Introduction

Maybe you were scrolling on a web page and have seen the abbreviation “WYSIWYG editor” and wondered what it means. Well, I’m here to tell you exactly what it means and why you might be interested in it even more especially if you’re a developer. Basically, a WYSIWYG editor is a software tool that allows users to create and edit content visually, without needing to have a deep understanding of coding or markup languages. WYSIWYG editors are easy but may limit design control compared to manual coding. However, with that in mind, the advantages of a WYSIWYG editor might still interest you despite its downsides. So today, we will explore WYSIWYG editors, their pros and cons, and tips for using them effectively.

What Does WYSIWYG Stand For?

So what is a WYSIWYG editor?  WYSIWYG stands for “What You See Is What You Get”. WYSIWYG is a term that software applications or user interfaces use to allow users to see the final output before producing, printing, or publishing it. People commonly use WYSIWYG in word processing, computer programming, desktop publishing software, and web design, among other applications.

How Does a WYSIWYG Editor Work?

The user creates and edits content visually using a WYSIWYG editor, instead of writing code or using markup languages. Here are the general steps involved in how a WYSIWYG editor works:

1. User Interface: The WYSIWYG editor presents a graphical user interface that is similar to what users might see in a typical word processor, with familiar tools such as formatting options, menus, and buttons for adding or manipulating images, links, tables, and other elements. Instead of typing code, the developer can use this user interface.
2. Real-time Content Creation: Users can create or edit content directly in the WYSIWYG editor by typing or pasting text, adding images or multimedia elements, and using formatting tools to adjust the appearance of the content. As they work, users can see the content rendered in real-time on the screen, as it will appear in the final output.
3. Behind the Scenes: The WYSIWYG editor operates behind the scenes to generate code or markup language (such as HTML, CSS, or XML) based on the user’s input. Developers create the final output, such as a web page or document, using this code.
4. Preview and Publish: Most WYSIWYG editors provide a preview mode that allows users to see how their content will look in its final form before it is published or printed. The user can publish or export the output, including the WYSIWYG-generated code, after ensuring the content and appearance are satisfactory.

Examples of Popular WYSIWYG Editors

WYSIWYG editors ease content creation and editing for non-technical users. Therefore, using one might interest you. There are many editors out there such as Froala, CKEditor, TinyMCE, Redactor, QuillJS and many more. Hopefully these could help you choose the best WYSIWYG HTML editor for your needs.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a WYSIWYG Editor

WYSIWYG editors have benefits in ease of use and speed but lack complexity and control. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using a WYSIWYG editor.

Pros:

1. Ease of Use: One of the primary advantages of using a WYSIWYG editor is its ease of use. Users can create and edit content visually, without needing to have a deep understanding of coding or markup languages. It widens accessibility for new web or document creators.
2. Speed: WYSIWYG editors help users create content more quickly than if they had to write code manually. Users can create layouts and designs quickly using templates and drag-and-drop tools.
3. Consistency: Because the editor generates code based on user input, it can help ensure consistency across different pages or documents. Maintaining a consistent style and formatting is useful for larger projects with multiple contributors.

Cons:

1. Limited Customization: Though these editors are easy to use, they probably do not provide as much control as coding manually would. Developers may find it difficult to edit the code generated.
2. Bloated Code: The code generated could be bloated and may contain unnecessary elements. This could lead to slower web pages, which is be problematic for websites.
3. Compatibility Issues: Not every code generated are compatible with every platform. Users would need to test their output and make edits to make sure it is compatible.

Tips for Using a WYSIWYG Editor Effectively

1. Understand the Code: While you don’t need to be an expert in coding or markup languages, it’s still important to understand the basics of HTML and CSS. Having basic knowledge ease design and troubleshooting.
2. Use Templates: Many editors come with pre-built templates that you can use as a starting point for your project. Templates ensure consistent design and save time on multiple pages.
3. Use Stylesheets: Stylesheets are a powerful tool that can help you maintain consistency in the design and layout of your work. Using stylesheets defines element styles and applies them consistently across content.
4. Keep It Simple: While it can be tempting to add lots of flashy design elements to your content, it’s important to remember that simplicity is often best. Avoid clutter with multiple fonts, colors, or design elements.
5. Test and Preview: Before publishing your work, make sure to test it across multiple platforms and devices to ensure that it looks and functions as intended. Use the preview mode in your WYSIWYG editor to check that your content appears as you expect it to.

Effective use of these editors require code knowledge, use of templates, simplicity, and testing. With these tips in mind, you can create high-quality work.

Key Takeaways

• A WYSIWYG editor gives your users a familiar UI to edit content so you don’t have to build one.
• Users can format text, manage images, and change layouts without creating a support ticket for you to handle.
• The editor lives inside your application. Its output must be clean HTML that respects your existing CSS.
• Integrating a rich text editor shouldn’t be a project in itself. It should drop into your app with minimal configuration.
• Froala is built for this, letting you ship the feature and get back to your actual product

Conclusion

WYSIWYG editors can be a great tool for creating and editing content quickly and easily, especially for those who are new to web design or document creation. However, WYSIWYG may not offer full control and browser/device compatibility. By understanding the code, using templates and stylesheets, keeping designs simple, and thoroughly testing aid content quality. Hopefully, this has helped you understand more about this editor and if we’ve inspired you to try it for yourself, then why don’t you try the Froala WYSIWYG HTML editor which is lightweight but can be heavily customized to your liking with our plugins.

Plaintext by itself isn’t enough for most user interactions in modern web applications. Whether it’s composing emails, writing articles, or chatting with a friend, a rich text editor often plays a central role. These editors allow users to format content with bold text, bullet lists, images, and more, bridging the gap between raw text and meaningful interactions.

However, when using React, Angular, Vue, or other frameworks, you should always ensure seamless integration between it and your editor. An editor might appear suitable on its own, but integrating it into your application can potentially cause performance, state management, or compatibility issues. Thus, you should always choose a rich text editor that smoothly integrates with your chosen framework.

This guide will help you determine what to look for when evaluating rich text editors for framework integration. From architecture and extensibility to performance, security, and accessibility, you’ll explore essential considerations that help ensure effortless implementation.

Key Takeaways

• A rich text editor must integrate smoothly with modern front-end frameworks like React to avoid disrupting state management or causing rendering issues.
• Lightweight editors with modular design and lazy loading support improve performance.
• Good rich text editors must allow both pre-built and custom plugins to extend functionality.
• Security is critical, and accessibility should not be optional.
• Cross-platform responsiveness ensures usability.

Why Framework Compatibility Is Crucial

Modern front-end frameworks like React, Angular, Vue, and Svelte each come with their own design and architecture philosophies. For instance, these frameworks revolve around components, reactive data binding, and virtual DOMs.

Now, imagine that you have a rich text editor that assumes control over the DOM or operates outside your framework’s reactive system. This means that the editor directly manipulates the website’s structure without informing your front-end framework about the changes. In such cases, your app may fail to detect or respond to updates in the editor.

When a rich text editor has poor integration with modern front-end frameworks,

• The UI might not re-render correctly when the application state updates.
• Accessing or modifying the editor’s content programmatically becomes more difficult.
• Performance might suffer due to duplicate re-renders or lack of lazy loading.

Conversely, if you select an editor that has a modular, framework-friendly architecture,

• Your editor slots naturally into the app’s component structure.
• State updates flow cleanly between the editor and the app.
• You can customize faster and better through props, bindings, and lifecycle methods.

Choosing a framework-friendly rich text editor can reduce complexity and ultimately lead to a smoother development experience.

Key Features to Look for during Integration

Aside from a rich text editor’s core features, there are several more that directly contribute to how well it integrates with modern front-end frameworks. If you’re using these frameworks, the following features are almost non-negotiable (i.e., ensure that your editor has these):

Lightweight and Modular Design

A good rich text editor should avoid bloating your application. Editors that are modular (i.e., you can use parts of them individually) let you include only what you need. For instance, if you need just basic formatting and images, modular editors can pull those without loading the entire toolkit.

Furthermore, good rich text editors generally have a minimized bundle size. This lets the editor load faster and without disrupting the UX. Additionally, lazy loading support lets you hold off on loading the editor until your user needs it, improving initial loading.

A modular design, small bundle size, and lazy loading all align with modern frameworks’ principles, which is important for SPAs (single-page applications).

