ckeditor5, draft-js, froala-editor, medium-editor, pell, quill, slate, and tinymce are all rich text editor libraries for web applications, enabling users to create and edit formatted content directly in the browser. These packages range from lightweight HTML-enhancement tools to full-fledged document editing frameworks with structured data models, collaborative features, and deep customization capabilities. While they share the common goal of providing a WYSIWYG editing experience, they differ significantly in architecture, extensibility, licensing, and suitability for various application types — from simple comment fields to complex document authoring systems.
Rich Text Editors Compared: Architecture, Customization, and Real-World Trade-offs
Choosing a rich text editor for your web application is more than picking a UI widget — it’s about committing to an architecture, data model, and extensibility strategy that will shape how you build features for months or years. The packages ckeditor5, draft-js, froala-editor, medium-editor, pell, quill, slate, and tinymce all solve the same surface problem (editing formatted text in the browser), but they do so with dramatically different philosophies. Let’s compare them from a frontend architect’s perspective.
🧱 Core Data Model: How Each Editor Represents Content
The biggest architectural difference lies in how each editor stores and manipulates document state.
ckeditor5 uses a custom model-view-controller (MVC) architecture with its own immutable document model based on operations and deltas. Content is not stored as HTML but as a structured tree of nodes.
// ckeditor5: Accessing the model
editor.model.document.getRoot().getChildren(); // returns iterable of model nodes
draft-js (by Facebook) represents content as an immutable block-based model, where each paragraph, list item, or embed is a ContentBlock. State lives in a single immutable EditorState object.
// draft-js: Reading current content
const contentState = editorState.getCurrentContent();
const blocks = contentState.getBlocksAsArray();
slate uses a JSON-based document model made of nested nodes (elements and texts). It’s designed to be fully serializable and framework-agnostic.
// slate: Document structure
const initialValue = [
{
type: 'paragraph',
children: [{ text: 'Hello, world!' }]
}
];
quill uses a Delta format — a JSON-based operational transform (OT) representation that describes changes as insertions, deletions, and retains.
// quill: Delta example
const delta = {
ops: [
{ insert: 'Hello ' },
{ insert: 'world!', attributes: { bold: true } }
]
};
tinymce, froala-editor, medium-editor, and pell all operate primarily on HTML strings. They enhance a <textarea> or contenteditable div and expose the resulting HTML directly.
// tinymce: Get HTML content
const html = tinymce.activeEditor.getContent();
// pell: Simple HTML access
const html = pellElement.content.innerHTML;
💡 Architectural Takeaway: If you need structured, semantic document data (e.g., for collaborative editing, versioning, or transformation pipelines), avoid pure HTML-based editors (
pell,medium-editor,froala,tinymce). Chooseslate,draft-js,ckeditor5, orquillinstead.
⚙️ Extensibility: Adding Custom Features
How easy is it to add a button that inserts a custom component like a tweet embed or a code snippet?
ckeditor5 requires building plugins using its strict plugin system. You define schema rules, converters (for view-model mapping), and UI components.
// ckeditor5: Minimal plugin
class MyPlugin extends Plugin {
init() {
this.editor.commands.add('myCommand', new MyCommand(this.editor));
this.editor.ui.componentFactory.add('myButton', locale => {
const button = new ButtonView(locale);
button.on('execute', () => this.editor.execute('myCommand'));
return button;
});
}
}
slate lets you define custom node types and renderers via React components. Logic lives in plugins (functions that receive the editor instance).
// slate: Custom element renderer
const Element = ({ attributes, children, element }) => {
switch (element.type) {
case 'tweet':
return <TweetEmbed {...attributes} url={element.url} />;
default:
return <p {...attributes}>{children}</p>;
}
};
draft-js uses decorators and custom block render maps. You override how blocks are rendered and handle key commands.
// draft-js: Custom block renderer
const blockRenderMap = Immutable.Map({
'tweet': {
element: 'div',
wrapper: <TweetComponent />
}
});
quill supports modules, formats, and themes. Custom formats extend Parchment (its DOM abstraction layer).
// quill: Custom format
const Embed = Quill.import('blots/embed');
class TweetBlot extends Embed {
static create(value) {
let node = super.create();
node.setAttribute('data-url', value);
// ... render tweet
return node;
}
}
Quill.register(TweetBlot);
tinymce and froala-editor offer plugin APIs focused on toolbar buttons and dialog boxes, but customization is often limited to predefined hooks.
// tinymce: Custom button
tinymce.init({
setup: (editor) => {
editor.ui.registry.addButton('mybutton', {
text: 'Insert Tweet',
onAction: () => editor.insertContent('<div class="tweet">...</div>')
});
}
});
medium-editor and pell provide minimal extension points — mostly through event listeners and manual DOM manipulation.
