ReadTime 1.6 is a lightweight Joomla content plugin that adds an accurate reading-time estimate and an accessible progress bar to articles. It can also display word count, estimated finish time, and image-reading allowance in three responsive layouts.

Use it for blogs, documentation, knowledge bases, tutorials, magazines, company news, release notes, and any long-form Joomla content.

Why site owners choose it

• Useful reading estimates — configurable WPM range, minutes or seconds, minimum word threshold, and seconds-per-image allowance
• Three responsive layouts — minimal Plain line, compact Rounded Badge, or detailed Information Card
• More useful context — optional word count and estimated finish time
• Exact placement — before the article, after the article, or wherever {readtime} appears
• Multiple variants per article — add several shortcodes with isolated display overrides
• Article-aware progress — measure the article itself instead of unrelated headers and footers
• Fully configurable progress bar — top/bottom position, thickness, completed colour, track colour, and optional percentage
• Five ready-made presets — Default, Subtle, Bold, Minimal, and Highlighted, plus complete custom styling
• Global language support — Unicode-aware counting with CJK and Thai fallback
• Precise exclusions — categories, menu items, articles, featured pages, blogs, and category views
• Accessible and lightweight — native JavaScript, progressbar semantics, reduced-motion handling, print styles, and no jQuery

Shortcode freedom

Set Display Position to Shortcode {readtime}, then use the basic token:

{readtime}

Or create a specific presentation without changing backend defaults:

{readtime layout="plain" style="subtle" icon="clock" words="1"}

{readtime layout="badge" style="default" icon="book"}

{readtime layout="card" style="highlighted" words="1" finish="1"}

{readtime layout="badge" seconds="1" label="Quick read:" wpm="300"}

Shortcodes can override layout, style, icon, metrics, label, WPM, alignment, image allowance, and progress behaviour. Every omitted value continues to use the Joomla backend setting.

Built for modern Joomla

• Joomla 4, Joomla 5, and Joomla 6
• PHP 8.1 or later recommended
• Joomla Web Asset Manager
• Native, versioned CSS and JavaScript
• No jQuery dependency
• Responsive at mobile and desktop widths
• Accessible SVG icons and progress state
• Reduced-motion and print support

Quick start

1. Install plg_content_readtime_1.6.zip
2. Open System → Manage → Plugins
3. Search for Content - ReadTime
4. Configure reading speed, metrics, presentation, progress, and exclusions
5. Enable the plugin
6. Use automatic placement or add {readtime} to an article
7. Save and clear cache

Quality checked

ReadTime 1.6 completed an A-to-Z release suite covering its manifest, all 35 backend parameters, language strings, PHP and JavaScript syntax, database metadata, install package, shortcode processing, four live variants, progress from 0–100%, accessibility labels, and mobile overflow.

Result: 43 checks passed, 0 failed.

ReadTime 1.6 — make every article feel easier to begin and satisfying to finish.