API Accessibility

A good rich text editor offers easy-to-use APIs, not just in plain JavaScript but also through integrations for modern frameworks. These APIs let developers insert custom content, connect to app state, respond to user changes, and extend functionality without rewriting the core editor.

Hence, look for an editor that lets you use event listeners, built-in and custom commands, and hooks with little difficulty. Doing so will let you integrate it into your app and adapt it to your specific needs more easily.

Plugin and Extension Support

Many applications require custom functionality. Pre-built plugins contain functionality that you can integrate and use in your apps right away. Usually, to add these plugins, you would only need to include them on the toolbar.

Custom plugins, on the other hand, are tools you build yourself and integrate into the editor. You might resort to building these when you need something that the editor doesn’t support out of the box.

For example, a pre-built plugin might let users insert tables, emojis, or an image with a single click. But if you need something more specific, such as an AI proofreader, for example, you’d usually create a custom plugin.

A good rich text editor should make both options easy. It should have enough flexibility to let you plug in ready-made tools quickly without extensive configuration. It should also let you build or extend plugins, ideally without needing to modify the core source code.

Reactive State Management

Two-way data binding is one of the biggest challenges with rich text editors in frameworks like React or Vue. As stated earlier, these editors usually maintain their own state outside the framework’s reactive system. This could lead to UI bugs, inconsistent content, incorrect rendering, performance issues, or unpredictability.

A capable editor will allow you to:

• Control its state using framework-native tools like useState.
• Reflect external changes in the editor (e.g., loading drafts from a database, such as in emails).
• Sync content with form inputs or global stores in real time (e.g., live previews, collaborative editing, or other autosaved content).

Frameworks rely on a reactive architecture, and your editor should respect that by making content synchronization straightforward and efficient.

Note: Two-way data binding refers to a framework feature that synchronizes data between the view and model in both directions. In other words, any changes in the model will also update the corresponding view (and vice versa).

Rich Text Editor Customization and UX Control

Beyond core functionality, customization is key to making the editor feel native to your application. Ensure that your editor lets you:

• Modify the toolbar to only show the tools that your users need. Additionally, it should allow you to create your own toolbar buttons through custom plugins and arrange the buttons accordingly.
• Style the editor to match your app’s design, including fonts, colors, and themes.
• Support keyboard shortcuts.
• Toggle between Markdown, WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get), and even HTML or code view modes.
• Configure permissions to hide or disable features based on user roles (e.g., a contributor can’t insert HTML).

An editor that has most or all of these features will further improve the user experience while making framework integration smoother.

Performance, Security, and Accessibility

Users of modern applications will almost always seek performance, security, and some form of accessibility. Most frameworks strive to provide this to developers, but you should also ensure that your rich text editor does the same.

Load Time and Performance Optimization

Framework-based applications must be fast. On slower networks or lower-end devices, it should remain functional. Thus, your rich text editor should:

• Support CDN (content delivery network) for faster access and caching.
• Work with tree shaking to reduce bundle size.
• Work with lazy loading to speed up initial page load.
• Perform well even when handling large documents, many blocks, or complex content structures.

A heavy editor can drag down your app’s performance. So, look for one that works for both initial load and sustained usage.

Note: Tree shaking refers to the process of removing unused code. This can drastically reduce the bundle size of your application, potentially improving performance.

Security Compliance

Any editor that handles HTML must implement strong sanitization policies to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) and other vulnerabilities. Some key security features include

• HTML sanitization when loading or saving content.
• Support for sandboxed iframes or controlled embeds (e.g., YouTube, social posts)
• Disabling unsafe tags or scripts during copy-paste from external sources.

Note: Whatever application you’re building, security is non-negotiable. And while some editors offer protection against XSS, you should always fortify your security through the back end. Check for valid file types and sizes, parameterize your queries, and follow other security best practices.

Accessibility Standards

A modern rich text editor must also support accessibility features. For instance, you should support screen readers through ARIA roles. Furthermore, your users should have the ability to navigate through your editor’s toolbar using the keyboard.

Localization and RTL (right-to-left) language support are just as important. Having an editor that has these features ensures usability across different regions and devices. And following WCAG guidelines allows you to serve your app to everyone, regardless of ability.

Cross-Platform and Device Responsiveness

We all know it. Modern applications need to be cross-platform and responsive as much as possible. Today, people use laptops, 4k resolution 34-inch screens, mobile phones, and tablets, among others. Your rich text editor should:

• Provide a touch-optimized interface for tablets and phones.
• Offer responsive layouts that adapt to narrow screens.
• Work seamlessly across major browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) and platforms (iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, Windows).

Having a cross-platform and responsive editor out of the box will significantly lighten the load for your team. Furthermore, testing the editor across environments helps you catch layout bugs or pitfalls early on. Check if everything looks and feels the same using different devices, browsers, platforms, and even network conditions.

Documentation, Support, and Community

Even the most feature-rich editor can cause some frustrations without good developer support. You have to ensure that your team won’t get stuck implementing or integrating the editor into your application. So, before committing, check:

• Whether the documentation is clear, complete, and up-to-date.
• If there’s an active community, support forum, or GitHub issues where the rich text editor’s team can address issues.
• If it has dedicated product support for your team.
• If it has helpful interactive or extensive demos on its website or GitHub.
• Whether the project has a visible roadmap and consistent release cycles with clear improvements and bug fixes.
• If you can find webinars, YouTube series, and other non-documentation content that you can use to learn about the editor.

Good support not only accelerates development but also ensures your app doesn’t break after a future update.

Conclusion

Choosing a rich text editor for framework integration isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about finding a balance between features, performance, security, developer experience, and long-term reliability.

A capable editor should feel like a natural part of your front-end stack, not an add-on that is forcefully nailed onto it. From state syncing and plugin extensibility to performance and accessibility, every element counts.

Looking for an editor that checks all the boxes? Explore how Froala simplifies framework integration.

Most modern web applications revolve around content creation and sharing. Whether you’re building a blog, messaging app, or learning management system (LMS), you’ll need features that allow users to create and format text and media. That’s where rich text editors come in.

For React developers, the demand for intuitive, flexible, and seamless text editing capabilities has never been higher. For instance, most users expect features like bold text, embedded links, inline media, and responsiveness. They also expect to use these features with as little effort as possible.

That’s why in this article, we’ll explore how to quickly add a rich text editor for React that meets modern standards. You’ll also learn about what to consider when choosing one and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Key Takeaways

• Rich-text editors enhance user interaction and boost UX.
• When choosing an editor, strike the balance between cost, extensibility, features, and performance.
• Mobile responsiveness is almost always non-negotiable, and accessibility should be another priority.
• Always sanitize editor output to prevent XSS attacks.
• Avoid over-customization in the early stages of development by building an MVP first and then refining it later.

What is a Rich Text Editor?

A rich text editor is a UI component that allows users to input and format text content beyond plain characters. While a basic <textarea> HTML element only lets you input plaintext, a rich text editor enables users to:

• Bold, italicize, or underline text
• Add hyperlinks and email links
• Insert images and videos (some even allow for editing media files)
• Create bulleted or numbered lists
• Insert emojis or Markdown
• Add custom elements

If you’ve ever used Google Docs, WordPress, or even messaging apps, you’ve likely used a rich text editor. Here are some common use cases for them:

• Content Management Systems (CMS): For writing blog posts or product descriptions
• Email Builders: For composing formatted newsletters, marketing, and other emails
• Chat and Messaging Apps: To support emojis, attachments, and message styling
• Internal or Productivity Tools: For note-taking, task management, issue tracking, etc.

Rich text editors are great tools for any user of a content-heavy web application. But do you really need them in React applications? Let’s explore this in the next section.

Why Use a Rich Text Editor for React?

React’s declarative and component-based architecture makes it easy to embed a rich text editor and manage its state using hooks like useState and useEffect. This encourages developers to manage UI behavior and state through clearly defined components rather than relying on low-level DOM manipulation. For example, you can sync the editor’s content with your app state in real time or trigger autosave logic without manually touching the DOM.

Using a rich text editor for React leads to many benefits. For instance, it helps users express themselves more clearly through an enhanced user experience and a variety of features. In turn, it boosts engagement and productivity, delighting (and most likely retaining) users.

Furthermore, rich text editors are essential in building dynamic UIs. Users expect to format content visually (WYSIWYG) or structurally (via Markdown) without writing raw HTML. Whether it’s for a blog, message, or other content, offering intuitive formatting tools makes content creation more accessible and engaging.

