requires pnpm and build steps
- Token calculation can be confusing for beginners
Frequently asked questions about Text-Gen
What is Text Generator and what does it do?
Text Generator is an open-source AI Assistant Plugin for Obsidian that brings generative artificial intelligence to knowledge creation and organization. It generates ideas, attractive titles, summaries, outlines, and whole paragraphs based on your knowledge database directly within Obsidian notes.
Is Text Generator free to use?
Yes, the Text Generator Plugin itself is completely free and open-source under MIT license with no licensing fees. However, you need to provide your own API key from external AI providers like OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic, which may have their own pricing.
How do I install Text Generator in Obsidian?
You can install it via Method 1: Open Obsidian, go to Settings > Community plugins, turn off safe mode, click Browse, search for 'Text Generator', then Install and Enable. Or Method 2: Clone the GitHub repository to your plugins folder, install dependencies with pnpm, build, and restart Obsidian.
Which AI models does Text Generator support?
Text Generator supports OpenAI (GPT-3.5, GPT-4 including gpt4 turbo 128k), Azure, Google (Gemini-Pro), Anthropic (Claude), Meta (Llama), and HuggingFace. You can also use custom models through frontmatter configuration.
How do I configure my API key?
Go to Obsidian settings, navigate to Text Generator settings, choose your language model provider (OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, etc.), and set the API key provided by that provider. For OpenAI, you can use Chat Mode (gpt-3.5/gpt-4) or Instruct Mode (gpt-3.5-instruct).
What are templates and how do I create them?
Templates are predefined commands for text generation. To create one: create a new note, select 'Text Generator: Create a Template' from Command Palette, choose file path, enter a prompt (e.g., 'Brainstorm content using {{title}}'), add variables to required_values field, then use 'Text Generator: Generate and insert template' to run it.
How do I set hotkeys for templates?
Add the desired command in the commands field in template metadata (options: generate, generate&create, insert, insert&create, model, clipboard), reload the plugin, go to Settings > Hotkeys in Obsidian, locate the new template commands, and assign your preferred hotkey like Ctrl+U.
What is the Considered Context feature?
Considered Context determines what text the AI uses as context for generation. Options include plugin settings context, selected text (only highlighted content), cursor line not empty (one line where cursor is), or cursor line is empty (everything before cursor). This gives flexibility in prompt context.
How do Code Blocks work in Text Generator?
Code Blocks allow dynamic content generation and quick template creation. Create a code block with 'tg' as language code, write commands inside, then click 'Generate Text' button to run it. Generated text appears at cursor location. You can also convert code blocks to full templates using 'Create a new Template' button.
Can I share my custom templates with others?
Yes, you can share templates by initializing a repository using the template repository on GitHub, placing prompts in the prompts folder, editing manifest.json with your package info, committing changes, and appending your manifest to community-packages.json file. Then submit a pull request for review and approval.