Adding reading time estimation to Article

plugins/content/timeestimation/language/en-GB/plg_content_timeestimation.ini

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+; Joomla! Project
+; Copyright (C) 2025 Your Name. All rights reserved.
+; License: GNU/GPL v2 or later
+
+; Plugin metadata (shown in Extensions Manager)
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION="Content - Time Estimation"
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_DESCRIPTION="Displays an estimated reading time before each article, based on a configurable words-per-minute reading speed."
+
+; Admin param labels
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WPM_LABEL="Words Per Minute"
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WPM_DESC="Average reading speed in words per minute. Typical adult: 200-250 wpm. Lower for technical content."
+
+; Front-end badge strings
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_MINUTES="%d min read"
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WORD_COUNT="%d words"

plugins/content/timeestimation/language/en-GB/plg_content_timeestimation.sys.ini

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+; Joomla! Project
+; Copyright (C) 2026 Joomla! Project. All rights reserved.
+; License: GNU/GPL v2 or later
+
+; Plugin metadata (shown in Extensions Manager)
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION="Content - Time Estimation"
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_DESCRIPTION="Displays an estimated reading time before each article, based on a configurable words-per-minute reading speed."
+
+; Admin param labels
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WPM_LABEL="Words Per Minute"
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WPM_DESC="Average reading speed in words per minute. Typical adult: 200-250 wpm. Lower for technical content."
+
+; Front-end badge strings
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_MINUTES="%d min read"
+PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WORD_COUNT="%d words"

plugins/content/timeestimation/services/provider.php

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+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @package     Joomla.Plugin
+ * @subpackage  Content.Timeestimation
+ *
+* @copyright   (C) 2023 Open Source Matters, Inc. <https://www.joomla.org>
+* @license     GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
+ */
+
+// Prevent direct access
+defined('_JEXEC') or die;
+
+use Joomla\CMS\Extension\PluginInterface;
+use Joomla\CMS\Plugin\PluginHelper;
+use Joomla\DI\Container;
+use Joomla\DI\ServiceProviderInterface;
+use Joomla\Event\DispatcherInterface;
+use Joomla\CMS\Factory;
+use Joomla\Plugin\Content\Timeestimation\Extension\Timeestimation;
+
+
+return new class() implements ServiceProviderInterface
+{
+    public function register(Container $container)
+    {
+        $container->set(
+            PluginInterface::class,
+            function (Container $container) {
+                $config = (array) PluginHelper::getPlugin('content', 'timeestimation');
+                $subject = $container->get(DispatcherInterface::class);
+                $app = Factory::getApplication();
+
+                $plugin = new Timeestimation($subject, $config);
+                $plugin->setApplication($app);
+
+                return $plugin;
+            }
+        );
+    }
+};