Note: A “declarative” architecture means you describe what the UI should look like based on the current state. Then, React takes care of rendering it correctly.

Note: “Component-based” means that you build your app from small, reusable building blocks. Examples include building a full app from reusable components like buttons, forms, or, in this case, rich text editors.

Key Features to Consider before Choosing an Editor

When finding a rich text editor for React, you should make your choice based on your requirements, budget, and user base. And although all rich text editors offer similar benefits and features, each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few critical considerations:

Licensing and Cost

Some editors are open-source and free to use. On the other hand, others offer commercial licenses with premium features. Always check whether the license aligns with your project’s scale and purpose. For example, an enterprise SaaS app might benefit more from a commercial license, while a small blog might get by with a free tool.

Some even offer demos or a free trial, allowing you to take the rich text editors for a test drive. This could prove beneficial, especially if you want to quickly test out each editor for your React application.

Plugin support and extensibility

Not all rich text editors for React offer the same level of flexibility when it comes to extending functionality. Some are simpler and self-contained, while others allow for deep customization through plugin support or APIs. This extensibility is essential if you plan to allow users to embed rich media, code snippets, or even real-time collaboration.

An extensible editor also allows you to build or integrate custom components, helping the editor scale with your application’s needs. For example, do you need built-in AI suggestions in your editor as your users type? A great React rich text editor should allow you to integrate your own custom AI plugin.

Mobile responsiveness

Today, users expect a consistent experience whether they’re editing content on a desktop or a mobile device. A mobile-responsive editor ensures that the interface adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and input types.

For instance, users should find it easy to tap or click toolbar items and use the editing area without awkward scrolling or zooming. If you plan to release your React app across multiple platforms and devices, prioritizing mobile responsiveness is the key. Hence, you should choose an editor that’s already mobile-optimized and responsive.

Markdown or HTML output

Different editors produce different types of output, such as HTML or Markdown. HTML is ideal for displaying content in web browsers directly. On the other hand, Markdown is lightweight and often the choice for developer-focused or documentation-heavy applications (e.g., GitHub).

Your choice should ultimately reflect how you plan to store, retrieve, and render content. This is especially true if you need the editor to interact with a database, API, or custom front-end component.

Image and File Upload Capabilities

Allowing users to insert images or attach files directly within the editor adds significant value, but it also introduces extra technical challenges. Some editors offer built-in support for file uploads, image previews, and in-editor media management (e.g., cropping, filters, text, borders, etc.). Others require you to handle file uploads yourself, including setting up the backend, handling storage, and returning accessible URLs.

Either way, you’ll need to consider performance (e.g., compression), security (e.g., file type checking), and content sanitization. Your choice of editor should align with how much media content you’re storing, processing, and delivering in your React app. Of course, having solid image and file management features is almost always better in content-centric apps.

Best Practices for Using a Rich Text Editor in React

Integrating a rich-text editor for React applications doesn’t stop after importing the component. To ensure a robust, seamless, and user-friendly experience, consider the following best practices:

Security

Rich text editors usually produce HTML output, which can serve as an entry point for cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. To counter this, always sanitize your editor’s output before storing it. Libraries like DOMPurify help prevent this, but there are a few editors that already help with combating XSS out of the box.

Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks also threaten React applications by exploiting upload vulnerabilities, saturating resources, and downing your application or server. You can help prevent this by imposing file upload limits. Additionally, you should always check and limit the file types of your users’ uploads to avoid harmful scripts, executables, or disguised malware.

Plenty more web application security risks exist, but for the purpose of keeping this article brief, we’ll stop here for now. If you want to learn more about the most infamous risks, you should check out this OWASP Top Ten list.

Performance

Heavy editors can affect your app’s performance, especially if you’re rendering them on every keystroke or in large lists. So, you should use the React.memo component to avoid unnecessary re-renders. Moreover, you should consider lazy loading the editor component if it’s not used immediately.

Note: Lazy loading refers to the technique in which you hold off on loading non-critical resources (e.g., images, videos, or JS) until they’re needed. This practice lets you improve initial page load times and performance by avoiding loading everything in one go. Note, however, that lazy loading might be limited in terms of browser support, especially in legacy versions.

Styling

Most rich text editors for React are highly customizable. Leverage this to match the look and feel of your app through theming and deep customization. Whether you use Tailwind CSS or a custom design system, consistent styling enhances the user experience.

Accessibility

Most modern web applications don’t forget about users who rely on on-screen keyboards and screen readers. Ensure your chosen editor supports ARIA roles, implements proper tab navigation, and complies with Section 508 and the like.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even though integrating most rich text editors for React is easy, developers can still make avoidable mistakes:

• Not Sanitizing Output Content: As said earlier, always sanitize the editor’s output to help prevent security attacks like XSS. Never trust user input, especially if it goes beyond plaintext.
• Over-customizing before MVP: Avoid diving into extensive customization before you validate whether users actually need those features. This could cost you plenty of time that you could’ve used for other tasks. Like most of the time, attain an MVP (minimum viable product) first.
• Ignoring Mobile Responsiveness and Accessibility: If your rich text editor doesn’t feel consistent on mobile or different browsers, you’re alienating a significant number of users. The same thing happens if it doesn’t support screen readers or screen keyboards. Make testing across devices and input methods an early priority or consideration.
• Skipping Integration with Backend Storage Formats: Your editor might output rich content, but where does it go? Plan for how you’ll store, retrieve, and render that data. Ensure you handle storing data to a database table on a server, an Amazon S3 bucket for files, and so on.

Conclusion

Adding a rich text editor for React is a task you can do in minutes with the right library. Whether you’re looking for simplicity or a full-featured WYSIWYG experience, you’ll find a tool out there that fits your needs. However, don’t just plug in the first one you find.

In the end, you should choose the editor that best fits your app’s goals. Evaluate the trade-offs, test some integrations, and prioritize the features that your users need the most. Moreover, as said earlier, some editors offer demos, interactive documentation, and free trials, allowing you to explore their features before fully committing.

By following best practices and avoiding common pitfalls, you’ll empower your users to create rich, expressive content. All while maintaining performance, security, and usability in your React application.

Are you interested in building AI (artificial intelligence) writing tools? These AI-powered applications have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, allowing users to generate content, optimize it for search engines, and even personalize it for specific audiences.

One example of these AI article writer tools is Arvow. In this case study, we’ll explore how Arvow’s generate SEO articles feature works and how to create a complete article using a similar application, and how Froala can enhance such AI writing assistants.

Key Takeaways

• AI writing tools can significantly boost content creation productivity by automating the generation of first drafts.
• Froala integrates easily with AI algorithms to enhance content generation and editing.
• AI-generated content requires human review and editing to ensure it meets quality standards and provides value to readers, as per Google’s guidelines on AI content.
• Froala customization options allow users to tailor the editor to their specific needs and preferences.

The Arvow AI SEO Article Generator Concept

Arvow allows users to generate SEO-optimized articles. After signing in, users can access the “Generate Articles” feature from the left-side menu. This is the feature we will explore in our article.

Clicking on “SEO Article” opens a popup where users can enter their target keyword and article title.

Once the required data is entered, the article is listed with “Generate Article”, “Edit”, and “Delete” buttons.

Clicking the “Edit” icon allows users to modify the information before generating the article, such as adding an outline and adjusting the word count .

Additionally, users can configure various settings, including language, target country, tone of voice, point of view, and formality.

Moreover, you can configure the formatting, structure, meta descriptions, internal linking, external linking, images, and videos that the AI will generate.

After finalizing the settings, users can click the “Generate Article” button. The AI then creates content optimized for search engines. However, this initial AI-generated content often requires human editing for quality assurance.

Since AI-generated text may be hard to read and require adjustments, it requires further optimization and formatting before publication. Actually, Google’s policies suggest that AI content should be reviewed by humans to avoid being flagged as spam.

To address this, Arvow provides two modes for the generated content:

Arvow Generated Article Read-only Mode

In this mode, users can review the generated content. When they select text, a toolbar appears with the following options:

• Ask AI
• Rewrite
  • Simplify
  • Re-write
  • Make Longer
  • Make Shorter
  • Make List
  • Make Table
• Add Keywords
• Add Links

Users can use the “Ask AI” and “Rewrite” options to enhance the article with the help of the AI. The AI writer is doing that by sending prompts to the AI model and displaying the responses.

