CKEditor 5 integration library for Phoenix (Elixir) applications. Provides web components and helper functions for seamless editor integration with support for classic, inline, balloon, and decoupled editor types.
Important
This package is unofficial and not maintained by CKSource. For official CKEditor 5 documentation, visit ckeditor.com. If you encounter any issues in the editor, please report them on the GitHub repository.
- CKEditor 5 Phoenix Integration โจ
Choose between two installation methods based on your needs. Both approaches provide the same functionality but differ in how CKEditor 5 assets are loaded and managed.
Bundle CKEditor 5 with your application for full control over assets, custom builds, and offline support. This method is recommended for advanced users or production applications with specific requirements.
Complete setup:
-
Add dependency to your
mix.exs:def deps do [ {:ckeditor5_phoenix, "~> 1.9.0"} ] end
-
Install CKEditor 5 via NPM:
npm install ckeditor5
-
Register JavaScript hook in your
app.js:import { Hooks } from 'ckeditor5_phoenix'; const liveSocket = new LiveSocket('/live', Socket, { hooks: Hooks, });
-
Import styles in your
app.css:@import "ckeditor5/ckeditor5.css";
-
Adjust LiveView
defmodule MyAppWeb.LiveView do use Phoenix.LiveView use CKEditor5 end
-
Use in templates (no CDN assets needed):
<.ckeditor type="classic" value="<p>Hello world!</p>" />
Load CKEditor 5 directly from CKSource's CDN - no build configuration required. This method is ideal for most users who want quick setup and don't need custom builds.
Complete setup:
-
Add dependency to your
mix.exs:def deps do [ {:ckeditor5_phoenix, "~> 1.9.0"} ] end
-
Register JavaScript hook in your
app.js:import { Hooks } from 'ckeditor5_phoenix'; const liveSocket = new LiveSocket('/live', Socket, { hooks: Hooks, });
-
Exclude CKEditor from bundler in your
config/config.exs:config :my_app, MyAppWeb.Endpoint, watchers: [ esbuild: {Esbuild, :install_and_run, [ :my_app, ~w(--external:ckeditor5 --external:ckeditor5-premium-features) ]} ]
-
Add license key (see Providing the License Key ๐๏ธ section)
-
Adjust LiveView
defmodule MyAppWeb.LiveView do use Phoenix.LiveView use CKEditor5 end
-
Use in templates:
<%!-- Load CDN assets in <head> (based on `default` preset) --%> <.cke_cloud_assets /> <%!-- or with specific features --%> <.cke_cloud_assets preset="default" translations={["pl", "de", "fr"]} premium /> <%!-- Use editor anywhere in <body> --%> <.ckeditor type="classic" value="<p>Hello world!</p>" />
That's it! ๐
Get started with the most common usage patterns. These examples show how to render editors in your templates and handle real-time content changes.
Create a basic editor with default toolbar and features. Perfect for simple content editing without server synchronization.
<%!-- CDN only: Load assets in <head> --%>
<.cke_cloud_assets />
<%!-- Render editor with initial content --%>
<.ckeditor
type="classic"
value="<p>Initial content</p>"
editable_height="300px"
/>By default, the <.ckeditor> component uses a built-in watchdog mechanism to automatically restart the editor if it crashes (e.g., due to a JavaScript error). The watchdog periodically saves the editor's content and restores it after a crash, minimizing the risk of data loss for users.
- If the editor crashes, it is automatically restarted without requiring a page reload.
- The editor's content is periodically saved in the browser's memory.
- After a restart, the last saved content is automatically restored.
This feature is especially useful in applications where reliability and data safety are important.
The watchdog is enabled by default. To disable it, set the watchdog prop to false:
<.ckeditor
type="classic"
value="<p>Initial content</p>"
watchdog={false}
/>Enable real-time synchronization between the editor and your LiveView. Content changes are automatically sent to the server with configurable debouncing for performance optimization.
<.ckeditor
id="editor"
value={@content}
save_debounce_ms={500} # Optional debounce for performance
change_event
/>Handle content changes in your LiveView:
def handle_event("ckeditor5:change", %{"data" => data}, socket) do
{:noreply, assign(socket, content: data["main"])}
endEvent details:
- Events are sent automatically when content changes
save_debounce_mscontrols the delay between changes and events (default: 300ms)- Higher debounce values improve performance for large content or frequent changes
To handle focus and blur events, you can use the focus_event and blur_event attributes in the component. This allows you to capture when the editor gains or loses focus, which can be useful for tracking user interactions or saving content.