// pell: No official plugin system — just DOM
pellElement.addEventListener('input', () => {
// manually scan and replace patterns
});
⚠️ Note:
medium-editoris no longer actively maintained (last npm publish was in 2018). Avoid for new projects.
📦 Framework Integration: React, Vue, and Beyond
draft-js is built for React and only works in React apps. It uses React for rendering and state management.
slate is framework-agnostic but has first-class React bindings (slate-react). You can use it with Vue or Svelte via community adapters, but core logic is framework-independent.
ckeditor5 offers official builds for React, Vue, and Angular. Under the hood, it renders its own UI layer (not your framework’s components).
quill is framework-agnostic but integrates cleanly via wrappers (e.g., react-quill).
tinymce provides official React, Vue, and Angular components that wrap the core editor.
froala-editor also ships official framework wrappers.
pell and medium-editor are vanilla JS — they work anywhere but require manual lifecycle management in component-based apps.
🔐 Licensing and Commercial Use
This is a critical real-world concern:
ckeditor5: Open source (GPL/LGPL/MPL tri-license), but commercial license required if you don’t comply with copyleft terms.draft-js: MIT license — free for any use.froala-editor: Commercial license required for production use. Free trial available.medium-editor: MIT license.pell: MIT license.quill: BSD-3-Clause — permissive and business-friendly.slate: MIT license.tinymce: Open source under LGPL, but commercial license required for proprietary software unless you dynamically link and comply with LGPL terms.
💡 Practical Advice: If you’re building proprietary software and want zero legal risk, prefer MIT/BSD-licensed editors (
draft-js,pell,quill,slate,medium-editor). But remember:medium-editoris unmaintained.
🛠️ Real-World Code Comparison: Inserting a Custom Block
Let’s see how each editor handles inserting a custom “alert box” block.
ckeditor5
// Requires defining a full plugin with schema, converter, command, and UI
editor.execute('insertAlert', { message: 'Warning!' });
draft-js
const newContentState = Modifier.insertText(
editorState.getCurrentContent(),
editorState.getSelection(),
'⚠️ Warning!',
CharacterMetadata.create({ style: 'ALERT' })
);
setEditorState(EditorState.push(editorState, newContentState, 'insert-characters'));
slate
Transforms.insertNodes(editor, {
type: 'alert',
children: [{ text: 'Warning!' }]
});
quill
// First register Alert blot, then:
quill.insertEmbed(quill.getSelection(), 'alert', 'Warning!');
tinymce
tinymce.activeEditor.insertContent('<div class="alert">Warning!</div>');
froala-editor
FroalaEditor.MODULES["html"].insert('<div class="alert">Warning!</div>');
pell
const alert = document.createElement('div');
alert.className = 'alert';
alert.textContent = 'Warning!';
pellElement.content.appendChild(alert);
medium-editor
// Not recommended — unmaintained
mediumEditor.subscribe('editableInput', () => {
// manually parse and replace tokens like :alert:
});
🔄 Collaboration and Advanced Features
Need real-time collaborative editing?
ckeditor5: Offers official collaboration features (paid).slate: Community plugins exist (e.g.,slate-collaborative), but you implement the OT/CRDT layer.quill: Hasquill-cursorsand OT examples, but no official collab suite.- Others: No built-in support. You’d have to build from scratch.
📌 Summary: When to Use Which
| Editor | Best For | Avoid If |
|---|---|---|
ckeditor5 | Enterprise apps needing out-of-the-box features (tables, comments, track changes) and willing to adopt its architecture | You need lightweight integration or full control over rendering |
draft-js | React-only apps requiring deep customization and structured content | You use Vue/Angular or need small bundle size (it’s large) |
froala-editor | Teams wanting a polished, commercial-grade editor with premium support | You can’t afford a commercial license or need open-source freedom |
medium-editor | Legacy projects only — do not use in new projects | Starting anything new |
pell | Ultra-lightweight needs (under 1KB) with basic formatting | You need advanced features, customization, or structured data |
quill | Balanced choice: good customization, clean API, permissive license | You need complex document structures (it’s flat by design) |
slate | Building a highly customized editor with complex schemas (e.g., Notion-like) | You want something that works out of the box with minimal setup |
tinymce | Traditional CMS or enterprise apps needing reliability and wide browser support | You’re building a modern SPA and want tight framework integration |
💡 Final Recommendation
- For most modern web apps: Start with
slateif you need flexibility and structured data, orquillif you want simplicity with room to grow. - For enterprise/internal tools: Evaluate
ckeditor5ortinymce— their feature completeness saves engineering time. - Avoid deprecated options:
medium-editorshould not be used in new projects. - License first: Always verify licensing before deep integration — especially with
froala-editorandtinymce.
