diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/cli/commands.md b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/cli/commands.md
index ed41b6b821..b3e265301b 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/cli/commands.md
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/cli/commands.md
@@ -3,16 +3,6 @@ title: Commands
 description: List of all CLI commands
 sidebar:
   order: 100
-hero:
-  image:
-    alt: "A 2D 8-bit style illustration made with flat geometric shapes in five
-      colors, featuring interlocking icons: document scripts, gears, file
-      folders, command line terminals, a brain with circuits for AI, stacked
-      disks for data, a server/cloud, and a filmstrip for video. The design is
-      corporate and minimal, with no text, people, or background, sized at
-      128x128 pixels."
-    file: ./commands.png
-
 ---
 
 <!-- autogenerated, do not edit -->
diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/scripts/system.mdx b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/scripts/system.mdx
index c8d455dbc7..3f4dbb8e1d 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/scripts/system.mdx
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/scripts/system.mdx
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
 ---
 title: System Prompts
 sidebar:
-  order: 10
+    order: 10
 description: Learn how to utilize system prompts to enhance script execution in GenAIScript.
 keywords: system prompts, script execution, genai templates, environment consistency
-hero:
-  image:
-    alt: No image prompt was provided to describe.
-    file: ./system.png
-
 ---
 System prompts are scripts that are executed and injected before the main prompt output.
 
diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/vscode/running-scripts.mdx b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/vscode/running-scripts.mdx
index 14deff7493..aa0e8d70e4 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/reference/vscode/running-scripts.mdx
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/reference/vscode/running-scripts.mdx
@@ -1,21 +1,21 @@
 ---
 title: Running Scripts
 sidebar:
-  order: 3
+    order: 3
 description: Learn how to run GenAIScripts in Visual Studio Code using the
-  GenAIScript extension.
+    GenAIScript extension.
 keywords: GenAIScript, Visual Studio Code, run scripts, command palette, context menu
 hero:
-  image:
-    alt: "An 8-bit style image displays a basic computer screen set at a small
-      square size. On screen are geometric icons: a script file with a play
-      button, a file explorer showing several files and folders, and one
-      file—labeled as .gitignore—stands out with a highlight. The palette uses
-      only five businesslike colors; the graphics are flat, minimal, and use
-      simple shapes, with no background, shading, or words. Everything is
-      arranged for a tidy, iconic appearance."
-    file: ./running-scripts.png
-
+    image:
+        alt:
+            "An 8-bit style image displays a basic computer screen set at a small
+            square size. On screen are geometric icons: a script file with a play
+            button, a file explorer showing several files and folders, and one
+            file—labeled as .gitignore—stands out with a highlight. The palette uses
+            only five businesslike colors; the graphics are flat, minimal, and use
+            simple shapes, with no background, shading, or words. Everything is
+            arranged for a tidy, iconic appearance."
+        file: ./running-scripts.png
 ---
 
 import { YouTube } from "astro-embed"
@@ -60,6 +60,18 @@ This mode allows to run scripts on any combination of files and folders, which w
 - open an file in the editor (not a GenAIScript file)
 - right-click and select **Run GenAIScript** from the context menu
 
+## Using the selected text in your script
+
+Whenever you launch a script, GenAIScript will grab the selected text in the active text editor
+and store in the `editor.selectedText` variable.
+
+```js
+const text = env.vars["editor.selectedText"]
+```
+
+If value will be undefined if you run your script from the command line,
+so you should handle that case in your script.
+
 ## .gitignore rules
 
 GenAIScript tries to respect the **top-level `.gitignore` rules in the project workspace** (it ignores nested .gitignore files).
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types/prompt_template.d.ts b/packages/core/src/types/prompt_template.d.ts
index 3e37f63ddc..c69a81b18b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types/prompt_template.d.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types/prompt_template.d.ts
@@ -1666,6 +1666,10 @@ interface ExpansionVariables {
          * Selected model identifier in GitHub Copilot Chat
          */
         "copilot.model"?: string
+        /**
+         * selected text in active text editor
+         */
+        "editor.selectedText"?: string
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/packages/sample/genaisrc/selected-text.genai.mts b/packages/sample/genaisrc/selected-text.genai.mts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..baa0ff6061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/sample/genaisrc/selected-text.genai.mts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+script({
+    model: "echo"
+})
+
+def("TEXT", env.vars["editor.selectedText"])
+$`Summarize <TEXT> in a single sentence.`
diff --git a/packages/vscode/src/fragmentcommands.ts b/packages/vscode/src/fragmentcommands.ts
index 7dd86dc059..aa273862f1 100644
--- a/packages/vscode/src/fragmentcommands.ts
+++ b/packages/vscode/src/fragmentcommands.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
     showPromptParametersQuickPicks,
 } from "./parameterquickpick"
 import { scriptsToQuickPickItems } from "./scriptquickpick"
+import { getSelectedText } from "./selection"
 