<.ckeditor
id="editor"
value={@content}
focus_event
blur_event
/>def handle_event("ckeditor5:focus", %{"data" => data}, socket) do
{:noreply, assign(socket, content: data["main"])}
end
def handle_event("ckeditor5:blur", %{"data" => data}, socket) do
{:noreply, assign(socket, content: data["main"])}
endThese events are sent immediately when the editor gains or loses focus, allowing you to perform actions like saving content or updating UI elements.
CKEditor 5 Phoenix supports four distinct editor types, each designed for specific use cases. Choose the one that best fits your application's layout and functionality requirements.
Traditional WYSIWYG editor with a fixed toolbar above the editing area. Best for standard content editing scenarios like blog posts, articles, or forms.
Features:
- Fixed toolbar with all editing tools
- Familiar interface similar to desktop word processors
- Works well in forms and modal dialogs
<%!-- CDN assets in <head> --%>
<.cke_cloud_assets />
<%!-- Classic editor in <body> --%>
<.ckeditor
type="classic"
value="<p>Initial content here</p>"
editable_height="300px"
/>Advanced editor supporting multiple independent editable areas within a single editor instance. Perfect for complex layouts like page builders, newsletters, or multi-section content management.
Features:
- Multiple editable areas with shared toolbar
- Each area can have different content
- Ideal for CMS and page builder applications
<%!-- CDN assets in <head> --%>
<.cke_cloud_assets />
<%!-- Editor container --%>
<.ckeditor type="multiroot" />
<%!-- Shared toolbar --%>
<.cke_ui_part name="toolbar" />
<%!-- Multiple editable areas --%>
<div class="flex flex-col gap-4">
<.cke_editable
root="header"
value="<h1>Main Header</h1>"
class="border border-gray-300"
/>
<.cke_editable
root="content"
value="<p>Main content area</p>"
class="border border-gray-300"
/>
<.cke_editable
root="sidebar"
value="<p>Sidebar content</p>"
class="border border-gray-300"
/>
</div>Minimalist editor that appears directly within content when clicked. Ideal for in-place editing scenarios where the editing interface should be invisible until needed.
Features:
- No visible toolbar until content is focused
- Seamless integration with existing layouts
- Great for editing headings, captions, or short content
<%!-- CDN assets in <head> --%>
<.cke_cloud_assets />
<%!-- Inline editor --%>
<.ckeditor
type="inline"
value="<p>Click here to edit this content</p>"
editable_height="300px"
/>Note: Inline editors don't work with <textarea> elements and may not be suitable for traditional form scenarios.
Flexible editor where toolbar and editing area are completely separated. Provides maximum layout control for custom interfaces and complex applications.
Features:
- Complete separation of toolbar and content area
- Custom positioning and styling of UI elements
- Full control over editor layout and appearance
<%!-- CDN assets in <head> --%>
<.cke_cloud_assets />
<%!-- Decoupled editor container --%>
<.ckeditor type="decoupled">
<div class="flex flex-col gap-4">
<%!-- Toolbar can be placed anywhere --%>
<.cke_ui_part name="toolbar" />
<%!-- Editable area with custom styling --%>
<.cke_editable
value="<p>Initial content here</p>"
class="border border-gray-300 p-4 rounded"
editable_height="300px"
/>
</div>
</.ckeditor>Seamlessly integrate CKEditor 5 with Phoenix forms and LiveView for robust content management. Learn how to handle form submissions and real-time updates.
The editor automatically creates hidden input fields for form integration. Content is synchronized with form fields using the field attribute, making it compatible with standard Phoenix form helpers.
How it works:
- Hidden input field is created automatically
- Field name is derived from the
fieldattribute - Content is synchronized on form submission
<.form for={@form} phx-submit="save">
<.ckeditor id="content-editor" field={@form[:content]} />
<button type="submit">Save</button>
</.form>Complete LiveView integration with event handling for both real-time updates and form processing.
