react-ace vs react-codemirror2 vs react-codemirror
React Code Editor Libraries Comparison
3 Years
react-acereact-codemirror2react-codemirrorSimilar Packages:
What's React Code Editor Libraries?

React code editor libraries provide developers with tools to integrate code editing capabilities into their React applications. These libraries offer features such as syntax highlighting, code folding, and customizable themes, allowing for a rich coding experience directly within web applications. They are particularly useful for applications that require user input in the form of code, such as online IDEs, code playgrounds, or educational platforms. Each library has its unique strengths, catering to different use cases and developer preferences.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
Issues
Publish
License
react-ace543,231
4,1792.01 MB2287 months agoMIT
react-codemirror2224,159
1,69570.5 kB947 months agoMIT
react-codemirror14,277
1,558-698 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: react-ace vs react-codemirror2 vs react-codemirror

Customization

  • react-ace:

    react-ace provides extensive customization options, allowing developers to modify the editor's appearance and behavior. You can change themes, font sizes, and even create custom key bindings to enhance user experience. The flexibility of Ace Editor enables deep customization for specific use cases.

  • react-codemirror2:

    react-codemirror2 enhances customization by providing a more React-centric API, allowing developers to manage the editor's state and behavior using React hooks. This makes it easier to integrate with other React components and manage the editor's lifecycle.

  • react-codemirror:

    react-codemirror offers a decent level of customization, including themes and modes for different programming languages. However, it may not be as flexible as react-ace in terms of creating custom features, as it relies more on the existing CodeMirror configurations.

Performance

  • react-ace:

    react-ace is optimized for performance, especially with large files, thanks to the underlying Ace Editor's efficient rendering. It handles syntax highlighting and code folding smoothly, making it suitable for applications that require handling substantial code snippets.

  • react-codemirror2:

    react-codemirror2 benefits from the optimizations present in CodeMirror 5, providing good performance for typical use cases. It is designed to be lightweight and responsive, making it suitable for applications that require a balance between features and performance.

  • react-codemirror:

    react-codemirror performs well for most use cases, but performance can degrade with very large files or complex configurations. It is generally responsive, but developers should be mindful of performance when using many plugins or features simultaneously.

Ease of Use

  • react-ace:

    react-ace has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive customization options and the need to understand the Ace Editor's API. However, once familiar, developers can create highly tailored editing experiences.

  • react-codemirror2:

    react-codemirror2 aims to simplify the integration process with a more React-friendly approach, making it easier for React developers to implement and manage the code editor in their applications. Its use of hooks aligns well with modern React practices.

  • react-codemirror:

    react-codemirror is relatively easy to set up and use, making it a good choice for developers who want a straightforward code editor integration without extensive configuration. Its documentation is clear and provides examples for common use cases.

Community and Support

  • react-ace:

    react-ace benefits from a strong community around the Ace Editor, with plenty of resources, examples, and support available. However, specific support for react-ace may be limited compared to more established libraries.

  • react-codemirror2:

    react-codemirror2 is newer and may have a smaller community compared to its predecessors, but it benefits from the existing CodeMirror ecosystem. As it grows, more resources and community support are likely to emerge.

  • react-codemirror:

    react-codemirror has a large user base and community support due to its foundation on CodeMirror, which is widely used in various applications. This results in a wealth of plugins and community-contributed enhancements.

Integration

  • react-ace:

    react-ace can be integrated into various React applications with relative ease, but its extensive customization may require additional effort to ensure compatibility with other libraries or frameworks.

  • react-codemirror2:

    react-codemirror2 is designed with React in mind, providing a more seamless integration experience. Its use of hooks and modern React patterns makes it easier to manage state and lifecycle events compared to traditional approaches.

  • react-codemirror:

    react-codemirror integrates smoothly with React applications and is straightforward to use with minimal setup. Its plugin architecture allows for easy extension of functionality without significant overhead.

How to Choose: react-ace vs react-codemirror2 vs react-codemirror
  • react-ace:

    Choose react-ace if you need a highly customizable code editor that supports multiple programming languages and offers a wide range of features like themes and key bindings. It is built on top of the Ace Editor, which is known for its performance and flexibility.

  • react-codemirror2:

    Choose react-codemirror2 if you require a more modern approach to integrating CodeMirror with React, as it offers hooks and a more React-friendly API. It is a wrapper around CodeMirror 5 and aims to simplify the integration process while maintaining the flexibility of CodeMirror.

  • react-codemirror:

    Choose react-codemirror if you prefer a simple integration with a well-established code editor that supports a variety of languages and has a rich set of plugins. It is based on CodeMirror, which is widely used and provides a good balance between features and ease of use.

README for react-ace

React-Ace

logo

Backers on Open Collective Sponsors on Open Collective Greenkeeper badge

npm version CDNJS Coverage Status

A set of react components for Ace

NOTE FOR VERSION 8! : We have stopped support for Brace and now use Ace-builds. Please read the documentation on how to migrate. Examples are being updated.

DEMO of React Ace

DEMO of React Ace Split Editor

DEMO of React Ace Diff Editor

Install

npm install react-ace ace-builds

yarn add react-ace ace-builds

Basic Usage

import React from "react";
import { render } from "react-dom";
import AceEditor from "react-ace";

import "ace-builds/src-noconflict/mode-java";
import "ace-builds/src-noconflict/theme-github";
import "ace-builds/src-noconflict/ext-language_tools";

function onChange(newValue) {
  console.log("change", newValue);
}

// Render editor
render(
  <AceEditor
    mode="java"
    theme="github"
    onChange={onChange}
    name="UNIQUE_ID_OF_DIV"
    editorProps={{ $blockScrolling: true }}
  />,
  document.getElementById("example")
);

Examples

Checkout the example directory for a working example using webpack.

Documentation

Ace Editor

Split View Editor

Diff Editor

How to add modes, themes and keyboard handlers

Frequently Asked Questions

Migrate to version 8

Backers

Support us with a monthly donation and help us continue our activities. [Become a backer]

Sponsors

Become a sponsor and get your logo on our README on Github with a link to your site. [Become a sponsor]