The Best Rich Text Editor Plugins for Vue

Selecting a Vue rich text editor in 2024 means navigating a landscape where many popular options have fallen behind. While Vue 3 has been stable for years, numerous WYSIWYG editors still lack proper support, leaving developers with broken builds or convoluted workarounds. This guide focuses on modern, actively maintained Vue text editor plugins that integrate cleanly with Vue 3 and offer reliable long-term support.

Top Vue Text Editor Plugins for Modern Applications

TipTap - The Customizable Headless Editor

TipTap stands out as the most flexible WYSIWYG editor Vue 3 developers can choose. Built on ProseMirror, it provides complete control over the editing experience without forcing predetermined UI decisions. The editor ships with full TypeScript support and treats Vue 3 as a first-class citizen.

import { useEditor, EditorContent } from '@tiptap/vue-3'
import StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit'

const editor = useEditor({
  content: '<p>Start editing...</p>',
  extensions: [StarterKit]
})

TipTap’s modular architecture means you only bundle what you need. The base editor starts at 45KB gzipped, making it ideal for performance-conscious applications. Its extensive plugin ecosystem covers everything from collaborative editing to custom node types, though building a complete UI requires more initial work than drop-in solutions.

Choose TipTap when you need maximum customization, have specific UI requirements, or want to avoid vendor lock-in. Skip it if you need a ready-to-use editor with minimal configuration.

CKEditor 5 - Enterprise-Ready WYSIWYG Editor Vue 3

CKEditor 5 offers the most polished out-of-box experience for Vue applications. Its native Vue integration requires minimal code for a fully functional editor:

import { ClassicEditor } from '@ckeditor/ckeditor5-editor-classic'

export default {
  data() {
    return {
      editor: ClassicEditor,
      editorData: '<p>Content here</p>'
    }
  }
}

The editor excels at structured content editing with features like tables, media embeds, and real-time collaboration. However, CKEditor uses GPL licensing, which can complicate commercial projects. The lack of official TypeScript support also frustrates teams prioritizing type safety.

CKEditor works best for content management systems, documentation platforms, or any project requiring sophisticated formatting tools without extensive customization.

TinyMCE - The Feature-Rich Vue Rich Text Editor

TinyMCE provides the most comprehensive feature set among Vue text editor plugins. With official Vue 3 support and TypeScript definitions, it integrates smoothly into modern Vue applications:

import Editor from '@tinymce/tinymce-vue'

export default {
  components: { Editor },
  data() {
    return {
      content: '',
      init: {
        height: 500,
        menubar: false,
        plugins: ['lists', 'link', 'image', 'table'],
        toolbar: 'undo redo | formatselect | bold italic'
      }
    }
  }
}

Self-hosting TinyMCE removes load limits and keeps data on your servers. The cloud version simplifies updates but introduces usage restrictions. At roughly 400KB for a full setup, TinyMCE requires careful consideration of bundle size impacts.

Pick TinyMCE for complex editing requirements like email composers or document processors where feature completeness outweighs bundle size concerns.

Choosing the Right Editor for Your Vue Project

Key Selection Criteria

Bundle size directly impacts application performance. TipTap’s modular approach keeps bundles lean, while TinyMCE’s feature richness comes with weight. Measure the actual impact on your application’s Core Web Vitals before committing.

Licensing affects commercial viability. TipTap uses MIT licensing for maximum flexibility. CKEditor’s GPL license requires careful evaluation for proprietary software. TinyMCE offers both open-source and commercial licenses depending on your needs.

Maintenance outlook predicts long-term stability. All three editors show strong GitHub activity and regular releases. Avoid older Vue rich text editor options like Quill or Froala that lack proper Vue 3 support or show stagnant development.

Quick Setup Comparison

TipTap requires the most initial setup but offers the cleanest integration with Vue 3’s Composition API. CKEditor provides the fastest path to a working editor but limits architectural choices. TinyMCE balances ease of setup with configuration flexibility.

TypeScript users should prioritize TipTap or TinyMCE, both offering comprehensive type definitions. Teams using Nuxt 3 or other SSR frameworks need careful configuration regardless of editor choice, though TipTap generally handles SSR scenarios most reliably.

Conclusion

Modern Vue applications deserve modern WYSIWYG editors. TipTap leads for customization and clean architecture, CKEditor excels at rapid deployment with rich features, and TinyMCE provides maximum functionality for complex requirements. Avoid deprecated or poorly maintained alternatives that create technical debt. Match your editor choice to your specific constraints—whether bundle size, licensing, or feature requirements—rather than defaulting to the most popular option.

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