diff --git a/core/bytes/reader.odin b/core/bytes/reader.odin
index deaaf4ac6..2032616d0 100644
--- a/core/bytes/reader.odin
+++ b/core/bytes/reader.odin
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import "core:io"
 import "core:unicode/utf8"
 
 Reader :: struct {
-	s:         []byte,
-	i:         i64, // current reading index
-	prev_rune: int, // previous reading index of rune or < 0
+	s:         []byte, // read-only buffer
+	i:         i64,    // current reading index
+	prev_rune: int,    // previous reading index of rune or < 0
 }
 
 reader_init :: proc(r: ^Reader, s: []byte) {
diff --git a/core/strings/reader.odin b/core/strings/reader.odin
index 46256641f..468c2f836 100644
--- a/core/strings/reader.odin
+++ b/core/strings/reader.odin
@@ -4,140 +4,174 @@ import "core:io"
 import "core:unicode/utf8"
 
 Reader :: struct {
-	using stream: io.Stream,
-	s:         string,
-	i:         i64, // current reading index
-	prev_rune: int, // previous reading index of rune or < 0
+	s:         string, // read-only buffer
+	i:         i64,    // current reading index
+	prev_rune: int,    // previous reading index of rune or < 0
 }
 
-reader_reset :: proc(r: ^Reader, s: string) {
-	r.stream_data = r;
-	r.stream_vtable = _reader_vtable;
+reader_init :: proc(r: ^Reader, s: string) {
 	r.s = s;
 	r.i = 0;
 	r.prev_rune = -1;
 }
 
-new_reader :: proc(s: string, allocator := context.allocator) -> ^Reader {
-	r := new(Reader, allocator);
-	reader_reset(r, s);
-	return r;
+reader_to_stream :: proc(r: ^Reader) -> (s: io.Stream) {
+	s.stream_data = r;
+	s.stream_vtable = _reader_vtable;
+	return;
 }
 
