You've probably tried building a rich text editor in Next.js before, only to hit roadblocks with server-side display, hydration mismatches, or performance issues that make the whole experience feel clunky. The good news is that modern tools and techniques have made this process much more straightforward than it used to be. With the right approach, you can create a professional-grade editor that handles everything from basic formatting to advanced features like real-time collaboration. Let's walk through building a solid Next.js text editor that your users will actually enjoy using.
TLDR:
Build Next.js rich text editors with Tiptap using lazy imports to avoid hydration issues
Choose between Tiptap (customizable), Lexical (performance), Quill (quick setup), or Slate (flexible) based on needs
Use TypeScript and proper component architecture for maintainable editor implementations
Optimize performance with lazy loading, memoization, and debounced save operations
Velt adds real-time collaboration in 10 lines of code vs building custom infrastructure
Choosing the Right Rich Text Editor Library
Creating a strong foundation is important when building a rich text editor. The editor library you choose will determine your development experience and what end users can do. Each option comes with distinct trade-offs that affect performance, customization, and maintenance overhead.
Editor | Bundle Size | Framework Support | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
Tiptap | Medium | React, Vue, Angular | Customizable experiences |
Lexical | Small | React-first | Performance-focused apps |
Quill | Medium | Framework-agnostic | Quick setup needs |
Slate | Large | React-focused | Maximum flexibility |
Tiptap strikes a balance between feature richness and flexibility without being overly opinionated. Its modular architecture lets you add only the features you need, keeping bundle sizes manageable.
Lexical, Meta's newer offering, focuses on performance with a smaller footprint. It excels in apps where speed matters most but requires more custom development for advanced features.
Quill offers the fastest setup with full built-in features. However, deep customization becomes challenging when you need unique functionality.
Slate is the most flexible, which makes it valuable for apps needing a custom editing experience.
The right editor choice depends heavily on your specific requirements for customization, performance, and development timeline.
Choosing the right editor greatly impacts both user experience and development workflow. Consider your team's expertise and project timeline when making this decision. We will use Tiptap for our build example.
Installing and Configuring Tiptap
Tiptap requires three core packages to function properly in Next.js. Install them using npm:
npm install @tiptap/react @tiptap/pm @tiptap/starter-kit
The @tiptap/react package provides React-specific bindings, while @tiptap/pm contains the ProseMirror core. The starter kit bundles key extensions like bold, italic, and paragraph formatting.
Create a basic editor configuration in components/RichTextEditor.tsx:
import { useEditor, EditorContent } from '@tiptap/react'
import StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit'
export default function RichTextEditor() {
const editor = useEditor({
extensions: [StarterKit],
content: '<p>Start typing...</p>',
})
return <EditorContent editor = {editor} /> }
Next.js requires imports for Tiptap to avoid server-side issues. Wrap your editor component:
import loadAsync from 'next/dynamic'
const RichTextEditor = loadAsync(() => import('./RichTextEditor'), {
ssr: false
})
Tiptap's modular architecture allows you to add only the extensions you need, keeping your bundle size optimized for production.
Building the Editor Component
Start by creating a complete editor component that handles both content and toolbar functionality. This approach provides better separation of concerns and easier maintenance.
Create components/Editor.tsx with the following structure:
import { useEditor, EditorContent } from '@tiptap/react'
import StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit'
const editor = useEditor({
extensions: [StarterKit],
content: ' ',
})
return (
<div className="border rounded-lg">
<EditorContent editor={editor} />
</div> ) }
Add a toolbar component to provide formatting controls. Create components/Toolbar.tsx:
export function Toolbar({ editor }) {
if (!editor) return null
return ( <div className="border-b p-2 flex gap-2"> <button onClick={
() => editor.chain().focus().toggleBold().run()
}
className = {
editor.isActive('bold') ? 'bg-gray-200' : ''
} > Bold </button> </div> )
}
In short, a feature-rich text editor requires careful component architecture to handle complex state interactions effectively.
Adding Key Editor Features
Key formatting features change a basic text input into a professional editing experience. Beyond the starter kit, you'll need custom extensions and toolbar controls that respond to user interactions.
