Feature Guide

How to build
Rich Text Editor

Block-based or WYSIWYG content editing with formatting, embeds, images, and collaborative editing support.

intermediate
2–4 weeks (manual)
3–7 days (with AI)

Best tools to use

[01]

Tiptap

Headless editor built on ProseMirror. Most popular for React apps.

[02]

Plate

Plugin-based editor built on Slate. Great component library.

[03]

BlockNote

Notion-like block editor. Easiest to set up for block-based editing.

[04]

Lexical

Meta's editor framework. Extensible but steeper learning curve.

[05]

Novel

Notion-style WYSIWYG editor with AI autocomplete. Built on Tiptap.

Key considerations

  • ✓Choose between block-based (Notion-like) and traditional WYSIWYG based on your use case
  • ✓Store content as JSON (not HTML) for flexibility and collaboration support
  • ✓Implement slash commands for power users
  • ✓Support image uploads inline with drag-and-drop
  • ✓Plan for collaborative editing if you'll need it later — easier to add with Tiptap/Yjs

Common mistakes

  • ✗Storing content as HTML (hard to migrate, query, or collaborate on)
  • ✗Building a custom editor from scratch (use Tiptap or Plate)
  • ✗Not handling paste from Word/Google Docs (messy HTML)
  • ✗No mobile-friendly editing experience
  • ✗Ignoring accessibility in the editor UI

Products that nailed this

Notion
Slite
Coda

Related features

file storagereal time collaboration

Skip the research.

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