This toolbar can be easily implemented using Froala. Froala can be integrated with an AI model such as ChatGPT to do these functions. Check the following guides to see how you can do that:

• The Power of ChatGPT and Froala
• Gemini Froala Integration
• Deepseek Froala Integration

Arvow Edit with AI Mode

In this mode, users can edit the article content using a rich-text editor. The Arvow toolbar has the following buttons:

• Set Heading (H2)
• Set Heading (H3)
• Format in Bold (B)
• Format Italic (I)
• Create ordered list
• Create unordered list
• Add link
• Remove link
• Insert image
• Add quote
• Undo
• Redo

The toolbar is kept sticky as I scroll down the page.

Building this type of rich text editor from scratch can be time-consuming and expensive. Instead, you can quickly create a similar interface using Froala with just a few lines of code. You will just need to do the following steps:

• Add Froala script and stylesheet files
• Add a <div> HTML element with a unique ID.
• Get the article content from your database and insert it inside the <div> element.
• Use the <div> id to initialize the Froala editor.
• Configure the editor to customize the toolbar.

Here is a code example:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

    <title>Froala WYSIWYG Editor</title>

    <!-- Include Froala CSS -->

    <link href="{{editor__download__folder}}/css/froala_editor.pkgd.min.css" rel="stylesheet"

        type="text/css" />

</head>

<body>

    <!-- HTML element where the editor will be initialized -->

    <div id="editor">

      {{Article Content from the server}}

    </div>

    <!-- Add other page elements-->

    <!-- Add other page elements-->

    <!-- Include Froala Editor JS files -->

    <script type="text/javascript" src="{{editor__download__folder}}/js/froala_editor.pkgd.min.js"></script>

  <script>

FroalaEditor.DEFAULTS.paragraphFormat = {

      H2: 'Heading 2',

      H3: 'Heading 3',

      N: 'Normal',

    },

new FroalaEditor('div#froala-editor', {

      toolbarSticky: true,

      toolbarStickyOffset: 500,

     toolbarButtons: ["paragraphFormat","bold", "italic", "|", "formatOL", "formatUL", "|", "insertLink", "insertImage", "quote", "|", "undo", "redo"],

})

  </script>

</body>

</html>

The Role of Froala

As we see in our case study, Froala can play a crucial role in AI writing tools. As a rich text editor with advanced features like image editing and table creation, Froala enables users to create and edit content seamlessly within the AI writer tool.

Furthermore, Froala’s API integration capabilities allow developers to add custom toolbar buttons. These buttons can execute specific prompts powered by AI models. By incorporating Froala’s rich text editing capabilities and custom AI prompts, users would be able to seamlessly optimize and personalize the content generated by the AI writers.

This integration would allow users to:

• Format the content with headings, images, and tables
• Refine the writing through AI-powered rewriting, expansion, and summarization.
• Ensure the final article is visually appealing and engaging for readers.
• Maintain control over the content optimization process.

Benefits of Using Froala With AI Writing Tools

The ability to easily edit and refine the AI generated articles is a key benefit of Froala’s integration. Users can make customizations, optimize blog post content, and ensure a polished final product before publishing. Here are a few other benefits:

Boosting Productivity

Froala integrates with many other AI tools. By focusing on innovative solutions to simplify content editing, you could discover winning million-dollar business ideas. The idea of using an AI assistant to streamline tasks and increase overall productivity is appealing to people. Different subscription plans can be generated, based on the number of generated suggestions.

Streamlining Workflow

Integrating AI algorithms into Froala can really simplify content editing. It’s not just about adding cool features; it’s about making the whole process smoother. Think about automatically generating captions for images using AI. This saves time and effort, letting content creators focus on the bigger picture. It’s about making the workflow as efficient as possible.

Tailoring Features To Fit Needs

The beauty of Froala lies in its customizability. You aren’t stuck with a one-size-fits-all solution. Need specific buttons for AI content analysis? Want to streamline the interface for quick content generation? Froala lets you do it. Think of it as building your own cockpit, with every control exactly where you need it.

Utilizing Plugins For Enhanced Functionality

Plugins are where Froala really shines. Want to integrate a grammar checker powered by AI? There’s probably a plugin for that. Need a tool that suggests keywords based on real-time search data? Again, plugins are your friend. It’s like having an app store specifically for your text editor, allowing you to add features as needed.

Here’s a quick look at some plugin possibilities:

• AI-powered grammar and spell check
• SEO keyword suggestion tools
• Readability score analysis
• Content spinning and paraphrasing
• Plagiarism detection

Benefits of the AI SEO Writer

It’s worth noting that AI SEO tools have become routine in the SEO industry, as content creators look to streamline their workflow and optimize their output for search engines. The AI SEO Writing tools offers several key benefits for content creators:

Time Savings

By automating the content generation process, the AI writers can significantly reduce the time and effort required to produce new articles. This allows writers to be more productive and focus on higher-level tasks.

SEO Research

One key advantage of the AI SEO Writer is its ability to leverage advanced SEO research capabilities to optimize the generated content. This includes:

Competitor Keyword Analysis

The AI can analyze the keywords and content strategies of top-ranking competitors, allowing it to identify content gaps and opportunities to outrank them in search.

Search Trend Monitoring

By monitoring real-time search trends and user queries, the AI can ensure the content is aligned with what users are actively searching for.Moreover, AI-powered tools offer insights on content length optimization compared to top-ranking pages.

These SEO research-driven features work seamlessly with Froala’s editing capabilities, giving content creators a powerful end-to-end solution for developing high-performing, search-optimized articles.

Optimize Content for Search Engines to Reach High SEO Score

The AI’s ability to incorporate target keywords, meta tags, and other SEO best practices ensures the generated content is optimized for search engines. This helps improve the article’s chances of ranking highly in relevant search results.

Additionally, the AI can help identify content gaps by analyzing competitor keywords and benchmarking your content against top ranking pages. This allows the AI SEO Writer to enhance the SEO effectiveness of the generated content.

By creating this SEO-rich content, the AI SEO Writer empowers users to publish articles that are primed for strong performance in search engine results pages.

Personalization

Advanced AI models can tailor the content to specific user preferences, such as tone, writing style, and target audience. This helps ensure the content resonates with the intended readers.

Outline Generation

AI tools can generate outlines for blog posts and articles, providing a helpful structure for the content and saving writers time on the ideation process.

High-Quality Content

The AI writer can produce well-structured, grammatically correct, and engaging content that meets high quality standards. This can help content creators save time on editing and revisions, while ensuring a polished final product.

Wrapping It Up

As AI writing assistants continue to evolve, tools like Froala will play an increasingly important role in the content creation and optimization workflow. By integrating Froala’s advanced editing features and customizable AI prompts, developers can create AI SEO writer applications that provide users with a comprehensive and user-friendly content optimization experience.

Whether you’re a small business or a big player, Froala gives you the tools to create high-quality content without the hassle. So, if you’re thinking about diving into the world of AI-driven writing, Froala is definitely worth checking out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Froala and how does it work?

Froala is a web-based editor that helps users create and edit content easily. It has many features that allow you to format text, add images, and more, all without needing to know how to code.

How can I use AI with Froala?

You can connect Froala with AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance your content creation. This can help with things like suggesting text or analyzing your writing.

Is Froala easy to customize?

Yes! Froala is designed to be user-friendly. You can change its settings and features to match what you need, making it suitable for different projects.

Can multiple people work on a document at the same time with Froala?

Absolutely! Froala supports real-time collaboration when integrated with Codox, which means that several users can edit the same document simultaneously.

What types of content can I create with Froala?

Froala allows you to create various types of content, from blog posts and articles to newsletters and marketing materials, making it very versatile based on your requirements.

What is SEO-Rich Content?

SEO-rich content refers to articles, blog posts, and other web content that is optimized for search engines. This includes features such as:

• Strategically placed target keywords
• Structured data markup (headings, subheadings, etc.)
• Optimized media elements (images, videos)
• Thoughtful internal and external linking

The goal of SEO-rich content is to make the information as accessible and valuable as possible for both human readers and search engine crawlers. By following the best SEO optimization techniques, AI writer helps improve the content’s visibility in search results and in the search console.

What AI model(s) are used by the AI SEO Writer?