plugins/content/timeestimation/src/Extension/Timeestimation.php

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+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @package     Joomla.Plugin
+ * @subpackage  Content.Timeestimation
+ *
+ * @copyright   (C) 2026 Joomla! Project. All rights reserved.
+ * @license     GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
+ */
+
+namespace Joomla\Plugin\Content\Timeestimation\Extension;
+
+use Joomla\CMS\Event\Content\AfterTitleEvent;
+use Joomla\CMS\Event\Content\ContentPrepareEvent;
+use Joomla\CMS\Plugin\CMSPlugin;
+use Joomla\Event\SubscriberInterface;
+use Joomla\CMS\Event\Model\PrepareFormEvent;
+use Joomla\Event\Event;
+
+// phpcs:disable PSR1.Files.SideEffects
+\defined('_JEXEC') or die;
+// phpcs:enable PSR1.Files.SideEffects
+
+/**
+ * Time Estimation Plugin
+ *
+ * Uses TWO events:
+ *
+ *  1. onContentPrepare   – runs first, counts words while $article->text is
+ *                          still raw HTML, stores the result on the article object.
+ *
+ *  2. onContentAfterTitle – runs later, reads the pre-computed values and returns
+ *                           the badge HTML as the event result.  Joomla collects
+ *                           that string into $this->item->event->afterDisplayTitle,
+ *                           which default.php echoes directly below the title:
+ *
+ *                           <?php echo $this->item->event->afterDisplayTitle; ?>
+ *
+ */
+class Timeestimation extends CMSPlugin implements SubscriberInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * Auto-load the plugin language file.
+     *
+     * @var boolean
+     */
+
+
+    /**
+     * Fallback WPM when the admin param is absent or invalid.
+     *
+     * @var integer
+     */
+    private const DEFAULT_WPM = 50;
+
+    /**
+     * Map Joomla events → listener methods.
+     *
+     * @return  array
+     */
+    public static function getSubscribedEvents(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            // Step 1: count words while the raw text is available.
+            'onContentPrepare'    => 'prepare',
+
+            // Step 2: return the badge into the afterDisplayTitle template slot.
+            'onContentAfterTitle' => 'displayBadge',
+        ];
+    }
+
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Step 1 — onContentPrepare
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * Count words and store reading-time data on the article object.
+     *
+     * We do the heavy work here because $article->text is fully available
+     * during onContentPrepare. By the time onContentAfterTitle fires, Joomla
+     * may have already processed the text further.
+     *
+     * @param   ContentPrepareEvent  $event
+     *
+     * @return  void
+     */
+    public function prepare(ContentPrepareEvent $event): void
+    {
+        $context = $event->getContext();
+        $article = $event->getItem();
+
+        if (!\in_array($context, ['com_content.article', 'com_content.category', 'com_content.featured'])) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (empty($article->text)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $wpm = (int) $this->params->get('words_per_minute', self::DEFAULT_WPM);
+
+        if ($wpm <= 0) {
+            $wpm = self::DEFAULT_WPM;
+        }
+
+        // Store on the article so displayBadge() can read it without re-counting.
+        $article->readingTimeWords   = $this->countWords($article->text);
+        $article->readingTimeMinutes = max(1, (int) ceil($article->readingTimeWords / $wpm));
+    }
+
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Step 2 — onContentAfterTitle
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * Return the badge HTML into the afterDisplayTitle template slot.
+     *
+     * Joomla accumulates every plugin's return value for this event and stores
+     * the combined string in $this->item->event->afterDisplayTitle.
+     * default.php then echoes it with:
+     *
+     *     <?php echo $this->item->event->afterDisplayTitle; ?>
+     *
+     *
+     * @param   AfterTitleEvent  $event
+     *
+     * @return  void
+     */
+    public function displayBadge(AfterTitleEvent $event): void
+    {
+        $context = $event->getContext();
+        $article = $event->getItem();
+
+        // Only show on single article view — not in category/blog list cards.
+        if ($context !== 'com_content.article') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Safety check: prepare() may have been skipped (e.g. empty article).
+        if (!isset($article->readingTimeMinutes)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Return the badge into the event result.
+        // Joomla reads this and writes it into $article->event->afterDisplayTitle.
+        $event->addResult($this->buildBadge($article->readingTimeMinutes, $article->readingTimeWords));
+    }
+
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Helpers
+    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * Count visible words in an HTML string.
+     *
+     * @param   string  $html
+     *
+     * @return  integer
+     */
+    private function countWords(string $html): int
+    {
+        $text = strip_tags($html);
+        $text = html_entity_decode($text, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
+        $text = preg_replace('/\s+/', ' ', trim($text));
+
+        return $text === '' ? 0 : str_word_count($text);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Build the reading-time HTML badge.
+     *
+     * @param   integer  $minutes
+     * @param   integer  $wordCount
+     *
+     * @return  string
+     */
+    private function buildBadge(int $minutes, int $wordCount): string
+    {
+        $minLabel = $minutes === 1 ? 'min read' : 'mins read';
+
+        return '<div class="reading-time-badge">'
+             . '<span>&#128337; <strong>' . $minutes . '</strong> ' . $minLabel . '</span>'
+             . '<span> (' . $wordCount . ' words)</span>'
+             . '</div>';
+    }
+}

plugins/content/timeestimation/timeestimation.xml

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+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<extension type="plugin" group="content" method="upgrade">
+
+    <name>PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION</name>
+	<author>Joomla! Project</author>
+	<creationDate>2026-3</creationDate>
+	<copyright>(C) 2026 Open Source Matters, Inc.</copyright>
+	<license>GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt</license>
+	<authorEmail>admin@joomla.org</authorEmail>
+	<authorUrl>www.joomla.org</authorUrl>
+	<version>1.0.0</version>
+    <description>PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_DESCRIPTION</description>
+<namespace path="src">Joomla\Plugin\Content\Timeestimation</namespace>
+
+    <files>
+        <folder plugin="timeestimation">services</folder>
+        <folder>src</folder>
+        <folder>language</folder>
+    </files>
+
+	<languages>
+		<language tag="en-GB">language/en-GB/plg_content_timeestimation.ini</language>
+		<language tag="en-GB">language/en-GB/plg_content_timeestimation.sys.ini</language>
+	</languages>
+
+    <config>
+        <fields name="params">
+            <fieldset name="basic">
+                <field
+                    name="words_per_minute"
+                    type="text"
+                    label="PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WPM_LABEL"
+                    description="PLG_CONTENT_TIMEESTIMATION_WPM_DESC"
+                    default="200"
+                    filter="integer"
+                />
+
+            </fieldset>
+        </fields>
+    </config>
+
+</extension>