Custom Toolbar Implementation
To build a complete toolbar that provides visual feedback and keyboard shortcuts, start by expanding your toolbar with key formatting options:
export function Toolbar({
editor
}) {
const formatButtons = [ {
name: 'bold', label: 'Bold', shortcut: 'Cmd+B' }, {
name: 'italic', label: 'Italic', shortcut: 'Cmd+I' }, {
name: 'heading', label: 'H1', level: 1
} ]
return ( <div className="border-b p-2 flex gap-1"> {
formatButtons.map(button => ( <button key={
button.name
} onClick = {
() => editor.chain().focus().toggleBold().run()}
className={
`px-3 py-1 rounded ${editor.isActive(button.name) ? 'bg-blue-100' : 'hover:bg-gray-100'}`}
title={
button.shortcut} > {
button.label
} </button> ))} </div> ) }
Extensions provide powerful functionality like history tracking for undo/redo operations and custom node types for specialized content.
Content Management
To handle content persistence by implementing proper serialization, use JSON format for complex content structures and HTML for simple text:
const saveContent = useCallback(() => {
const json = editor.getJSON() const html = editor.getHTML() // Save to backend or local storage
}, [editor])
Proper content management protects data integrity and allows features like auto-save and version history.
Performance Optimization Techniques
Rich text editors can become performance bottlenecks without proper optimization. Lazy-loading the editor component using Next.js imports prevents blocking the initial page load.
Implement code splitting for editor extensions to reduce bundle size:
const BoldExtension = lazy(() => import('@tiptap/extension-bold'))
const ItalicExtension = lazy(() => import('@tiptap/extension-italic'))
const editor = useEditor({
extensions: [StarterKit, BoldExtension, ItalicExtension],
})
Minimizing Unnecessary Updates
Memoizing the editor's props prevents unnecessary component updates. Therefore, be sure to use useMemo for expensive operations and useCallback for event handlers:
const editorConfig = useMemo(() => ({
extensions: [StarterKit],
content: initialContent,
}), [initialContent]) const handleUpdate = useCallback(({
editor }) => {
setContent(editor.getHTML())
}, [])
Large Document Handling
For documents exceeding 10,000 characters, implement virtual scrolling and content chunking. Debounce save operations to reduce server requests:
const debouncedSave = useMemo( () => debounce((content) => saveToServer(content), 1000), [] )
Advanced display techniques become important when handling complex editor interactions and real-time updates.
Handling Server-Side Display and Hydration
Rich text editors create hydration mismatches because they rely heavily on DOM manipulation and client-side JavaScript. The server creates static HTML while the client expects interactive editor components, causing React to throw hydration errors.
The most reliable solution involves imports with SSR disabled. This approach prevents the editor from loading on the server entirely:
import loadAsync from 'next/dynamic'
const RichTextEditor = loadAsync(() = >= import('./RichTextEditor'), {
ssr:false,
loading: () => <div className = "h-32 bg-gray-100 animate-pulse rounded" />
})
Preserving SEO Benefits
To maintain SEO advantages while using client-side editors, implement a hybrid approach. Render static content on the server and progressively enhance with the editor:
export default function EditablePage ({
content,
isEditing }) {
if (!isEditing }) {
return <div dangerouslySetInnerHTML = {{
_html: content }}
/> return <RichTextEditor initialContent={content} /> }
Handling Initial Content
Pass initial content through props instead of directly in the editor configuration to avoid hydration conflicts:
const editor = useEditor({
extensions: [StarterKit],
content ", // Empty initially
}) useEffect (() => {
if (editor && initialContent) {
editor.commands.setContent(initialContent)}
}, [editor, initialContent])
Proper hydration handling gives smooth user experiences while maintaining Next.js performance benefits for static content.
Common Issues and Key Considerations
Creating custom extensions unlocks powerful editor features beyond basic formatting. With advanced features and customizations there may be a few additional things to consider as you scale. Below are some of the common issues we've seen and how to handle them.
Collaborative Editing Implementation
Building a collaborative text editor requires integrating CRDT libraries like Yjs with WebSocket providers. This combination handles conflict resolution automatically when multiple users edit simultaneously.
