rich-text-editor-with-ckeditor

CKEditor Rich Text Editor in Ruby on Rails

wiktor-plagaWiktor Plaga
March 25, 20238 min reading time

CKEditor Rich Text Editor in Ruby on Rails

CKEditor is a popular WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) rich text editor that allows users to easily format and style text in web applications. It is highly customizable and offers a wide range of features, including spell checking, image and file uploads, and support for various content formats. In this tutorial, we will explore how to integrate CKEditor into a Ruby on Rails application and use it to create and edit rich text content.

As a Ruby on Rails developer, you may have encountered situations where you need to allow users to create and edit rich text content, such as blog posts, articles, or product descriptions. While Rails provides some basic text formatting tools, they may not be sufficient for more complex content. CKEditor offers a powerful and user-friendly solution that can enhance the user experience and improve the quality of your application. In this tutorial, we will cover the steps required to install and configure CKEditor in a Rails application, as well as how to use it to create and edit rich text content.

What is CKEditor?

CKEditor is a web-based WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) rich text editor that allows users to easily format and style text in web applications. It provides a user-friendly interface that allows users to create and edit content without needing to know HTML or other coding languages. CKEditor is highly customizable and offers a wide range of features, including spell checking, image and file uploads, and support for various content formats.

CKEditor is widely used in web development and is compatible with various web technologies, including Ruby on Rails, PHP, and Java. It is an open-source project that is actively maintained and updated by a community of developers. CKEditor is a powerful tool that can enhance the user experience and improve the quality of web applications by providing a simple and intuitive way to create and edit rich text content.

Why use CKEditor for Rich Text Editor in Ruby on Rails application?

CKEditor is a popular choice for implementing a rich text editor in web applications due to its ease of use, flexibility, and wide range of features. One of the main advantages of CKEditor is its user-friendly interface, which allows users to easily format and style text without needing to know HTML or other coding languages. This makes it an ideal choice for applications that require users to create and edit content, such as blogs, forums, or content management systems.

Another advantage of CKEditor is its flexibility and customizability. CKEditor can be easily integrated into various web technologies, including Ruby on Rails, PHP, and Java, and can be customized to meet the specific needs of an application. CKEditor also offers a wide range of plugins and add-ons that can be used to extend its functionality, such as spell checking, image and file uploads, and support for various content formats.

Finally, CKEditor is an open-source project that is actively maintained and updated by a community of developers. This means that bugs and security issues are quickly addressed, and new features and improvements are regularly added. Overall, CKEditor is a powerful and reliable tool that can enhance the user experience and improve the quality of web applications by providing a simple and intuitive way to create and edit rich text content.

Prerequisites

To complete the "CKEditor Rich Text Editor in Ruby on Rails" tutorial, you will need the following prerequisites:

  1. Basic knowledge of Ruby on Rails: You should have a basic understanding of Ruby on Rails and how it works, including how to create and manage a Rails application.

  2. A working Ruby on Rails environment: You should have a working Ruby on Rails environment set up on your computer, including Ruby, Rails, and a database such as MySQL or PostgreSQL.

  3. A text editor or IDE: You will need a text editor or integrated development environment (IDE) to write and edit code. Popular options include Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, and Atom.

  4. CKEditor: You will need to download and install CKEditor in your Rails application. The tutorial will cover how to do this.

  5. Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS: While CKEditor provides a user-friendly interface for formatting and styling text, a basic understanding of HTML and CSS will be helpful for customizing the editor and integrating it into your application.

By having these prerequisites in place, you will be well-prepared to follow along with the tutorial and successfully integrate CKEditor into your Ruby on Rails application.

Ruby on Rails CKEditor step by step setup and configuration

Integrating CKEditor into a Ruby on Rails project involves several steps, including downloading and installing the CKEditor library, configuring the editor in your Rails application, and creating a form that uses the editor. Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Download and install CKEditor: The first step is to download and install the CKEditor library in your Rails application. You can download the latest version of CKEditor from the official website. Once you have downloaded the library, extract the files and copy the "ckeditor" folder to the "vendor/assets/javascripts" directory in your Rails application.

  2. Configure CKEditor in your Rails application: Next, you need to configure CKEditor in your Rails application. Open the "config/application.rb" file and add the following line to the "config.assets.paths" array:

config.assets.paths << Rails.root.join('vendor', 'assets', 'javascripts', 'ckeditor')

This tells Rails to include the CKEditor library in the asset pipeline.

  1. Create a form that uses CKEditor: To create a form that uses CKEditor, you need to add the CKEditor script to your form view. Open the view file where you want to add the editor and add the following code block:
<%= form_with(model: @post, local: true) do |form| %>
  <%= form.label :content %>
  <%= form.text_area :content, id: "editor" %>
<% end %>

<script>
  CKEDITOR.replace('editor');
</script>

This creates a form that uses the CKEditor text area and initializes the editor when the page loads.

  1. Customize CKEditor: Finally, you can customize CKEditor to meet the specific needs of your application. For example, you can add plugins to extend the functionality of the editor, or customize the toolbar to include only the features you need. To customize CKEditor, you can modify the "config.js" file in the "ckeditor" directory.

By following these steps, you can easily integrate CKEditor into your Ruby on Rails application and create rich text content with ease.

