DraftJS vs TinyMCE: What are the differences?

Key Differences between DraftJS and TinyMCE

1. Customization Options:

DraftJS provides a highly customizable framework where developers can build their own editor components and define their own editing behavior. It allows for fine-grained control over the formatting and styling of the content. On the other hand, TinyMCE offers a more out-of-the-box solution with a wide range of pre-built features and plugins for formatting, spell-checking, and more. It provides a more user-friendly interface with less customization options for developers.

2. Inline Editing vs. Full-Featured Editor:

DraftJS is primarily designed for inline editing, where users can edit text directly on the page rather than in a separate editor window. It is suitable for situations where real-time content updates and collaborative editing are required. On the contrary, TinyMCE is a full-featured WYSIWYG editor that opens in a separate window or in a designated area within a web page. It offers a more comprehensive set of editing tools and features, making it ideal for content creation and management.

3. API and Integration:

DraftJS provides a developer-friendly API that allows easy integration with React or other JavaScript frameworks. It offers methods and events to manipulate the editor's content, handle user input, and implement advanced features. Conversely, TinyMCE has its own API and supports integration with various platforms and content management systems, such as WordPress and Joomla. It provides extensive documentation and resources for seamless integration and customization.

4. Collaboration and Versioning:

DraftJS includes built-in features for real-time collaboration and versioning, making it suitable for collaborative writing applications. It supports concurrent editing, allowing multiple users to edit the same document simultaneously and see each other's changes in real-time. On the other hand, while TinyMCE does not have built-in collaboration features, it can be integrated with external plugins or services to enable collaborative editing and version control.

5. Performance and Lightweight vs. Feature-Rich:

DraftJS is known for its high performance and lightweight nature. It is optimized for efficient rendering and minimal memory usage, making it suitable for applications that require fast load times and smooth user experience. In contrast, TinyMCE, being a feature-rich editor, comes with a larger codebase and may have a slightly higher performance overhead. However, it offers a wide range of advanced features and customization options that cater to diverse content creation needs.

6. Licensing and Cost:

DraftJS is an open-source library released under the MIT License. It is free to use and can be modified to suit specific requirements without any licensing restrictions. On the other hand, TinyMCE offers both open-source and commercial licenses. While the open-source version is free to use, the commercial licenses provide additional features, priority support, and extended usage rights for enterprise applications.

In Summary, DraftJS and TinyMCE differ in terms of customization options, inline editing vs. a full-featured editor, API and integration, collaboration and versioning capabilities, performance and lightweight nature, as well as licensing and cost considerations.