Three Ways For Uploading Images in Froala: Which One Should You Use?

As a developer, you understand the importance of seamless image uploads in WYSIWYG editors. Froala, a popular rich text editor, offers three distinct methods for handling image uploads.

The right approach depends on your application’s requirements and the level of control you need over the image upload process.

In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of the default image uploader, the File Manager, and the Filestack integration, and when you might want to use each one, helping you determine which one best suits your project’s needs.

Key Takeaways

• The default image uploader is a straightforward option for basic image upload needs, but it requires server-side setup and management.
• The Froala File Manager offers a more robust and user-friendly image upload experience, with the ability to upload multiple images at once.
• The Filestack integration provides the most comprehensive set of features, including cloud-based storage, advanced image transformation, and AI-powered image analysis. This makes it the best choice for projects with sophisticated image management requirements.
• All methods support integrating with cloud storage providers like Amazon S3 to offload image storage from your own server.

The Default Image Uploader

The default image uploader in Froala is a straightforward option. When you click the image icon in the toolbar, you can easily drag and drop an image or browse your local files to select a file. This inserts the image directly into the editor as a BLOB (Binary Large Object).

The image plugin manages this default image upload functionality. Developers can customize various properties of the inserted images, such as the default width, display settings, and more.

To use the default image uploader, you’ll need to set the imageUploadURL option. This tells Froala where to send the uploaded image for processing. You’ll also need to handle the image upload on your server and return the URL of the uploaded image, which Froala can then use to display it in the editor.

Froala provides server-side SDKs to simplify this server-side implementation, making the default image uploader relatively easy to set up.

It also supports integrating with cloud storage providers like Amazon S3 and Azure. This lets you store your uploaded files on external cloud platforms, rather than your own server.

You can filter accepted image file types by setting the imageAllowedTypes option. This is useful if you want to restrict the types of images users can upload. Additionally, you can set maximum file size limits using the imageMaxSize option.

new FroalaEditor("#froala-editor", {
  toolbarButtons: [
    "insertImage",
    "bold",
    "italic",
    "underline",
    "|",
    "undo",
    "redo"
  ],
  pluginsEnabled: ["image"],
  imageUploadURL: "/upload_image",
  imageUploadMethod: "PUT",
  imageAllowedTypes: [
    'jpeg', 
    'jpg', 
    'png'
  ],
  imageMaxSize: 1024 * 1024 * 3
});

Pros:

• Simple and easy to use
• No additional costs

Cons:

• Requires you to set up server-side logic to handle image uploads and storage.
• Images are stored directly on your own server, which could impact performance and storage management.

Overall, the default image uploader is a straightforward option that works well for basic image upload needs. However, if you require more advanced features, you may want to consider the other options Froala provides, such as the File Manager or Filestack integration.

The File Manager

Froala’s File Manager offers a more robust and user-friendly image upload experience. It allows users to browse, upload, and manage files directly within the editor.

The File Manager utilizes several plugins, including file, image, imageTUI, and video. These plugins need to be enabled in your Froala configuration.

When uploading images, the File Manager leverages specific settings from the image plugin, such as imageDefaultWidth, imageResizeWithPercent, imageDefaultDisplay, and imageDefaultAlign. This allows you to customize the appearance and behavior of the uploaded images.

The File Manager also supports integrating with cloud storage providers like Amazon S3 and Azure. This lets you store your uploaded files on external cloud platforms, rather than your own server.

Additionally, you can use the Froala server SDKs to simplify the server-side implementation. However, keep in mind that this may require more setup and configuration since the File Manager can handle various file types, not just images.

One of the key benefits of the File Manager is its ability to upload multiple images at once. Users can easily browse their local files and select several images to upload in a single action.

Moreover, the File Manager provides a direct way to insert images into your content. Users can browse the available files and simply click to insert the desired image into the Froala editor.

new FroalaEditor('#froala-editor', {
   toolbarButtons: ['insertFiles', 'bold', 'italic', 'underline', '|', 'undo', 'redo'],
   pluginsEnabled: ["filesManager","image", "video","file","imageTUI"],
   filesManagerUploadURL: '/upload_file',
   filesManagerAllowedTypes: [
      'application/pdf', 
      'application/msword',
      'image/png'
   ], 
});

Pros:

• Offers a user-friendly interface for managing images
• Supports uploading multiple images at once.