The AI Writing tools leverages advanced language models developed by leading AI research organizations like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. These include models like:

• ChatGPT (OpenAI)
• Bard (Google)
• Claude (Anthropic)

By integrating these powerful AI models, the AI Writer can generate high-quality, SEO-optimized content with features like:

• Contextual understanding of topics and keywords
• Generation of coherent, grammatically correct text
• Optimization for search engine ranking factors

The specific AI models used may vary depending on the implementation, but the goal is always to provide users with the most advanced, capable AI writing assistant possible.

Can the AI-generated content be used in a WordPress website?

Yes, the content generated by the AI SEO Writer can be easily integrated into a WordPress website. The HTML output from the AI writer can be directly copied and pasted into WordPress posts or pages.

The key benefit of using the AI-generated content in WordPress is that it is already optimized for search engines. This means the articles will be primed to perform well in search results once published on your WordPress site.

What is Google’s stance on AI-generated content?

The SEO community is trying to figure out how Google treats AI content. Google has stated that they do not mind AI-generated content, as long as it provides value and a good user experience for people searching the web. The search engine giant has embraced AI-powered content creation, as long as the resulting articles and pages are high-quality and relevant to user queries.

The key is ensuring the AI-generated content brings genuine value, rather than being created solely for search engine optimization purposes. As long as the AI Writing tool produces informative, engaging content that meets user needs, Google is open to including it in search results. This means, leveraging AI can improve organic traffic significantly over time.

Building scalable websites with APIs (application programming interfaces) has become a necessity for modern businesses and developers. Through APIs, you can connect seamlessly with external or separate services, enable richer functionalities, and automate tasks behind the scenes.

Furthermore, you don’t always need to fully understand the inner workings of an API, especially external ones. Instead, you only have to determine the data that it needs, the functions that you’ll use, and how you will handle the result. Because of this, most, if not all, developers use some type of API in their workflow.

DeepSeek API integration is one of the most popular topics recently, mostly because of the results of its commendable benchmarks and cheaper costs. So, there’s a lot to gain from exploring how you can integrate DeepSeek APIs into your websites. Read on below to get started!

Why APIs Matter

Without APIs, modern platforms like e-commerce stores, social media sites, and SaaS solutions would struggle to offer dynamic and rich UX. Developers also suffer without APIs, prolonging and complicating development.

On the other hand, there are numerous benefits of API integration. These include faster feature rollouts, easier automation, and the ability to expand your website functionality without starting from scratch.

Effective API Integration Examples

To understand how APIs help developers, let’s explore some API integration examples across different industries:

Third-party services

These are usually subscription-based SaaS solutions that abstract complex functionalities into easy-to-use components and methods. For example, payment gateways like Stripe or PayPal enable developers to facilitate financial transactions without handling sensitive card data directly.

Social media logins like Google OAuth or Facebook are another example of these services. They secure and simplify user onboarding by letting users authenticate via existing (yet external) accounts.

Content aggregation

This refers to a type of API that pulls information from multiple sources (e.g., news feeds, product reviews) into a single unified view. For example, if you’re building a travel blog, you might need travel and hotel aggregation APIs from Booking.com, Skyscanner, or TripAdvisor. Plenty of content aggregation APIs exist for news, product listings, real estate, financial data (stocks), and other types of data.

By using APIs to aggregate data, you can offer fresh, up-to-date content without manual updates, driving user engagement, SEO performance, and operational efficiency.

Workflow automation

This type of API allows websites to automatically trigger actions or complete processes with minimal manual or human involvement. Zapier is one such tool, with APIs that connect over 5000+ apps (e.g., Gmail, Slack, Salesforce, Trello, etc.). For instance, it can automatically send a message to a company’s Slack marketing channel when a new lead fills in a free trial form.

Workflow automation APIs reduce manual and repetitive tasks, improve consistency and reliability, and lessen the load for developers. Understanding them is critical for automating tasks with DeepSeek API, which we’ll discuss in the following sections.

DeepSeek API Overview

DeepSeek lends its power to developers using the DeepSeek API. In this section, you’ll learn more about what it is, how it improves your workflow and website’s quality, and its core functionalities.

What is DeepSeek API?

DeepSeek’s API provides capabilities like NLP*, text generation, and data analytics. Designed to empower developers and improve the user experience, it allows you to integrate conversational AI into your web projects.

With the DeepSeek API, you can offer intelligent responses, content generation, and task automation without worrying about the technology or scalability.

*NLP (natural language processing) refers to a subset of AI which deals with allowing computers to understand, process, and construct human language using machine learning or deep learning. Speech recognition, natural language generation (e.g., chatbots), and translation are typical usages of NLP.

How DeepSeek Helps

Through DeepSeek, developers can build smarter websites and apps that communicate naturally with users. Whether it’s for answering customer inquiries, generating content, or automating workflows, its API significantly enhances functionality while saving development time.

This way, dev teams can focus on higher-level strategy and analysis instead of repetitive operations and complex programming. On the other hand, users have an easier time using your website or application.

Core Functionalities of DeepSeek

DeepSeek provides a rich set of features:

• Conversational AI: Allows you to build websites with chatbots, virtual assistants, and helpdesk automation.
• Content Generation: Allows your users to create articles, social media content, product descriptions, or even mathematical solutions.
• Dynamic Data Interaction: Helps you retrieve or manipulate structured information (e.g., from databases) based on inputs and previous interactions. This is extremely helpful for business intelligence (BI*) or dashboard technologies.

These DeepSeek API features allow businesses, independent developers, and tech enthusiasts to refine their websites with interactive and dynamic experiences. Now that you have a good idea of DeepSeek’s API, it’s time to learn how you can integrate it.

*Business intelligence can refer to a process, system, or tool that uses data collection, data analysis and interpretation, data visualization, and more to help businesses make informed decisions. For instance, an organization can use a BI tool with a dashboard and real-time statistics and analyses for their strategies and operational decisions.

Choosing between DeepSeek and OpenAI

Both APIs offer powerful NLP capabilities and have almost the same features, but they cater to slightly different needs and priorities. Here are some key points to consider when choosing between these two popular AI APIs:

• Compared to other APIs, DeepSeek might have a lower cost and a faster response time.
• DeepSeek was able to outperform other AI models in some mathematical, coding, and even English benchmarks.
• Being one of the first publicly available AI APIs, OpenAI offers broader model versatility and a more mature ecosystem.
• OpenAI might suit use cases that require high degrees of contextual understanding or advanced reasoning.

You should use whichever is best for your use case, and you should always test out all available options if you have the time. But for now, let’s use DeepSeek.

How to Integrate DeepSeek into Your Projects

Integrating DeepSeek into your website or web app is actually easier than it seems. Here’s a hands-on guide to get started immediately. For this guide, you’ll use Node.js.

1. Setup Your Environment

First, create your project folder. Afterwards, using a CLI, navigate to the newly created folder and initialize a new Node.js project with

npm init -y

This creates a “package.json” file where you can track your project dependencies. In the same folder, create a file called “app.js” using VSCode or File Explorer.

2. Obtain Your DeepSeek API Key

You’ll need a secure API key to access DeepSeek’s features. To do so, go to DeepSeek’s website and sign up. Afterwards, log in and navigate to “API Keys.” Create a new API key using the button provided, name the API key, and copy it.

Note that after clicking “Done,” you’ll lose the ability to view the API key again for security. So be sure to paste the API key somewhere safe (preferably an env file).

3. Install Axios (HTTP Client)

To simplify sending HTTP requests from Node.js to APIs like DeepSeek, you’ll need Axios. In your project folder, using your preferred CLI, run the following command:

npm install axios

 This allows you to import and use Axios in your project.

4. Make the API Call

In your “app.js” file, paste the following code:

const axios = require('axios');

// Load your API key
// Be sure to replace this with your actual key (preferably in a secure directory/file)
const API_KEY = 'Your_API_Key_Here';
const DEEPSEEK_URL = 'https://api.deepseek.com/v1/chat/completions'; 

// Example usage
getDeepSeekResponse('Explain the concept of limits (math) in simpler terms.');

First, enable Axios using the “require” command. Afterwards, define your DeepSeek API key and DeepSeek URL. Ensure that you’re using the correct API key, you’re securing it, and you have enough balance in your DeepSeek account.

The DeepSeek URL part refers to the endpoint that you want to use. In this case, you want the chat completion endpoint of the API.