defmodule MyApp.PageLive do
use MyAppWeb, :live_view
use CKEditor5 # Adds event handlers
def mount(_params, _session, socket) do
form = to_form(%{"content" => ""}, as: :form)
{:ok, assign(socket, form: form)}
end
# Handle real-time content changes
def handle_event("ckeditor5:change", %{"data" => data}, socket) do
# Update content in real-time
updated_params = Map.put(socket.assigns.form.params, "content", data["main"])
{:noreply, assign(socket, form: to_form(updated_params, as: :form))}
end
# Handle form validation
def handle_event("validate", %{"form" => params}, socket) do
{:noreply, assign(socket, form: to_form(params, as: :form))}
end
# Handle form submission
def handle_event("save", %{"form" => params}, socket) do
# Process and save form data
case save_content(params) do
{:ok, _} ->
{:noreply, put_flash(socket, :info, "Content saved successfully!")}
{:error, _} ->
{:noreply, put_flash(socket, :error, "Failed to save content")}
end
end
endYou can configure the editor presets in your config/config.exs file. The default preset is :default, which provides a basic configuration with a toolbar and essential plugins. The preset is a map that contains the editor configuration, including the toolbar items and plugins. There can be multiple presets, and you can switch between them by passing the preset keyword argument to the ckeditor component.
In order to override the default preset or add custom presets, you can add the following configuration to your config/config.exs file:
# config/config.exs
config :ckeditor5_phoenix,
presets: %{
minimal: %{
config: %{
toolbar: [:bold, :italic, :link],
plugins: [:Bold, :Italic, :Link, :Essentials, :Paragraph]
}
},
full: %{
config: %{
toolbar: [
:heading, :|, :bold, :italic, :underline, :|,
:link, :insertImage, :insertTable, :|,
:bulletedList, :numberedList, :blockQuote
],
plugins: [
:Heading, :Bold, :Italic, :Underline, :Link,
:ImageBlock, :ImageUpload, :Table, :List, :BlockQuote,
:Essentials, :Paragraph
]
}
}
}You can also create dynamic presets that can be modified at runtime. This is useful if you want to change the editor configuration based on user input or other conditions.
defmodule MyApp.PageLive do
use MyAppWeb, :live_view
use CKEditor5
alias CKEditor5.Preset
def mount(_params, _session, socket) do
preset = Preset.Parser.parse!(%{
config: %{
toolbar: [:bold, :italic, :link],
plugins: [:Bold, :Italic, :Link, :Essentials, :Paragraph]
}
})
{:ok, assign(socket, preset: preset)}
end
end<.ckeditor preset={@preset} />To use a custom preset, pass the preset keyword argument to the ckeditor component. For example, to use the minimal preset defined above:
<.ckeditor preset="minimal" value="<p>Simple editor</p>" />CKEditor 5 requires a license key when using the official CDN or premium features. You can provide the license key in two simple ways:
-
Environment variable: Set the
CKEDITOR5_LICENSE_KEYenvironment variable before starting your Phoenix app. This is the easiest and most common way. -
Preset config: You can also set the license key directly in your preset configuration in
config/config.exs:config :ckeditor5_phoenix, presets: %{ default: %{ license_key: "your-license-key-here" } }
If you use CKEditor 5 under the GPL license, you do not need to provide a license key. However, if you choose to set one, it must be set to GPL.
If both are set, the preset config takes priority. For more details, see the CKEditor 5 licensing guide.
You can reference DOM elements directly in your editor configuration using the special { $element: "selector" } format. This is useful when you want to attach the editor's UI parts (like toolbars or editable areas) to specific elements in your HTML.
- In your config object, use
{ $element: "CSS_SELECTOR" }wherever a DOM element is expected. - The selector will be resolved to the actual DOM element before initializing the editor.
# config/config.exs
config :ckeditor5_phoenix,
presets: %{
# ... other presets
minimal: %{
config: %{
# ... other config
yourPlugin: %{
toolbar: %{ $element: "#my-toolbar" },
editable: %{ $element: "#my-editable" }
},
}
}
}This will find the elements with IDs my-toolbar and my-editable in the DOM and use them for the editor's UI.
Support multiple languages in the editor UI and content. Learn how to load translations via CDN or configure them globally.
Depending on your setup, you can preload translations via CDN or let your bundler handle them automatically using lazy imports.
<%!-- CDN only: Load specific translations --%>
<.cke_cloud_assets translations={["pl", "de", "fr"]} />
<.ckeditor
language="pl"
content_language="en"
value="<p>Content in English, UI in Polish</p>"
/>You can also configure translations globally in your config/config.exs file. This is useful if you want to load translations for multiple languages at once or set a default language for the editor. Keep in mind that this configuration is only used when loading translations via CDN. If you are using self-hosted setup, translations are handled by your bundler automatically.
# config/config.exs
config :ckeditor5_phoenix,
presets: %{
default: %{
cloud: %{
translations: ["pl", "de", "fr"] # CDN only
}
}
}Note: For self-hosted setups, translations are handled by your bundler automatically.