+reader_length :: proc(r: ^Reader) -> int {
+	if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return int(i64(len(r.s)) - r.i);
+}
+
+reader_size :: proc(r: ^Reader) -> i64 {
+	return i64(len(r.s));
+}
+
+reader_read :: proc(r: ^Reader, p: []byte) -> (n: int, err: io.Error) {
+	if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+		return 0, .EOF;
+	}
+	r.prev_rune = -1;
+	n = copy(p, r.s[r.i:]);
+	r.i += i64(n);
+	return;
+}
+reader_read_at :: proc(r: ^Reader, p: []byte, off: i64) -> (n: int, err: io.Error) {
+	if off < 0 {
+		return 0, .Invalid_Offset;
+	}
+	if off >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+		return 0, .EOF;
+	}
+	n = copy(p, r.s[off:]);
+	if n < len(p) {
+		err = .EOF;
+	}
+	return;
+}
+reader_read_byte :: proc(r: ^Reader) -> (byte, io.Error) {
+	r.prev_rune = -1;
+	if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+		return 0, .EOF;
+	}
+	b := r.s[r.i];
+	r.i += 1;
+	return b, nil;
+}
+reader_unread_byte :: proc(r: ^Reader) -> io.Error {
+	if r.i <= 0 {
+		return .Invalid_Unread;
+	}
+	r.prev_rune = -1;
+	r.i -= 1;
+	return nil;
+}
+reader_read_rune :: proc(r: ^Reader) -> (ch: rune, size: int, err: io.Error) {
+	if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+		r.prev_rune = -1;
+		return 0, 0, .EOF;
+	}
+	r.prev_rune = int(r.i);
+	if c := r.s[r.i]; c < utf8.RUNE_SELF {
+		r.i += 1;
+		return rune(c), 1, nil;
+	}
+	ch, size = utf8.decode_rune_in_string(r.s[r.i:]);
+	r.i += i64(size);
+	return;
+}
+reader_unread_rune :: proc(r: ^Reader) -> io.Error {
+	if r.i <= 0 {
+		return .Invalid_Unread;
+	}
+	if r.prev_rune < 0 {
+		return .Invalid_Unread;
+	}
+	r.i = i64(r.prev_rune);
+	r.prev_rune = -1;
+	return nil;
+}
+reader_seek :: proc(r: ^Reader, offset: i64, whence: io.Seek_From) -> (i64, io.Error) {
+	r.prev_rune = -1;
+	abs: i64;
+	switch whence {
+	case .Start:
+		abs = offset;
+	case .Current:
+		abs = r.i + offset;
+	case .End:
+		abs = i64(len(r.s)) + offset;
+	case:
+		return 0, .Invalid_Whence;
+	}
+
+	if abs < 0 {
+		return 0, .Invalid_Offset;
+	}
+	r.i = abs;
+	return abs, nil;
+}
+reader_write_to :: proc(r: ^Reader, w: io.Writer) -> (n: i64, err: io.Error) {
+	r.prev_rune = -1;
+	if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+		return 0, nil;
+	}
+	s := r.s[r.i:];
+	m: int;
+	m, err = io.write_string(w, s);
+	if m > len(s) {
+		panic("bytes.Reader.write_to: invalid io.write_string count");
+	}
+	r.i += i64(m);
+	n = i64(m);
+	if m != len(s) && err == nil {
+		err = .Short_Write;
+	}
+	return;
+}
+
+
 @(private)
 _reader_vtable := &io.Stream_VTable{
 	impl_size = proc(s: io.Stream) -> i64 {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		return i64(len(r.s));
+		return reader_size(r);
 	},
 	impl_read = proc(s: io.Stream, p: []byte) -> (n: int, err: io.Error) {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
-			return 0, .EOF;
-		}
-		r.prev_rune = -1;
-		n = copy(p, r.s[r.i:]);
-		r.i += i64(n);
-		return;
+		return reader_read(r, p);
 	},
 	impl_read_at = proc(s: io.Stream, p: []byte, off: i64) -> (n: int, err: io.Error) {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		if off < 0 {
-			return 0, .Invalid_Offset;
-		}
-		if off >= i64(len(r.s)) {
-			return 0, .EOF;
-		}
-		n = copy(p, r.s[off:]);
-		if n < len(p) {
-			err = .EOF;
-		}
-		return;
+		return reader_read_at(r, p, off);
 	},
 	impl_read_byte = proc(s: io.Stream) -> (byte, io.Error) {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		r.prev_rune = -1;
-		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
-			return 0, .EOF;
-		}
-		b := r.s[r.i];
-		r.i += 1;
-		return b, nil;
+		return reader_read_byte(r);
 	},
 	impl_unread_byte = proc(s: io.Stream) -> io.Error {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		if r.i <= 0 {
-			return .Invalid_Unread;
-		}
-		r.prev_rune = -1;
-		r.i -= 1;
-		return nil;
+		return reader_unread_byte(r);
 	},
 	impl_read_rune = proc(s: io.Stream) -> (ch: rune, size: int, err: io.Error) {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
-			r.prev_rune = -1;
-			return 0, 0, .EOF;
-		}
-		r.prev_rune = int(r.i);
-		if c := r.s[r.i]; c < utf8.RUNE_SELF {
-			r.i += 1;
-			return rune(c), 1, nil;
-		}
-		ch, size = utf8.decode_rune_in_string(r.s[r.i:]);
-		r.i += i64(size);
-		return;
+		return reader_read_rune(r);
 	},
 	impl_unread_rune = proc(s: io.Stream) -> io.Error {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		if r.i <= 0 {
-			return .Invalid_Unread;
-		}
-		if r.prev_rune < 0 {
-			return .Invalid_Unread;
-		}
-		r.i = i64(r.prev_rune);
-		r.prev_rune = -1;
-		return nil;
+		return reader_unread_rune(r);
 	},
 	impl_seek = proc(s: io.Stream, offset: i64, whence: io.Seek_From) -> (i64, io.Error) {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		r.prev_rune = -1;
-		abs: i64;
-		switch whence {
-		case .Start:
-			abs = offset;
-		case .Current:
-			abs = r.i + offset;
-		case .End:
-			abs = i64(len(r.s)) + offset;
-		case:
-			return 0, .Invalid_Whence;
-		}
-
-		if abs < 0 {
-			return 0, .Invalid_Offset;
-		}
-		r.i = abs;
-		return abs, nil;
+		return reader_seek(r, offset, whence);
 	},
 	impl_write_to = proc(s: io.Stream, w: io.Writer) -> (n: i64, err: io.Error) {
 		r := (^Reader)(s.stream_data);
-		r.prev_rune = -1;
-		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
-			return 0, nil;
-		}
-		s := r.s[r.i:];
-		m: int;
-		m, err = io.write_string(w, s);
-		if m > len(s) {
-			panic("strings.Reader.write_to: invalid io.write_string count");
-		}
-		r.i += i64(m);
-		n = i64(m);
-		if m != len(s) && err == nil {
-			err = .Short_Write;
-		}
-		return;
+		return reader_write_to(r, w);
 	},
 };