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Designing the Next-Gen Rich Text Editor: Requirements, Challenges, and a Developer-First Approach

"Strong DX leads to great UX."
— Probably every frontend dev ever (but it's still true)

Why Build Yet Another Editor?

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If you've ever tried integrating a rich text editor into a modern frontend stack, then you know the drill. Markdown support is unreliable, HTML output is messy, and extending the editor feels like a series of workarounds to someone else's idea of what "rich text" should be.

Now imagine you want more:

That's the editor I wanted to build.

This is the first post in a four-part series where I'll walk you through the process of building an AI-enhanced editor with Tiptap, OpenAI, and Vue.js However, OpenAI und Vue.js are example tools that I used to create a demo. The concepts apply no matter what tools you use.

The Requirements: What We Actually Need

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Now, let's break down what a modern editor should o. and backend systems.

1. Backend-Compatible Output

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Whether you're saving to a database or sending content via an API, the editor should produce clean, structured output. That means:

2. Notion-Like Design

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Users expect intuitive interfaces. Features like:

These features are becoming standard, not just nice-to-haves.

3. Custom Blocks and AI Widgets

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Modern content is more than just text.

4. Markdown Support and Keyboard Shortcuts

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For power users and developers, keyboard efficiency is paramount.

5. Collaboration Features

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In a world of remote work, real-time collaboration is essential.

6. Developer Experience (DX)

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A tool is only as good as how usable it is for developers.

Remember: strong DX leads to great UX.

And then, I chose Tiptap

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Before starting the building process, I did what any developer would do. I made a spreadsheet.

I wanted to compare the landscape of rich text editors, including both open-source and commercial options. My criteria included all of the requirements listed above.

Some of the editors I evaluated:

I ended up choosing Tiptap. It felt like the most promising balance between power and DX. The documentation was clean and current, the community active, and the whole thing felt young and fresh—without layers of legacy patterns. Some other editors, such as CKEditor and TinyMCE, are quite solid, but they didn't quite match the flexibility, integration, and especially the ease of use that I was looking for.

Coming Up Next

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Since I first started using Tiptap, the library has released a native AI feature, which is really exciting.

In the next few articles, I’ll walk you through building your own AI integration from scratch. This method gives you full control and works well, I do recommend to use Tiptap's AI feature. However, let's build it ourselves now. Stay tuned for the next articles:

  1. Getting Started with Tiptap and Vue.js
    A hands-on tutorial to set up a rich text editor with Tiptap and Vue.js.

  2. Building an AI-Powered Editor with Nuxt and Tiptap
    Integrate OpenAI to enhance your editor with smart features.

  3. Lessons Learned: Integrating Generative AI into Frontend Workflows
    Insights and takeaways from building and deploying the editor.

Want to see the code? Check out the GitHub repository.

Watch the talk: Unleashing the Power of AI: Integrating Tiptap, OpenAI, and Vue.js