You can also provide custom translations for the editor. This is useful if you want to override existing translations or add new ones. Custom translations can be provided in the preset configuration.
# config/config.exs
config :ckeditor5_phoenix,
presets: %{
default: %{
custom_translations: %{
en: %{
Bold: "Custom Bold",
Italic: "Custom Italic"
},
pl: %{
Bold: "Pogrubiony",
Italic: "Kursywa"
}
}
}
}To register a custom plugin, use the registerCustomEditorPlugin function. This function takes the plugin name and the plugin reader that returns a class extending Plugin.
import { CustomEditorPluginsRegistry as Registry } from 'ckeditor5_phoenix';
const unregister = Registry.the.register('MyCustomPlugin', async () => {
// It's recommended to use lazy import to
// avoid bundling ckeditor code in your application bundle.
const { Plugin } = await import('ckeditor5');
return class extends Plugin {
static get pluginName() {
return 'MyCustomPlugin';
}
init() {
console.log('MyCustomPlugin initialized');
// Custom plugin logic here
}
};
});In order to use the plugin you need to extend your config in config/config.exs:
config :ckeditor5_phoenix,
presets: %{
default: %{
config: %{
plugins: [:MyCustomPlugin, :Essentials, :Paragraph],
# ... other config options
}
}
}It must be called before the editor is initialized. You can unregister the plugin later by calling the returned function:
unregister();
// or CustomEditorPluginsRegistry.the.unregister('MyCustomPlugin');If you want to de-register all registered plugins, you can use the unregisterAll method:
import { CustomEditorPluginsRegistry } from 'ckeditor5_phoenix';
CustomEditorPluginsRegistry.the.unregisterAll();You can watch the registered editors using the watch function. This is useful if you want to react to changes in the registered editors, for example, to update the UI or perform some actions when an editor is added or removed.
import { EditorsRegistry } from 'ckeditor5_phoenix';
const unregisterWatcher = EditorsRegistry.the.watch((editors) => {
console.log('Registered editors changed:', editors);
});
// Later, you can unregister the watcher
unregisterWatcher();You can also wait for a specific editor to be registered using the waitForEditor function. This is useful if you want to perform some actions after a specific editor is registered.
This method can be called before the editor is initialized, and it will resolve when the editor is registered.
import { EditorsRegistry } from 'ckeditor5_phoenix';
EditorsRegistry.the.waitForEditor('editor1').then((editor) => {
console.log('Editor "editor1" is registered:', editor);
});
// ... init editor somewhere laterThe id of the editor must be used to identify the editor. If the editor is already registered, the promise will resolve immediately.
In order to contribute to CKEditor 5 Phoenix or run it locally for manual testing, here are some handy commands to get you started.
To run the minimal Phoenix application with CKEditor 5 integration, install dependencies and start the server:
mix playgroundIn order to run the playground in cloud mode, set the CKEDITOR5_PLAYGROUND_MODE environment variable to cloud:
CKEDITOR5_PLAYGROUND_MODE=cloud mix playgroundRun tests using the mix test command. All tests are located in the test/ directory.
mix testTo generate a code coverage report, use:
mix coveralls.htmlDiscover related projects for other frameworks and languages. Find inspiration or alternative integrations for CKEditor 5.
Looking for similar projects or inspiration? Check out these repositories:
-
ckeditor5-rails Effortless CKEditor 5 integration for Ruby on Rails. Works seamlessly with standard forms, Turbo, and Hotwire. Easy setup, custom builds, and localization support.
-
ckeditor5-livewire Plug-and-play CKEditor 5 solution for Laravel + Livewire applications. Fully compatible with Blade forms. Includes JavaScript hooks, flexible configuration, and easy customization.
Information about CKEditorยฎ trademarks and licensing. Clarifies the relationship between this package and CKSource.
CKEditorยฎ is a trademark of CKSource Holding sp. z o.o. All rights reserved. For more information about the license of CKEditorยฎ please visit CKEditor's licensing page.
This package is not owned by CKSource and does not use the CKEditorยฎ trademark for commercial purposes. It should not be associated with or considered an official CKSource product.
Details about the MIT license for this project and CKEditor 5's GPL license. Make sure to review both licenses for compliance.
This project is licensed under the terms of the MIT LICENSE.
This project injects CKEditor 5 which is licensed under the terms of GNU General Public License Version 2 or later. For more information about CKEditor 5 licensing, please see their official documentation.
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