CKEditor configuration options in Ruby on Rails

Here are some of the most commonly used CKEditor configuration options for Ruby on Rails integration:

  1. toolbar: This option allows you to customize the toolbar that appears in the CKEditor interface. You can specify which buttons and features to include in the toolbar, and in what order.

  2. height and width: These options allow you to set the height and width of the CKEditor text area.

  3. filebrowserBrowseUrl, filebrowserUploadUrl, and filebrowserImageBrowseUrl: These options allow you to specify the URLs for the file browser and image browser dialogs. You can use these options to customize the file upload and browsing functionality of CKEditor.

  4. skin: This option allows you to specify the skin (or theme) to use for CKEditor. You can choose from a variety of skins, or create your own custom skin.

  5. language: This option allows you to specify the language to use for CKEditor. You can choose from a variety of languages, or create your own custom language file.

  6. removePlugins: This option allows you to remove specific plugins from CKEditor. You can use this option to disable features that you don't need or that may conflict with other plugins.

  7. extraPlugins: This option allows you to add additional plugins to CKEditor. You can use this option to extend the functionality of CKEditor with custom plugins.

  8. allowedContent: This option allows you to specify which HTML tags and attributes are allowed in the CKEditor text area. You can use this option to enforce content restrictions and prevent users from inserting malicious code.

By using these configuration options, you can customize CKEditor to meet the specific needs of your Ruby on Rails application and provide a rich text editing experience for your users.

Conclusion

In conclusion, integrating CKEditor into a Ruby on Rails application can greatly enhance the user experience and improve the quality of content creation and editing. CKEditor provides a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily format and style text, and offers a wide range of features and customization options that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your application.

By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily integrate CKEditor into your Ruby on Rails application and create rich text content with ease. You can customize the editor to include only the features you need, and enforce content restrictions to prevent users from inserting malicious code. With CKEditor, you can provide your users with a powerful and reliable tool for creating and editing rich text content.

Overall, CKEditor is a valuable addition to any Ruby on Rails application that requires users to create and edit content. By providing a simple and intuitive way to format and style text, CKEditor can greatly enhance the user experience and improve the quality of content creation and editing.

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\n```\n\nThis creates a form that uses the CKEditor text area and initializes the editor when the page loads.\n\n4. Customize CKEditor: Finally, you can customize CKEditor to meet the specific needs of your application. For example, you can add plugins to extend the functionality of the editor, or customize the toolbar to include only the features you need. To customize CKEditor, you can modify the \"config.js\" file in the \"ckeditor\" directory.\n\nBy following these steps, you can easily integrate CKEditor into your Ruby on Rails application and create rich text content with ease.\n\n## CKEditor configuration options in Ruby on Rails\n\nHere are some of the most commonly used CKEditor configuration options for Ruby on Rails integration:\n\n1. `toolbar`: This option allows you to customize the toolbar that appears in the CKEditor interface. You can specify which buttons and features to include in the toolbar, and in what order.\n\n2. `height` and `width`: These options allow you to set the height and width of the CKEditor text area.\n\n3. `filebrowserBrowseUrl`, `filebrowserUploadUrl`, and `filebrowserImageBrowseUrl`: These options allow you to specify the URLs for the file browser and image browser dialogs. You can use these options to customize the file upload and browsing functionality of CKEditor.\n\n4. `skin`: This option allows you to specify the skin (or theme) to use for CKEditor. You can choose from a variety of skins, or create your own custom skin.\n\n5. `language`: This option allows you to specify the language to use for CKEditor. You can choose from a variety of languages, or create your own custom language file.\n\n6. `removePlugins`: This option allows you to remove specific plugins from CKEditor. You can use this option to disable features that you don't need or that may conflict with other plugins.\n\n7. `extraPlugins`: This option allows you to add additional plugins to CKEditor. You can use this option to extend the functionality of CKEditor with custom plugins.\n\n8. `allowedContent`: This option allows you to specify which HTML tags and attributes are allowed in the CKEditor text area. You can use this option to enforce content restrictions and prevent users from inserting malicious code.\n\nBy using these configuration options, you can customize CKEditor to meet the specific needs of your Ruby on Rails application and provide a rich text editing experience for your users.\n\n## Conclusion\n\nIn conclusion, integrating CKEditor into a Ruby on Rails application can greatly enhance the user experience and improve the quality of content creation and editing. CKEditor provides a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily format and style text, and offers a wide range of features and customization options that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your application.\n\nBy following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily integrate CKEditor into your Ruby on Rails application and create rich text content with ease. You can customize the editor to include only the features you need, and enforce content restrictions to prevent users from inserting malicious code. With CKEditor, you can provide your users with a powerful and reliable tool for creating and editing rich text content.\n\nOverall, CKEditor is a valuable addition to any Ruby on Rails application that requires users to create and edit content. By providing a simple and intuitive way to format and style text, CKEditor can greatly enhance the user experience and improve the quality of content creation and editing.","author":{"@context":"http://www.schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Wiktor Plaga","url":"https://hix.dev/team/Wiktor-Plaga","email":"wiktor.plaga@tzif.io","image":"https://hix-prd-cms.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wiktor_plaga_169119fbca.webp"}}

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