Estimated Reading Time

What it does: Calculates the estimated reading time for content files (Markdown/HTML) and exposes this data to Twig templates.

Events: PRE_RENDER (priority 50)

How to use: Enable the feature and use the {{ reading_time_label }} variable in your templates.

Configuration

StaticForge enables this feature by default. You can configure it in your siteconfig.yaml file to adjust the words-per-minute (WPM) or the label text.

reading_time:
  wpm: 200              # Words per minute (default: 200)
  exclude:              # Paths to ignore
    - /contact
    - /search
  label_singular: "min read"
  label_plural: "min read"

Template variables

The feature automatically injects the following variables into your file's metadata, available in your Twig templates:

• reading_time_minutes (int): The raw number of minutes (e.g., 5).
• reading_time_label (string): The formatted label (e.g., "5 min read").

Example usage

<article>
    <header>
        <h1>{{ title }}</h1>
        <div class="meta">
            <span>By {{ author }}</span>
            <span>&bull;</span>
            <span>{{ reading_time_label }}</span>
        </div>
    </header>

    <div class="content">
        {{ content }}
    </div>
</article>

How calculation works

1. Strips HTML: All HTML tags are removed from the content to count only the actual text.
2. Counts Words: Uses a standard word count algorithm.
3. Calculates Time: Divides total words by the configured wpm (default 200).
4. Rounds Up: Always rounds up the nearest minute (e.g., 20 seconds is "1 min read").