Afterwards, create a function that takes an input and logs either the response from DeepSeek or an error. Make an API call using “axios.post” with the payload (DeepSeek URL, model, and message) and headers. After receiving a response, get the desired result from the JSON object and log it to the console.

async function getDeepSeekResponse(userInput) {
    try {
        const response = await axios.post(
            DEEPSEEK_URL,
            {
                model: 'deepseek-chat',
                messages: [
                    { role: 'user', content: userInput }
                ]
            },
            {
                headers: {
                    'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_KEY}`,
                    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
                }
            }
        );

        const assistantReply = response.data.choices[0].message.content;
        console.log('Assistant says:', assistantReply);
    } catch (error) {
        console.error('Error communicating with DeepSeek API:', error.response?.data || error.message);
    }
}

To use the code, add a line like “getDeepSeekResponse(‘Your command/question here’).”

5. Run the Application

Once you’re done with the code, open your CLI and type “node app.js” to run the sample application. After some loading, you should see the result of your command or inquiry. For instance, the code above asks DeepSeek for a simple explanation of mathematical limits. The following image shows the result:

In this example, DeepSeek was able to explain the concept of limits excellently, giving two real-life examples, simple descriptions, and key concepts.

Note that DeepSeek also asked if the user wants it to clarify the concept further. To handle this, you need to learn about maintaining context using multi-turn.

First, instead of passing a separate “role” and “content,” you need to create an array of objects. For each object, you’ll have the “role” and “content” properties. You’ll have to initialize it with the first role, “user” (like you have in your current code), and content, which is the initial prompt of the user.

Afterwards, append both the role “assistant” and content (whatever DeepSeek’s answer is) to the array of objects. Print the response, send or prompt the user to generate another response, and repeat the process to create a typical AI-powered chatbot experience.

DeepSeek API Use Cases and Optimization

The DeepSeek API fits into many workflows across different industries. In fact, businesses nowadays are starting to incorporate it into their infrastructure or workflow in some way.

For instance, you can integrate it into your website to handle customer support, automating FAQ responses and answering inquiries intelligently. You can also use it to personalize shopping suggestions in e-commerce platforms based on user preferences and behavior. If you’re developing or maintaining a BI tool or dashboard, you should use it for data processing and analysis.

That said, in most cases, you shouldn’t just plug and play AI into your applications without a little optimization, assessment, or study. For instance, batch multiple requests when possible to reduce latency and API call volume. Cache common results (e.g., repetitive queries or generic summaries) to save on usage costs. And most importantly, monitor your API usage and error logs to catch issues early.

You should also consider the rate limiting and quota policies. For high-traffic apps, hitting a rate limit mid-session can hurt UX, so build fallbacks or retry strategies into your code. If you’re just starting out, you should note that DeepSeek might not suit high-volume or real-time processing needs due to quota constraints. So, assess your estimated traffic and growth plans ahead of time. That way, you can build for scalability better.

So before you start, you should explore different DeepSeek API use cases from big or rising companies. This way, you can learn about how they saved resources, optimized performance, and delighted their clients with AI. Just as importantly, you can learn about what they experienced (e.g., the good parts, the issues, and solutions) with APIs like DeepSeek’s.

Which brings us to the next section…

API Integration Best Practices

APIs are excellent tools, but most tools really shine when wielded by an expert. Here are some best practices that you can use as a guide when integrating APIs:

• Use modular code: keep API interaction logic isolated for easier updates.
• Keep track of your API versions: avoid breaking changes from API updates. Learn which versions work with the current environment you have, especially if you’re using multiple APIs. Find alternatives to deprecated APIs, components, or methods.
• Cache frequent responses: improve performance and reduce API usage costs.
• Secure your API keys: never expose keys in client-side code. In the server, use .env files to store sensitive information.
• Monitor API limits and performance: stay within quotas to maintain consistent service quality. Scale as needed.

Additionally, always follow these security considerations for API integration:

• Use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit.
• Authenticate using secure headers and tokens, and expire them periodically.
• Regularly audit permissions and access logs.

Start Building Scalable Websites with APIs

Modern user experiences start from you learning how to make websites with APIs. Now that you’re done reading, you’ve hopefully learned more about the importance and relevance of APIs as well as how to integrate DeepSeek.

Integrating APIs helps you and your users automate complex tasks, deliver meaningful content, scale functionality efficiently, and a lot more. If you’re ready to take your websites to the next level, explore different APIs, integrate what you need, or even make your own! 

As a Product Marketing Manager here at Froala, I’ve often found myself in discussions about whether web developers should choose open source editors or invest in feature-rich closed-source options. Given the sheer number of tools available today, it’s a decision that can significantly impact your workflow, development speed, and overall project success.

In this article, I’ll break down the differences between open source HTML editors and closed-source alternatives like Froala. My aim is not just to showcase features, but to highlight practical reasons why investing in a powerful, reliable, and supported closed-source editor can benefit your web development projects far more effectively.

Key Takeaways

• Open source editors offer flexibility but often come with hidden long-term costs like inconsistent support and complex maintenance.

• Closed-source editors like Froala provide dedicated support, regular updates, and enterprise-grade reliability.

• Froala’s feature-rich environment boosts productivity with live preview, preprocessor support, and advanced plugins.

• Switching to Froala often leads to faster development, fewer bugs, and reduced dependency on external help.

• For scalable, professional projects, a closed-source HTML editor is a smart investment in efficiency and long-term success.

Understanding the Basics: HTML Editor vs. Code Editor vs. Text Editor

Before we jump into specifics, let’s clarify some terms that web developers and web designers frequently encounter:

HTML Editor

An HTML editor specializes in web development by providing features like live preview, syntax highlighting, and built-in support for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Some popular examples include Adobe Dreamweaver and open source alternatives such as TinyMCE or CKEditor

Code Editor

A code editor, like Sublime Text, is designed primarily for writing and editing code across various programming languages. They often lack the WYSIWYG features common in dedicated HTML editors but provide advanced editing capabilities.

Text Editor

Text editors like Notepad++ or Microsoft’s basic editor provide minimal functionality, primarily focusing on basic text editing without specialized features for web design.

Benefits and Pitfalls

Web developers often gravitate towards open source projects due to the perception of lower costs and community-driven development. These editors, such as TinyMCE and CKEditor can initially seem appealing:

Pros

• Free Access: You can download, modify, and distribute source code freely.
• Community Support: An active community of developers regularly contributes improvements, plugins, and documentation.
• Customization: The ability to fully customize the editor to meet specific requirements.

However, after working closely with web developers who have switched from open source to Froala, I’ve observed critical issues that often arise:

Cons

• Lack of Dedicated Support: Community-driven support can vary in quality and responsiveness. If you encounter a critical issue, waiting for community-based solutions can stall your web development process significantly.
• Inconsistent Updates: Some open source projects struggle with consistency, leading to delayed bug fixes and compatibility issues with modern browsers and programming languages.
• Complex Maintenance: Customizing open source projects to your workflow can become resource-intensive, requiring continuous updates and troubleshooting.

Why Closed-Source HTML Editors Like Froala Excel

As someone responsible for product marketing at Froala, I’ve closely observed why front-end developers consistently choose a premium, closed-source WYSIWYG HTML editor. Here are several compelling reasons:

Reliability and Dedicated Support

Closed-source editors like Froala provide reliable, timely, and professional support. Unlike community forums that can leave you hanging, Froala’s dedicated support team resolves your issues promptly, ensuring minimal disruption to your web development workflow.

Consistent and Regular Updates

At Froala, we regularly release updates to ensure our editor remains compatible with the latest web standards, browsers, and frameworks. This consistency prevents many common headaches associated with the unpredictable update cycles of open source alternatives.

Feature Rich Functionality

Froala comes loaded with features specifically tailored to optimize your web development process, including:

• Live Preview: Instantly visualize changes directly within the editor.
• Preprocessor Support: Effortlessly manage your CSS files and HTML CSS integration.
• Advanced Plugins: Customize and extend Froala’s functionality with robust plugins designed to simplify integration into your existing projects.

User-Friendly Interface and Experience

We carefully designed Froala to improve both beginner and experienced developers’ productivity, offering intuitive interfaces and robust features that enhance your ability to write, edit, and manage your website effortlessly.

Evaluating Open Source Alternatives: A Reality Check

When evaluating open source editors, web developers often overlook long-term costs associated with:

• Maintenance: Managing and customizing source code takes significant time and resources.
• Integration Complexity: Integrating open source tools into complex web applications can result in unplanned costs and delayed development cycles.