Install collaboration dependencies:
npm install @tiptap/extension-collaboration yjs y-websocket
Configure the collaboration extension with proper conflict resolution:
const editor = useEditor({
extensions: [ StarterKit.configure({
history: false
}), Collaboration.configure({
document: ydoc }) ]
})
Real-time collaboration changes single-user editors into powerful multiplayer experiences, but requires careful state synchronization and conflict handling.
TypeScript Configuration Problems
TypeScript often struggles with editor library types, especially when using imports that load at runtime. Add proper type declarations in your types/global.d.ts:
declare module '@tiptap/react' {
interface Commands<ReturnType> {
customCommand: {
insertCustomBlock: () => ReturnType
} } }
Styling and CSS Conflicts
Editor components frequently clash with global CSS frameworks. Use CSS modules or styled-components to isolate editor styles:
const EditorWrapper = styled.div` .ProseMirror { outline: none; padding: 1rem; } `
Browser Compatibility Issues
Safari and older browsers handle contentEditable differently. Implement feature detection and fallbacks:
const isModernBrowser = typeof window !== 'undefined' && 'ResizeObserver' in window
Most editor problems stem from assuming browser APIs are available during server-side processing or not handling edge cases in contentEditable behavior.
For real-time features experiencing connection issues, review our WebSockets vs WebRTC guide to choose the right communication protocol for your collaboration needs.
Velt: Complete Collaboration SDK
Now that you've successfully implemented a rich text editor that handles basic formatting, users can create formatted content with ease. If you are looking to increase engagement and productivity, adding specialized features designed for collaborative editing can take your editor to the next level.
Building collaboration features from scratch requires months of development and ongoing infrastructure maintenance. Velt's easy-to-use collaboration SDK eliminates this complexity by providing a complete collaboration layer that integrates smoothly with your Next.js rich text editor.
Unlike basic messaging solutions, Velt offers specialized features designed for collaborative editing. Real-time presence and cursors show who's online and where they're working, while live state sync keeps document changes synchronized across all users without conflicts.
The SDK includes Figma-style threaded comments that attach to any DOM element, making it perfect for rich text editors where users need to discuss specific paragraphs or sections. Comments support mentions, reactions, and resolution workflows out of the box.
Integration takes just 10 lines of code compared to building custom collaboration infrastructure:
import { VeltProvider, VeltComments, VeltPresence } from '@veltdev/react'
export default function CollaborativeEditor() {
return ( <VeltProvider apiKey="your-api-key"> <VeltPresence /> <RichTextEditor /> <VeltComments /> </VeltProvider> ) }
Velt handles the complex networking, conflict resolution, and real-time synchronization so you can focus on building great editor experiences.
FAQ
How do I prevent hydration errors when using rich text editors in Next.js?
Use imports with SSR disabled to prevent the editor from loading on the server: const RichTextEditor = dynamic(() => import('./RichTextEditor'), { ssr: false }). This avoids mismatches between server HTML and client-side editor components.
What's the main difference between Tiptap and Lexical for Next.js projects?
Tiptap offers a balance between customization and ease of use with modular extensions, while Lexical focuses on performance with a smaller bundle size but requires more custom development for advanced features.
When should I consider adding real-time collaboration to my text editor?
Consider collaboration features when multiple users need to edit the same document simultaneously, or when you need commenting and review workflows, typically in team-based applications or content management systems.
How can I optimize performance for large documents in my rich text editor?
Implement lazy loading for editor extensions, use useMemo and useCallback to prevent unnecessary re-updates, debounce save operations, and consider virtual scrolling for documents exceeding 10,000 characters.
Can I maintain SEO benefits while using a client-side rich text editor?
Yes, implement a hybrid approach by creating static content on the server for SEO and progressively enhancing with the editor for editing modes, or use the editor only in authenticated editing contexts while serving static HTML to search engines.
Final thoughts on building rich text editors in Next.js
Rich text editors can change your Next.js app into a powerful content creation tool. With proper setup and the right library choice, you'll have a solid foundation for any editing experience. If you need collaboration features, Velt adds real-time editing, comments, and presence without the months of custom development. Your users will appreciate the smooth editing experience you've built.