Remember: The editor you choose becomes part of your app’s core architecture. Pick one whose data model aligns with how you plan to store, transform, and render content — not just how it looks today.
- quill:
Choose
quillwhen you want a balance of ease of use, decent customization, and a permissive BSD license. Its Delta format provides a structured way to represent changes, making it suitable for applications that need operation transforms or content versioning. It integrates well with any framework via wrappers and is a solid default choice for most web apps that don't require highly complex document models. - slate:
Choose
slateif you're building a highly customized editor with complex requirements — such as nested blocks, custom embeds, or non-linear document structures — and you need full control over both the data model and rendering layer. It shines in applications like Notion-style editors or design tools, but be prepared to invest more development time since it provides fewer batteries-included features compared to commercial alternatives. - ckeditor5:
Choose
ckeditor5if you're building an enterprise-grade application that requires robust out-of-the-box features like tables, comments, track changes, or real-time collaboration, and you're comfortable adopting its opinionated MVC architecture. It's well-suited for content-heavy platforms like CMSs or documentation tools where editorial workflows matter, but be mindful of its licensing requirements for proprietary software. - draft-js:
Choose
draft-jsonly if you're working exclusively in a React environment and need fine-grained control over an immutable, block-based document model. It's ideal for applications requiring deep content introspection or transformation (e.g., interactive notebooks or structured form builders), but avoid it if you need small bundle size or plan to use non-React frameworks. - tinymce:
Choose
tinymcefor traditional web applications (especially CMSs or enterprise software) that demand broad browser compatibility, extensive built-in functionality, and reliable support. It offers excellent framework integrations and a mature plugin ecosystem, but its LGPL license requires careful compliance in proprietary software, and its architecture is less flexible for deeply custom document models compared toslateordraft-js. - froala-editor:
Choose
froala-editorif you prioritize a polished, commercially supported editor with a clean UI and are willing to purchase a commercial license for production use. It works well for SaaS products or internal tools where budget allows for premium components, but it's not suitable for open-source or cost-sensitive projects due to its licensing model. - medium-editor:
Do not choose
medium-editorfor new projects — it is effectively deprecated, with no meaningful updates since 2018. While it offered a lightweight, Medium-inspired editing experience in its time, it lacks modern features, security patches, and compatibility with current browser standards. Evaluatepellorquillas alternatives for similar simplicity. - pell:
Choose
pellonly when you need an extremely lightweight (under 1KB) editor for basic formatting like bold, italic, and links, and you're comfortable managing content as raw HTML. It's appropriate for simple use cases like comment boxes or internal admin forms where advanced features aren't required, but avoid it if you need structured data, customization, or accessibility compliance.
Quill Rich Text Editor
Documentation • Development • Contributing • Interactive Playground
Quill is a modern rich text editor built for compatibility and extensibility. It was created by Jason Chen and Byron Milligan and actively maintained by Slab.
To get started, check out https://quilljs.com/ for documentation, guides, and live demos!
Quickstart
Instantiate a new Quill object with a css selector for the div that should become the editor.
<!-- Include Quill stylesheet -->
<link
href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/quill@2/dist/quill.snow.css"
rel="stylesheet"
/>
<!-- Create the toolbar container -->
<div id="toolbar">
<button class="ql-bold">Bold</button>
<button class="ql-italic">Italic</button>
</div>
<!-- Create the editor container -->
<div id="editor">
<p>Hello World!</p>
<p>Some initial <strong>bold</strong> text</p>
<p><br /></p>
</div>
<!-- Include the Quill library -->
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/quill@2/dist/quill.js"></script>
<!-- Initialize Quill editor -->
<script>
const quill = new Quill("#editor", {
theme: "snow",
});
</script>
Take a look at the Quill website for more documentation, guides and live playground!
Download
npm install quill
CDN
<!-- Main Quill library -->
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/quill@2/dist/quill.js"></script>
<!-- Theme included stylesheets -->
<link
href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/quill@2/dist/quill.snow.css"
rel="stylesheet"
/>
<link
href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/quill@2/dist/quill.bubble.css"
rel="stylesheet"
/>
<!-- Core build with no theme, formatting, non-essential modules -->
<link
href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/quill@2/dist/quill.core.css"
rel="stylesheet"
/>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/quill@2/dist/quill.core.js"></script>
Community
Get help or stay up to date.
- Contribute on Issues
- Ask questions on Discussions
License
BSD 3-clause