TXT Reader Studio is a VS Code extension for reading .txt files in a cleaner, more immersive layout. It is designed for long-form plain text, novels, notes, transcripts, and exported documents that deserve a better reading experience than the default editor.
Features
.txt files open directly in the custom reading view by default
Focused reading panel built with a warm paper-like layout
Theme switching: Paper, Sepia, Night
Adjustable typography: font size, line height, content width
Search inside the current text
Reading progress indicator
Estimated reading time and word count
Auto-detected section navigation for common headings such as Chapter 1, 第1章, # Heading
Re-renders automatically when the source file changes
Command to reopen the same file in the normal text editor
Usage
Open a .txt file.
The file will open in TXT Reader Studio by default.
Use TXT Reader: Reopen as Text Editor if you want the normal source editor.
You can still manually use TXT Reader: Open in Reader from the command palette or explorer.
Publish Strategy
This extension uses the standard VS Code Extension API, which gives it the best compatibility path across VS Code-like IDEs.
VS Code: publish to the Visual Studio Marketplace.
Cursor: install through compatible marketplace support or by .vsix.
Antigravity and similar IDEs: prefer .vsix compatibility and Open VSX style distribution when supported by the host IDE.
Package
Install dependencies and create a package:
npm install
npm run package:vsix
After packaging, you will get a .vsix file that can be uploaded or installed manually.
Next Ideas
Pagination mode for book-like reading
Remember per-file reading progress in workspace storage