Compared to Froala, open source editors like TinyMCE often require considerable effort to integrate and maintain, especially at scale or within enterprise-level web projects. The hidden costs can quickly offset the initially attractive price tag of being “free.”

Case Study: Transitioning from Open Source to Froala

I’ve witnessed many organizations transitioning from open source editors to Froala, finding immediate benefits in efficiency, reliability, and productivity. For instance, web designers previously relying on editors frequently cite reasons for switching that include:

• Faster development times due to Froala’s intuitive WYSIWYG HTML interface.
• Reduced reliance on external community support and documentation, freeing up development teams to focus on project-specific innovations.
• Significant reductions in troubleshooting, bug fixes, and compatibility issues due to Froala’s robust testing and consistent update cycles.

Final Thoughts: Making the Right Choice for Your Web Development Workflow

Choosing between open source editors and closed-source solutions like Froala ultimately depends on your project’s specific requirements. However, as someone deeply engaged with web developers, I firmly advocate for solutions that not only deliver powerful features but ensure consistency, dedicated support, and long-term cost-effectiveness.

Open source projects can be excellent for hobbyists, small-scale projects, or highly specific customizations. However, for professional development environments, enterprises, or projects requiring guaranteed uptime, dedicated support, and feature-rich tools, investing in a closed-source HTML editor like Froala will consistently deliver superior outcomes.

Web development is continuously evolving, and having a reliable partner that ensures compatibility, efficiency, and ease of use is indispensable. While open source editors play an important role, solutions like Froala offer unmatched stability, support, and productivity—elements essential to successful, modern web design.

By choosing Froala, a WYSIWYG editor, you’re investing in your team’s success, streamlined development processes, and ultimately, a superior web experience for your users.

Users have different screen resolutions, browsers, and devices, making building responsive user interfaces a requirement for all modern applications. That’s why Bootstrap, a framework that allows applications to look consistent across every platform, continues to be a staple for styling web applications.

Similarly, React remains one of the most popular front-end frameworks for JavaScript, known for its component-based architecture, efficient virtual DOM rendering, and statefulness, among others. When combined with Bootstrap, React enables developers to easily craft responsive and aesthetic applications.

Read on below to discover how to get started with React Bootstrap projects. Additionally, you’ll learn about using Bootstrap to create responsive navbars, align elements using the grid layout, and more.

Note: When using other libraries and tools, you should always consider whether they’re built for responsiveness or not. For instance, you can include Froala in your applications as an HTML editor. Since it’s responsive right off the bat, you won’t have to do much styling or layout adjustments.

Setting up Your Bootstrap React Development Environment

To get started with integrating React Bootstrap, you’ll need some core tools that you normally use for developing web applications. Of course, you’ll also need to download and install Bootstrap.

Install Node.js

Node.js is an open-source runtime environment for JavaScript. Although primarily focused on server-side programming, it’s also responsible for providing the environment required by other necessary front-end tools.

For example, tools like NPM or Yarn that manage dependencies require Node.js. Additionally, bundlers such as Webpack or Babel also rely on Node.js.

To install Node.js, go to their website and download and run the installer. Afterwards, check whether the installation is successful by opening your Command Line Interface (CLI) and typing the following command:

node -v

If this returns a version, then it’s good to go.

Get NPM

NPM is an open-source collection of JavaScript software dependencies that allow developers to borrow and share packages. It revolves around interacting with the CLI to manage dependencies in the NPM registry.

If you’ve already installed Node.js, then normally you don’t need to do anything else to get NPM, as it already comes bundled with Node.js. To check if NPM is working, type the following command, which should give you the currently installed version:

npm -v

Note: If you need to download and install packages globally (i.e., not on individual projects), use a Node version manager to install Node.js and NPM.

Create a Simple React Bootstrap Application

Before using React Bootstrap, you need to have a React project. If you don’t already have a React app, you can create one by using Create React App (CRA). It’s an “officially supported way” from React that lets you easily create single-page React applications.

In your CLI, run the following:

npx create-react-app react-bootstrap

This will create a new React application in the react-bootstrap project directory. The “npx” part ensures that you’re using the latest version of create-react-app without a global installation. Once you’re done, you can run “cd react-bootstrap” to navigate to your folder.

Before you get moving, let’s quickly go through the basic structure of a React application, shown in the image below.

A React application typically has the following structure:

• node_modules: A subdirectory that contains installed dependencies (for example, React, Bootstrap, etc.).
• public: Contains the static files and your “index.html” file. These are assets that don’t change during runtime.The “index.html” file is where React renders your entire app; hence, you never edit this file directly. Instead, React dynamically injects React components into the “root” element.
• src: Includes all main source code, including your React components, styles, and logic. This is the core of your React application, with “index.js” as the entry point of the application.
• .gitignore: Files to ignore in Git.
• package-lock.json: Locks installed package versions.
• package.json: Where the project’s dependencies and metadata are located.
• README.md: Your React project’s documentation.

You can also build your own React components, which are self-contained UI blocks that you can import. For example, you can create a custom button component that uses Bootstrap CSS for styling.

Now that you have a React application, as well as a quick refresher on React concepts, you can move to adding the React Bootstrap library.

Download Bootstrap

There are different ways to install Bootstrap 5, but here are the three most relevant ones:

via compiled CSS and JS

These are ready-to-use codes, which include the compiled and minified Bootstrap CSS bundles and JS plugins. However, documentation, source files, or optional JavaScript dependencies (e.g., Popper, jQuery, etc.), are out of the scope.

If all you need are the Bootstrap components for stylesheets and basic JS (and not animations like popovers or tooltips), then this installation is for you.

To add Bootstrap via compiled CSS and JavaScript, click here. Afterwards, you can include the files that you need in your React app’s folder.

via the Bootstrap CDN

If you’re just testing out Bootstrap, or if you want to make it work right away, then you can use it via CDN. With this, you skip the download and instead deliver a cached version of Bootstrap to your React app.

To add Bootstrap through CDN, include the following code in your index.html file:

<head>
<!--other head items-->
...
<!--Bootstrap 5 CSS-->
<link 	href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet" integrity="sha384-QWTKZyjpPEjISv5WaRU9OFeRpok6YctnYmDr5pNlyT2bRjXh0JMhjY6hW+ALEwIH" crossorigin="anonymous">
</head>

<body>
<!--other body items-->
<!--Bootstrap 5 JavaScript-->
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js" integrity="sha384-YvpcrYf0tY3lHB60NNkmXc5s9fDVZLESaAA55NDzOxhy9GkcIdslK1eN7N6jIeHz" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
</body>

This gives you the latest delivered version (Bootstrap 5, currently). If you want to import Popper, jQuery, and other dependencies, you can add them before the JavaScript link through CDN as well.

via Package Manager

Lastly, you can install React Bootstrap packages using NPM. Using your CLI, head to your project directory and run the following:

npm install [email protected]

This installs the React Bootstrap package in “node_modules,” making it available for your React components. If you need more Bootstrap 5 components, just add them after the keyword (e.g., npm install [email protected] jquery popper.js for Popper and jQuery). You should then see the dependencies in your package.json file:

"dependencies": {
    ...
    "bootstrap": "^5.3.3",
    "jquery": "^3.7.1",
    "popper.js": "^1.16.1",
    "react": "^18.3.1",
    "react-dom": "^18.3.1",
    ...
  },

Afterwards, to load Bootstrap CSS and JavaScript throughout your app, add the following to “src/index.js:”

import 'bootstrap/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css';
import "bootstrap/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min";

You should now have the ability to use the Bootstrap library across your application. But you’re not done yet! Try adding some common UI components using different Bootstrap classes.

Building a Responsive React Bootstrap Navbar

First up, create one of the most important parts of a Bootstrap 5 application: the navbar. A navbar, like its name suggests, provides a user with a way to easily navigate through the application.

It usually contains the brand logo and title, followed by the navigation menu. The menu is actually a list of items that are links to other pages of the application.

In this example, you will start by creating a reusable navbar React component. Afterwards, you’ll use this component on two different pages that follow Bootstrap’s grid layout. Finally, you’ll discover how you can customize React Bootstrap further with some styling.