Cons:

• Requires enabling multiple plugins, which can increase the overall plugin size.
• Still requires some server-side implementation to handle file uploads and storage.

Filestack Integration

Froala offers seamless integration with Filestack, a powerful file hosting and image upload API service. Filestack allows you to upload images and other file types directly to their cloud storage, relieving your server of the burden of image storage.

Filestack provides an intuitive user interface with over 20 integrated sources, enabling users to upload files from a wide range of platforms, including local devices, cloud storage services, and social media. This makes the file upload process more convenient and versatile.

Beyond images, Filestack supports the upload of various file types, and it allows users to upload multiple files simultaneously. The service’s Content Ingestion Network (CIN) ensures reliable and fast uploads, delivering a 100x improvement in reliability compared to traditional file uploads.

Once an image is uploaded, Filestack instantly generates a CDN-backed URL, ensuring lightning-fast delivery across the web. This eliminates the need for any server-side code to handle image storage, as Filestack manages the entire process on its cloud infrastructure.

Filestack also offers robust image transformation capabilities, allowing you to resize, crop, and apply various effects to your images using their powerful processing API. Additionally, Filestack’s AI features can scan uploaded images for viruses, detect tags and attributes, and perform advanced image analysis, providing valuable insights about your visual content.

Filestack provides developers with a variety of configurations to control the image upload experience. For example, they can limit accepted image file types by setting the Filestack Picker’s accept option.

     var editor = new FroalaEditor('#editor', {
       filestackOptions: {
            /*
            To get your Filestack API, create a free Filestack account
            https://www.filestack.com/signup-free-froala/
            */
            filestackAPI: "**************",
            uploadToFilestackOnly: false,
            pickerOptions: {
                accept: [
                    ".pdf",
                    "image/jpeg",
                    "image/png",
                    "image/*",
                    "video/*",
                    "audio/*"
                ],
                fromSources: [
                    "local_file_system",
                    "url",
                    "facebook",
                    "instagram"
                ]
            },
            transformationOptions: {
                filters: {
                    enabled: [
                        "blackWhite",
                        "sepia"
                    ]
                },
                adjustments: {
                    enabled: [
                        "brightness",
                        "noise"
                    ]
                }
            }
        }
    });

Pros:

• Offloads image storage to a dedicated cloud service
• Provides advanced image transformation and optimization tools
• Offers robust file management capabilities, including support for multiple file types.
• Delivers fast, CDN-backed image delivery
• Includes features like virus detection and image analysis powered by Filestack AI

Cons:

• Requires signing up for a Filestack account.
• May incur additional costs depending on the Filestack pricing plan.

Overall, the Filestack integration in Froala offers a comprehensive and streamlined solution for managing file uploads, storage, and optimization, freeing you from the hassle of implementing these features on your own server.

Side-by-side comparison

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the three image upload methods in Froala to help you identify similarities and differences and make informed decisions.

Conclusion

When choosing the best image upload method for your Froala-based application, consider your specific requirements, the level of control you need, and the trade-offs between ease of implementation, performance, and cost. While the default image uploader is a simple option, the Filestack integration offers the most comprehensive set of features and capabilities, making it the best choice for projects that require advanced image management and optimization.

FAQ

Can I restrict the types of images users can upload in Froala?

Yes, you can restrict the types of images users can upload in Froala. For the default image uploader, you can set the imageAllowedTypes option to specify the allowed file extensions. For the Filestack integration, you can set the accept option in the Filestack Picker to control the accepted file types.

Does Froala support uploading multiple images at once?

Yes, the Froala File Manager and the Filestack integration both support uploading multiple images at once. This can be a useful feature for users who need to quickly add several images to their content.

Can I store my uploaded images on a cloud platform like Amazon S3?

Yes, all upload methods support integration with cloud storage providers like Amazon S3 and Azure. This allows you to offload the storage of your uploaded images to a dedicated cloud platform, rather than managing it on your own server.

What features does the Filestack integration offer beyond basic image uploads?

The Filestack integration provides a range of advanced features, including robust image transformation capabilities, virus detection, and image analysis powered by Filestack’s AI. These features can be particularly useful for projects that require more sophisticated image management and optimization.