 export function activateFragmentCommands(state: ExtensionState) {
     const { context, host } = state
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@ export function activateFragmentCommands(state: ExtensionState) {
         fileOrFolder: vscode.Uri | undefined,
         extraArgs: vscode.Uri[] | { groupId: unknown } | undefined
     ) => {
+        // grab this early before any UI interactions
+        const selectedText = getSelectedText()
+
         // fileOrFolder is undefined from the command palette
         const fileOrFolders = Array.isArray(extraArgs)
             ? (extraArgs as vscode.Uri[])
@@ -72,16 +76,23 @@ export function activateFragmentCommands(state: ExtensionState) {
         let files: string[]
         let parameters: PromptParameters
 
+        const defaultValues = { selectedText }
         if (GENAI_ANY_REGEX.test(fileOrFolder?.path)) {
             const script = findScript(fileOrFolder)
-            parameters = await showPromptParametersQuickPicks(script)
+            parameters = await showPromptParametersQuickPicks(
+                script,
+                defaultValues
+            )
             if (parameters === undefined) return
             scriptId = script?.id || fileOrFolder.toString()
             files = []
         } else {
             const script = await pickTemplate()
             if (!script) return
-            parameters = await showPromptParametersQuickPicks(script)
+            parameters = await showPromptParametersQuickPicks(
+                script,
+                defaultValues
+            )
             if (parameters === undefined) return
             scriptId = script.id
             files = fileOrFolders?.map((f) => f.fsPath) || [
@@ -98,6 +109,10 @@ export function activateFragmentCommands(state: ExtensionState) {
 
     const scriptDebug = async (file: vscode.Uri) => {
         if (!file) return
+
+        // grab this early before any UI interactions
+        const selectedText = getSelectedText()
+
         await state.cancelAiRequest()
         await state.parseWorkspace()
 
@@ -114,7 +129,11 @@ export function activateFragmentCommands(state: ExtensionState) {
             if (!script) return
             files = [file]
         }
-        const parameters = await showPromptParametersQuickPicks(script)
+        const defaultValues = { selectedText }
+        const parameters = await showPromptParametersQuickPicks(
+            script,
+            defaultValues
+        )
         if (parameters === undefined) return
 
         const { cliPath, cliVersion } = await resolveCli(state)
diff --git a/packages/vscode/src/parameterquickpick.ts b/packages/vscode/src/parameterquickpick.ts
index 3eb9caf2ea..55e5fe94ee 100644
--- a/packages/vscode/src/parameterquickpick.ts
+++ b/packages/vscode/src/parameterquickpick.ts
@@ -9,16 +9,21 @@ export interface TemplateQuickPickItem extends vscode.QuickPickItem {
 }
 
 export async function showPromptParametersQuickPicks(
-    script: PromptScript
+    script: PromptScript,
+    defaultValues?: PromptParameters
 ): Promise<PromptParameters> {
-    const parameters: PromptParameters = {}
+    const parameters: PromptParameters = structuredClone(defaultValues || {})
     if (!script?.parameters) return parameters
 
-    for (const param in script.parameters || {}) {
+    const params = script.parameters || {}
+
+    for (const param in params) {
+        if (parameters[param] !== undefined) continue
+
         const schema = promptParameterTypeToJSONSchema(script.parameters[param])
         switch (schema.type) {
             case "string": {
-                let value: string
+                let value: string | undefined
                 const enums = schema.enum
                 const uiSuggestions = schema.uiSuggestions
                 if (enums?.length) {
diff --git a/packages/vscode/src/selection.ts b/packages/vscode/src/selection.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7f5bd5d8a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vscode/src/selection.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import * as vscode from "vscode"
+
+export function getSelectedText() {
+    const textEditor = vscode.window.activeTextEditor
+    if (!textEditor) return undefined
+
+    const selection = textEditor.selection
+    if (!selection) return undefined
+
+    // get selected text
+    const selectedText = textEditor.document.getText(selection)
+    return selectedText
+}