copy-to-clipboard vs clipboard-copy vs clipboard-polyfill
Clipboard Interaction Libraries Comparison
1 Year
copy-to-clipboardclipboard-copyclipboard-polyfillSimilar Packages:
What's Clipboard Interaction Libraries?

Clipboard interaction libraries provide developers with tools to easily copy text to the clipboard, enhancing user experience by allowing seamless data transfer without the need for manual selection and copying. These libraries abstract the complexities of clipboard APIs and offer straightforward methods for copying text, ensuring compatibility across different browsers and environments. They are particularly useful in web applications where users frequently need to copy information, such as links, text snippets, or formatted data, thus improving usability and efficiency.

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copy-to-clipboard6,109,9141,33515.1 kB47-MIT
clipboard-copy365,885627-74 years agoMIT
clipboard-polyfill112,642919404 kB102 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: copy-to-clipboard vs clipboard-copy vs clipboard-polyfill

Browser Compatibility

  • copy-to-clipboard:

    copy-to-clipboard is compatible with most modern browsers and provides a fallback mechanism for older ones. It is a reliable choice for developers looking for a balance between functionality and compatibility.

  • clipboard-copy:

    clipboard-copy is designed to work seamlessly in modern browsers, leveraging the Clipboard API where available. It does not support older browsers, which may limit its use in applications requiring extensive compatibility.

  • clipboard-polyfill:

    clipboard-polyfill provides a comprehensive solution for clipboard interactions by offering a fallback for browsers that do not support the Clipboard API. This makes it ideal for applications that need to support a wider range of users, including those on older browsers.

Ease of Use

  • copy-to-clipboard:

    copy-to-clipboard has a user-friendly API that is easy to implement, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels. Its straightforward approach allows for quick integration into projects.

  • clipboard-copy:

    clipboard-copy offers a very simple API that allows developers to copy text with just one function call. This ease of use makes it an attractive option for developers looking for quick implementation without extensive setup.

  • clipboard-polyfill:

    clipboard-polyfill requires a bit more configuration due to its polyfill nature, but it provides detailed documentation to help developers navigate its use. It may not be as straightforward as clipboard-copy but is still manageable for those familiar with JavaScript.

Functionality

  • copy-to-clipboard:

    copy-to-clipboard allows for copying not just plain text but also HTML and other formats, making it a versatile choice for applications that need to handle various data types.

  • clipboard-copy:

    clipboard-copy focuses solely on copying text to the clipboard, providing a clean and efficient solution for this specific task. It does not handle complex data types or formats, which may limit its use in more advanced scenarios.

  • clipboard-polyfill:

    clipboard-polyfill supports a broader range of clipboard operations, including copying text and handling different data types. This versatility makes it suitable for applications that require more complex clipboard interactions.

Community Support

  • copy-to-clipboard:

    copy-to-clipboard boasts a larger user base and community support, which translates to a wealth of resources, tutorials, and examples available online, making it easier for developers to find help.

  • clipboard-copy:

    clipboard-copy has a smaller community compared to some other libraries, which may result in fewer resources and examples available for troubleshooting or advanced use cases.

  • clipboard-polyfill:

    clipboard-polyfill has a dedicated community and is actively maintained, providing good documentation and support for developers. This can be beneficial for those needing assistance or looking for best practices.

Performance

  • copy-to-clipboard:

    copy-to-clipboard is also optimized for performance, providing a quick and efficient way to copy text to the clipboard without significant delays, making it suitable for high-frequency operations.

  • clipboard-copy:

    clipboard-copy is optimized for performance, focusing on a lightweight implementation that minimizes overhead. It is suitable for applications where speed and efficiency are critical.

  • clipboard-polyfill:

    clipboard-polyfill may introduce some overhead due to its polyfill nature, but it is designed to handle clipboard operations efficiently across various environments, ensuring a good balance between performance and compatibility.

How to Choose: copy-to-clipboard vs clipboard-copy vs clipboard-polyfill
  • copy-to-clipboard:

    Opt for copy-to-clipboard if you want a widely used library with a straightforward API and good community support. It is versatile and can handle various data types, making it suitable for applications that require more than just plain text copying.

  • clipboard-copy:

    Choose clipboard-copy for a simple and modern API that focuses on copying text to the clipboard with minimal configuration. It is lightweight and works well in most modern browsers, making it ideal for straightforward use cases.

  • clipboard-polyfill:

    Select clipboard-polyfill if you need a more robust solution that ensures compatibility across older browsers. This package provides a polyfill for the Clipboard API, allowing you to handle clipboard interactions gracefully in environments where native support may be lacking.

README for copy-to-clipboard

Copy to clipboard Build Status

Simple module exposing copy function that will try to use execCommand with fallback to IE-specific clipboardData interface and finally, resort to usual prompt with proper text content and message.

If you are building using Electron, use their API.

Example

import copy from 'copy-to-clipboard';

copy('Text');

// Copy with options
copy('Text', {
  debug: true,
  message: 'Press #{key} to copy',
});

API

copy(text: string, options: object): boolean — tries to copy text to clipboard. Returns true if no additional keystrokes were required from user (so, execCommand, IE's clipboardData worked) or false.

|Value |Default |Notes| |------|--------|-----| |options.debug |false| Boolean. Optional. Enable output to console. | |options.message|Copy to clipboard: #{key}, Enter| String. Optional. Prompt message. * | |options.format|"text/html"| String. Optional. Set the MIME type of what you want to copy as. Use text/html to copy as HTML, text/plain to avoid inherited styles showing when pasted into rich text editor. | |options.onCopy|null| function onCopy(clipboardData: object): void. Optional. Receives the clipboardData element for adding custom behavior such as additional formats |

* all occurrences of #{key} are replaced with ⌘+C for macOS/iOS users, and Ctrl+C otherwise.

Browser support

Works everywhere where prompt* is available. Works best (i.e. without additional keystrokes) in Chrome, FF, Safari 10+, and, supposedly, IE/Edge.

Note: does not work on some older iOS devices.
* – even though Safari 8 has prompt, you cannot specify prefilled content for prompt modal – thus it doesn't work as expected.

Installation

  • Can be used as npm package and then leveraged using commonjs bundler/loader:
npm i --save copy-to-clipboard
  • Can be utilized using wzrd.in. Add following script to your page:
<script src="https://wzrd.in/standalone/copy-to-clipboard@latest" async></script>

You will have window.copyToClipboard exposed for you to use.

UI components based on this package:

See also:

Running Tests

This project has some automated tests, that will run using nightwatch on top of selenium.

npm i
npm test

Typescript

This library has built-in Typescript definitions.

import * as copy from 'copy-to-clipboard';