automated-readability

Formula to detect the ease of reading a text according to the automated readability index.

What is this?
When should I use this?
Install
Use
API
- automatedReadability(counts)
Types
Compatibility
Related
Contribute
Security
License

What is this?

This package exposes an algorithm to detect ease of reading of English texts.

When should I use this?

You’re probably dealing with natural language, and know you need this, if you’re here! This algorithm isn’t based on syllabbles compared to some other algorithms, which means it’s quicker to calculate.

Install

This package is ESM only. In Node.js (version 14.14+, 16.0+), install with npm:

npm install automated-readability

In Deno with esm.sh:

import {automatedReadability} from 'https://esm.sh/automated-readability@2'

In browsers with esm.sh:

<script type="module">
  import {automatedReadability} from 'https://esm.sh/automated-readability@2?bundle'
</script>

Use

import {automatedReadability} from 'automated-readability'

// For:
//
// The rule of rhythm in prose is not so intricate. Here,
// too, we write in groups, or phrases, as I prefer to call
// them, for the prose phrase is greatly longer and is much
// more nonchalantly uttered than the group in verse; so
// that not only is there a greater interval of continuous
// sound between the pauses, but, for that very reason,
// word is linked more readily to word by a more summary
// enunciation. Still, the phrase is the strict analogue
// of the group, and successive phrases, like successive
// groups, must differ openly in length and rhythm. The
// rule of scansion in verse is to suggest no measure but
// the one in hand; in prose, to suggest no measure at all.
// Prose must be rhythmical, and it may be as much so as
// you will; but it must not be metrical. It may be
// anything, but it must not be verse.
//
// Containing 6 sentences, 151 words, and 623 characters.
automatedReadability({
  sentence: 6,
  word: 151,
  character: 623
})
// => 10.585982…

API

This package exports the identifier automatedReadability. There is no default export.

`automatedReadability(counts)`

Given an object containing the number of words (word), the number of sentences (sentence), and the number of characters (character) in a document, returns the grade level associated with the document.

`counts`

Counts from input document.

`counts.sentence`

Number of sentences (number, required).

`counts.word`

Number of words (number, required).

`counts.character`

Number of characters (number, required).

Returns

Grade level associated with the document (number).

Types

This package is fully typed with TypeScript. It exports the additional type Counts.

Compatibility

This package is at least compatible with all maintained versions of Node.js. As of now, that is Node.js 14.14+ and 16.0+. It also works in Deno and modern browsers.

coleman-liau — uses letter count instead of an error-prone syllable parser
dale-chall-formula — uses a dictionary, suited for higher reading levels
flesch — uses syllable count
flesch-kincaid — like flesch-formula, returns U.S. grade levels
gunning-fog — uses syllable count, hard to implement (needs POS-tagging and NER)
smog-formula — like gunning-fog-index, without the need for advanced NLP tasks
spache-formula — uses a dictionary, suited for lower reading levels

words/automated-readability