Installing the React Router dependency

To ensure that your navbar actually does something non-static, install the React Router package. It enables you to implement navigation between the pages of your app. In your CLI, run:

npm install react-router-dom

Now, your index.js should look something like this:

import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
import { BrowserRouter } from "react-router-dom";
import "./App.css";
import App from './App';
import reportWebVitals from './reportWebVitals';
import 'bootstrap/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css';
import "bootstrap/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.min";

const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root'));
root.render(
  <BrowserRouter>
    <App />
  </BrowserRouter>
);

Using the Navbar React Bootstrap Component

To get started, create a new component for the navbar. Under the “components” folder of your “src” directory, create a file called “Navbar.jsx” and add the following code:

import React from "react";
import { Link } from "react-router-dom";

function Navbar() {
  return (
    <nav className="navbar navbar-expand-lg bg-dark">
      <div className="container">
        <Link className="navbar-brand text-white" to="/">React Bootstrap Example</Link>
        <button className="navbar-toggler bg-white" type="button" data-bs-toggle="collapse" data-bs-target="#sampleNavbar" aria-controls="sampleNavbar" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation">
            <span className="navbar-toggler-icon"></span>
        </button>
        <div className="collapse navbar-collapse" id="sampleNavbar">
          <ul className="navbar-nav ms-auto">
            <li className="nav-item">
              <Link className="nav-link text-white" to="/">Home</Link>
            </li>
            <li className="nav-item">
              <Link className="nav-link text-white" to="/page1">Page 1</Link>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
      </div>
    </nav>
  );
}

export default Navbar;

This creates a component called Navbar. Note that the navbar has several Bootstrap classes within its elements.

For instance, the “bg-dark” class makes the React Bootstrap component’s background a dark gray hue. Similarly, “text-white” colors the navigation links white.

Making the React Bootstrap Navbar Responsive

In the code above, the navbar is already responsive because of the “navbar-expand-lg” and “collapse navbar-collapse” classes.

The former makes the navbar expand on larger screens. This means that as the screen size approaches the “large” breakpoint, it expands the navbar and shows the elements within it. The latter, on the other hand, collapses the navbar elements as the screen size decreases through the breakpoint.

You then add a button that the user can interact with to show the collapsed navbar elements on smaller screen sizes. Now, you have a responsive navbar! The next step is designing the sample pages using Bootstrap’s grid layout.

Implementing a Bootstrap Grid Layout

For responsive design, the Bootstrap framework offers a grid layout (among other methods). This means that it lays out UI components in terms of rows and columns. This makes building user interfaces that are responsive easier no matter the user’s browser.

Using React Bootstrap’s grid layout is practically the same as using Bootstrap on non-react apps:

• It’s as simple as indicating whether a div element is a row or a column.
• The screen is always divided into 12 columns.
• You can nest columns and rows.
• You can divide a row into specific columns of varying width (e.g., having two divs with classes “col-8” and “col-4” means that one div occupies 8 columns while the other occupies 4).
• You can specify on which breakpoint the columns resize (e.g., “col-lg-8 col-12” means that the element takes up 8 columns on larger screens and takes all 12 columns on smaller ones).

In this guide’s example, create two more files under the “components” folder: “Home.jsx” and “Page1.jsx.” In your Home.jsx file, add:

import React from "react";
import sampleImage from "../assets/ski.png";

function Home() {
  return (
    <div className="home-container">
      <div className="row">
        {/* Top row - Full-width image */}
        <div className="col-12">
          <img src={sampleImage} alt="Sample" className="img-fluid rounded" />
        </div>
      </div>
      <div className="row mt-4">
        {/* Bottom row - Two text columns */}
        <div className="col-md-6">
          <div className="p-3">
            <h3>Left Column</h3>
            <p>This is some text in the left column. Using Bootstrap’s grid layout ensures responsiveness.</p>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div className="col-md-6">
          <div className="p-3">
            <h3>Right Column</h3>
            <p>This is some text in the right column. The layout adjusts based on screen size.</p>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

export default Home;

Here, you’re displaying two rows: one that contains a full-width image and another that has two columns of text. The full-width image takes all twelve columns, while the two text columns take up an equal number of 6.

If you resize the browser window, you’ll notice that after a certain size, the two text columns change their positions. Instead of remaining side by side, they’re now on top of each other. That’s because of the “col-md-6” class, which ensures that contents stay readable even on smaller screens.

Now, open your “Page1.jsx” and add the following code:

import React from "react";

function Page1() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Welcome to Page 1!</h2>
      <p>This is an additional page for the React Bootstrap implementation.</p>
    </div>
  );
}

export default Page1;

This sample code doesn’t demonstrate the grid layout, but you’ll use this to test out the navigation part. Now, to put all three components together (navbar, home page, and page 1), replace your App.js file’s contents with:

import React from "react";
import { Routes, Route } from "react-router-dom";
import Navbar from "./components/Navbar";
import Home from "./components/Home";
import Page1 from "./components/Page1";

function App() {
  return (
    <>
      <Navbar />
      <div className="container mt-4">
        <Routes>
          <Route path="/" element={<Home />} />
          <Route path="/page1" element={<Page1 />} />
        </Routes>
      </div>
    </>
  );
}

export default App;

First, you need to import the three components. You also need to import the components from the React Router dependency. Afterwards, define your navbar, followed by your container and routes.

Once you’re done, run your application with:

npm start

You should see something like this:

Try playing around with the example. Reduce the browser width and see the navbar elements collapse under a button with the hamburger icon. See how and on which breakpoint (in px) the two columns change their orientation.

Now, click the “Page 1” link on the navbar to see something like:

From here, you should have the ability to navigate back to the homepage. And that’s it! You now have the basic implementation of Bootstrap in React.

The next step is to further customize it depending on what you need. And before you go, read on below to learn how to customize Bootstrap styles, as well as some best practices and common issues.

Customizing Styles in React Bootstrap

What if you wanted the navbar’s background color to be blue? Or maybe implement your own font family throughout the app? Or even override some default behaviors from Bootstrap?

All these are possible thanks to its customization.

From the sample app above, tweak your application a bit. Go to your App.css file and append the following code:

/* Custom navbar background */
.bg-custom {
  background-color: #0098F7;
}

/* Custom image styling */
.home-img {
  max-height: 400px;
  width: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
  border-radius: 10px;
}

/* Custom box styling */
.custom-box {
  background-color: #f8f9fa;
  border: 1px solid #dee2e6;
  border-radius: 8px;
}

These additional classes change the navbar’s background color, the image styling, and the styling for the text columns. To implement these, add them as classes in your elements.

• In your Navbar.jsx, replace “bg-dark” with “bg-custom”
• In Home.jsx, add “home-img” to your image element and “custom-box” to your columns

These should change your home page’s look to:

Notice how the home page looks much cleaner now with the text borders, better image sizing, and the blue navbar. You can do a lot more with customizing Bootstrap to your liking. Explore more of it by reading the Bootstrap documentation page!

Best Practices when Using Bootstrap with React

Bootstrap, thankfully, is also an accessibility and SEO-friendly JavaScript framework. This means that users who use screen readers will have a better time on your app. Additionally, web crawlers for SEO rankings will understand your web app better.

Here are some things to consider when creating React Bootstrap applications.

• Use WAI-ARIA keywords like “aria-controls” and “aria-label.”
• Include ARIA roles and attributes to provide more context on how the components are used.
• Test specific color combinations and modify default Bootstrap color themes to abide by WCAG color contrast ratios.
• Use the “visually-hidden” class to hide content that should be visually hidden but should also be accessible to assistive technologies.

Troubleshooting Common React Bootstrap Issues

When working with Bootstrap in a React environment, you might run into some common issues. Here are some of them as well as their solutions.

• Navbar toggler not working: Ensure that Bootstrap’s JavaScript is loaded. If you installed it via NPM, you should import it in index.js.
• Bootstrap styles not applying: Similarly, ensure that the CSS files are loaded. Again, check your index.js if you installed Bootstrap via NPM. If you’re using CDN, check that the link tag is correctly included in your index.html.
• Bootstrap grid layout not working: Be sure that for every row, all columns should add up to 12. Also, check if any CSS file is overriding Bootstrap.
• Styling issues when using custom CSS: Ensure that your custom styles are loaded after Bootstrap’s stylesheet in your project.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned the basics of implementing Bootstrap in React. Along the way, you also explored a sample app that demonstrates the use of some components, including the Bootstrap navbar and grid layout.

Tools like Bootstrap and React streamline the development process while further improving quality.

So why not learn more about the different Bootstrap components and React implementations? Include jQuery or other custom CSS or SCSS. Maybe test out other responsive tools that go well with React and Bootstrap, like Froala Editor.

What you do next is up to you. Happy coding!