Guide · Open source
How to use Horizon: set up your own AI news digest
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
Horizon is a self-hosted, open-source tool that gathers news from sources you configure and uses AI models to rank and summarize them into a daily briefing in English and Chinese. This guide is for people who want a personalized news digest they run themselves, and it walks through what you need before you start, how to get the code, and what the output looks like. By the end you will know the prerequisites, the first setup step, and where to look for configuration details.
HorizonThysrael/Horizon · ★ 11.6k · MIT Install options & downloads Quick start
- 1Check prerequisites. Make sure Python and uv are installed on your machine.
- 2Clone the repository. Run git clone https://github.com/Thysrael/Horizon to download the project.
- 3Open the Configuration Guide. Read the Configuration Guide linked from the README for setup details.
- 4Add your news sources. Choose the sources Horizon should gather from.
- 5Add an AI model key. Connect a model provider, since summaries depend on it.
- 6Set up notifications. Optionally configure Feishu to receive briefings.
- 7Review the briefing. Check the ranked overview and per-story summaries, and verify important stories at the original source.
What Horizon does and who it is for
Horizon is a news radar you host yourself. It collects articles from sources you set up, then uses AI models to rank them and write summaries. The result is a daily briefing rather than a feed you scroll through across many sites.
The README shows three main views: a ranked daily overview, a detail page for each story with context and summary, and notifications sent to Feishu. A terminal log screenshot is also included.
- Good fit: people who want a personalized daily digest they run themselves
- Good fit: readers who need news in both English and Chinese
- Good fit: Feishu users who want briefings pushed there
- Not a fit: people who want a ready-made news app with no setup
- Not a fit: anyone who needs a verified news source, since output quality depends on configured sources and models
What you need before installing Horizon
The README lists Python and uv as the prerequisites. Horizon is installed by cloning the repository and building it locally, so you should be comfortable with a terminal and with configuring Python tools.
The summaries depend on AI model providers, so you also need access to an LLM provider and its API key. The README mentions providers including Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Doubao, MiniMax and Ollama.
- Python
- uv
- Access to at least one AI model provider (API key)
- Comfort editing configuration files
Clone the Horizon repository
The README's install method is clone-and-build. Start by cloning the repository from GitHub into a folder on your machine.
After cloning, open the project folder. The README points to a Configuration Guide on the project's documentation site for the setup details that follow.
git clone https://github.com/Thysrael/HorizonConfigure sources and AI models
Horizon's output depends on two things you control: the news sources it gathers from and the AI models that rank and summarize them. The README centers on configuration, so expect this to be the bulk of the work.
The project's Configuration Guide is linked from the README at the project documentation site. Follow it for the exact file names and settings, since this guide does not repeat them.
- Choose the news sources you want gathered
- Add the API key for your chosen model provider
- Set up Feishu notifications if you want briefings pushed there
Read the daily briefing
The daily overview ranks stories for the day. Each story has its own page with context and a summary, and a discussion area is shown in the README screenshot.
If you use Feishu, notifications deliver the briefing to that app. The README shows the Feishu notification alongside the terminal output.
- Ranked daily overview
- Per-story context, summary and discussion
- Terminal log output
- Feishu notification
Compare Horizon with similar tools
Horizon is an AI-ranked digest, while the comparable projects listed for it work differently. Miniflux, FreshRSS and Feedly-style readers are feed readers that show you articles from the feeds you subscribe to. TrendRadar is another news-monitoring project in the same space.
If you mainly want to read full feeds yourself, a classic RSS reader may suit you better. If you want an AI-written daily digest, Horizon is the closer match.
What people use it for
- Reading a personalized daily digest of chosen topics without visiting many sites
- Getting news summaries in both English and Chinese
- Receiving a daily briefing in Feishu
- Experimenting with AI ranking and summarization of news as a developer
Frequently asked questions
How do I install Horizon?
Horizon is installed by cloning the repository from GitHub and building it locally. The README gives the clone command git clone https://github.com/Thysrael/Horizon, and the prerequisites are Python and uv.
Is Horizon free?
Horizon is released under the MIT licence. The README does not list prices for the AI model providers, so check each provider's terms for their costs.
What are the requirements for Horizon?
You need Python and uv, plus access to an AI model provider with an API key. The README centers on configuration and self-hosting, so some comfort with Python tools helps.
Does Horizon work in Chinese?
Yes. Horizon generates daily briefings in English and Chinese, and the README is also available in Simplified Chinese and Japanese.
What are alternatives to Horizon?
The README lists Miniflux, FreshRSS, Feedly-style RSS readers and TrendRadar as comparable projects. RSS readers show articles from feeds you subscribe to, while Horizon adds AI ranking and summaries.
Can I trust the news Horizon summarizes?
Output quality depends on the sources you configure and the AI models you use. Check important stories against the original source before relying on them.
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Our verdict
Horizon suits developers and self-hosters who want a personalized daily news digest in English and Chinese, and who already have access to an AI model provider. If you want a ready-made news app with no setup, or a verified news source, pick a different tool such as a standard RSS reader.
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