---

name: extract-transcripts description: Extract readable transcripts from Claude Code and Codex CLI session JSONL files

Extract Transcripts

Extracts readable markdown transcripts from Claude Code and Codex CLI session JSONL files.

Scripts

Claude Code Sessions

Copy# Extract a single session
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_transcript.py <session.jsonl>

# With tool calls and thinking blocks
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_transcript.py <session.jsonl> --include-tools --include-thinking

# Extract all sessions from a directory
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_transcript.py <directory> --all

# Output to file
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_transcript.py <session.jsonl> -o output.md

# Summary only (quick overview)
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_transcript.py <session.jsonl> --summary

# Skip empty/warmup-only sessions
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_transcript.py <directory> --all --skip-empty

Options:

• --include-tools: Include tool calls and results
• --include-thinking: Include Claude's thinking blocks
• --all: Process all .jsonl files in directory
• -o, --output: Output file path (default: stdout)
• --summary: Only output brief summary
• --skip-empty: Skip empty and warmup-only sessions
• --min-messages N: Minimum messages for --skip-empty (default: 2)

Codex CLI Sessions

Copy# Extract a Codex session
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_codex_transcript.py <session.jsonl>

# Extract from Codex history file
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/extract_codex_transcript.py ~/.codex/history.jsonl --history

Session File Locations

Claude Code

• Sessions: ~/.claude/projects/<project-path>/<session-id>.jsonl

Codex CLI

• Sessions: ~/.codex/sessions/<session_id>/rollout.jsonl
• History: ~/.codex/history.jsonl

DuckDB-Based Transcript Index

For querying across many sessions, use the DuckDB-based indexer:

Copy# Index all sessions (incremental - only new/changed files)
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py index

# Force full reindex
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py index --full

# Limit number of files to process
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py index --limit 10

# List recent sessions
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py recent
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py recent --limit 20
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py recent --project myapp
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py recent --since 7d

# Search across sessions
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py search "error handling"
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py search "query" --cwd ~/myproject

# Show a session transcript
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py show <file_path>
python3 ~/.claude/skills/extract-transcripts/transcript_index.py show <file_path> --summary

Requirements: DuckDB (pip install duckdb)

Database location: ~/.claude/transcript-index/sessions.duckdb

Output Format

Transcripts are formatted as markdown with:

• Session metadata (date, duration, model, working directory, git branch)
• User messages prefixed with ## User
• Assistant responses prefixed with ## Assistant
• Tool calls in code blocks (if --include-tools)
• Thinking in blockquotes (if --include-thinking)
• Tool usage summary for Codex sessions