Rich Text Editor

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Post Date:16 Feb 2026 - 06:30 PM

Implemented a Notion-Like Rich Text Editor Using Plate.js


Modern web applications often require powerful and flexible rich text editors. When building my own website, I wanted a Notion-like editing experience with features such as slash commands, formatting, block elements, and extensibility. After researching several editors, I chose Plate.js, a highly customizable rich text editor built on top of Slate.js and designed specifically for modern React applications.

In this blog, I will explain why I chose Plate.js, how I set it up, and how I implemented a Notion-style rich text editor in my website.



What is Plate.js?


Plate.js is a powerful rich text editor framework for React, built on top of Slate.js. It provides a complete set of features required to build modern editors like Notion, Medium, or Google Docs.

Plate.js provides:

Block-based editing
Slash commands
Markdown support
Custom components
Plugin-based architecture
Full TypeScript support

It is designed to be flexible, scalable, and developer-friendly.




Why I Chose Plate.js


When selecting a rich text editor, I had several requirements:

Notion-like editing experience
Full customization capability
TypeScript support
Clean architecture
Plugin system

Plate.js fulfilled all these requirements. Unlike traditional editors, Plate.js allows complete control over the editor structure and behavior.




Step 1: Installing Plate.js


First, I installed Plate.js and its dependencies in my Next.js project.
npm install @udecode/plate-common @udecode/plate-react @udecode/plate-basic-elements @udecode/plate-basic-marks
This installs the core Plate editor and basic plugins.

Step 2: Creating the Editor Component


Next, I created a custom editor component.
'use client';

import React from 'react';
import { Plate, PlateContent, createPlateEditor } from '@udecode/plate-react';

const editor = createPlateEditor();

export default function RichTextEditor() {
  return (
    <Plate editor={editor}>
      <PlateContent placeholder="Start typing..." />
    </Plate>
  );
}



createPlateEditor() creates the editor instance
Plate provides the editor context
PlateContent renders the editable area
This creates a basic rich text editor.




Step 3: Adding Plugins


Plate.js uses plugins to enable features such as bold, italic, headings, and more.

import {
  createBoldPlugin,
  createItalicPlugin,
} from '@udecode/plate-basic-marks';

import {
  createParagraphPlugin,
  createHeadingPlugin,
} from '@udecode/plate-basic-elements';

const plugins = [
  createParagraphPlugin(),
  createHeadingPlugin(),
  createBoldPlugin(),
  createItalicPlugin(),
];

const editor = createPlateEditor({
  plugins,
});

Plugins allow the editor to support:

Headings
Paragraphs
Bold text
Italic text

Plate’s plugin system makes it extremely flexible.

Step 4: Adding Notion-Like Styling


To make the editor look like Notion, I added custom styling using Tailwind CSS.

<PlateContent
  className="prose max-w-none focus:outline-none min-h-[200px]"
  placeholder="Write your content..."
/>

This provides:

Clean typography
Proper spacing
Professional look

Step 5: Saving Editor Content


To store the editor content, I used React state.

const [value, setValue] = useState([]);

<Plate
  editor={editor}
  value={value}
  onChange={({ value }) => setValue(value)}
>
  <PlateContent />
</Plate>

This allows me to:

Save content in database
Send content to backend
Restore content later

Step 6: Rendering Saved Content


Plate.js content can be stored as JSON and rendered later.
Example stored content:

[
  {
    "type": "paragraph",
    "children": [
      { "text": "This is my rich text editor content." }
    ]
  }
]
This makes it perfect for blog systems, CMS, or documentation tools.

Key Features I Implemented


In my website, I implemented:

Paragraph blocks
Headings
Bold and italic formatting
Custom styling
Content saving and loading
Notion-like editing experience

Plate.js allowed me to create a fully functional rich text editor.


Implementing Plate.js in my website was a great experience. It gave me complete control over the editor and allowed me to build a modern, scalable rich text editor. Compared to traditional editors, Plate.js offers much more flexibility and customization. It integrates perfectly with Next.js and works well in production environments.


Plate.js is one of the best choices for building modern rich text editors in React applications. Its plugin system, flexibility, and Notion-like editing capabilities make it ideal for production-level applications. By implementing Plate.js, I was able to create a powerful, customizable, and scalable rich text editor for my website. If you are building a CMS, blog platform, or documentation system, Plate.js is an excellent choice.