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text-file-read

Reads a UTF-8 text file and prints its raw content verbatim to stdout.

6.8k|540|Updated May 6, 2026
Search Tags:#Python#utf-8#Read#verbatim#stdout#FileSystem#text file
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/opensquilla/opensquilla --skill text-file-read
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: text-file-read
Source: https://github.com/opensquilla/opensquilla/tree/main/src/opensquilla/skills/bundled/text-file-read
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/opensquilla/opensquilla --skill text-file-read

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

When a multi-step workflow pauses so a user can hand-edit an artefact on disk (such as a script, SRT, or YAML file), the next step needs the file's exact bytes back. The builtin read_file tool prepends line numbers for model display, which corrupts structured files when fed into downstream parsers. This Skill returns the file content unmodified.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Verbatim Output: Prints the file's UTF-8 content to stdout with no line numbers, decoration, or added newlines.
  • Size Guard: Refuses to read files larger than a configurable max_bytes limit (default 200000), protecting against accidental binary reads.
  • Use Case: During a review pause in a meta-skill workflow, the user edits script.txt on disk; this Skill reads the edited file back so the next step honors the user's changes instead of the stale in-context copy.

Quick Start

Read the file at /tmp/script.txt and return its exact contents so I can continue the workflow with the edited version.

Frequently Asked Questions about text-file-read

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I read a text file's raw content without line numbers?▼

Run this Skill with the input path and it prints the file's UTF-8 bytes verbatim to stdout. Unlike display-oriented file readers, it adds no line-number prefixes, so structured files like YAML or SRT survive intact for downstream parsers.

What is the difference between this and the builtin read_file tool?▼

The builtin read_file tool prepends a line-number prefix to every line for LLM display, which corrupts structured files when piped into parsers. This Skill returns the bytes unmodified, making it suitable for round-tripping artefacts through disk.

Can I read large files with this text file reader?▼

Files larger than the max_bytes limit are refused with an error showing the actual size. The default limit is 200000 bytes, and you can raise it via the max_bytes input if you need to read bigger text files.

Why does reading a file fail with a decode error?▼

The Skill only accepts valid UTF-8 files. If the file contains bytes that cannot be decoded as UTF-8, it exits with code 1 and reports the decode error on stderr rather than returning corrupted content.

What happens if the input file path does not exist?▼

The Skill checks that the path is an existing file before reading. If the file is missing, it exits with code 1 and prints an explanatory message to stderr.

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