CKEditor 5 & Drupal 10: Fueling Innovation in Content Creation

Even before its official release in December 2022, Drupal 10 became the talk of the town. One of the major reasons behind the buzz it created and continues to create even today is the presence of CKEditor 5. It is a cutting-edge JavaScript-rich text editor that possesses MVC architecture, virtual DOM, and a custom data model. On top of it, the text editor is enriched with an incredible UI and phenomenal UX which empowers users to manage media and tables seamlessly. They can also leverage the power of auto-formatting and other splendid features to create and edit engaging content.

As Drupal already enjoys the stature of being a cutting-edge content management system, its combination with CKEditor 5 has resulted in a top-notch digital experience platform. Here, we’ll take a deep plunge into the unfathomable potential of the powerful duo: CKEditor 5 and Drupal 10.

Drupal 10 and CKEditor 5: How the Incredible Duo Is Transforming Drupal Services

As Drupal bade adieu to CKEditor 4 and embraced CKEditor 5, it induced multitudinous changes that have transformed its services. Given below are some cutting-edge features of the text editor and their impact on Drupal services.

1. New and improved user interface (UI)

CKEditor 5 is equipped with a new and improved user interface that shapes an incredible user experience. From icons to toolbar items to interface colors and themes everything has been revamped to make the user interface more engaging.

2. Media widgets along with a dedicated toolbar

The CKEditor 4 to CKEditor 5 upgrade focused on making the editing experience quicker and easier. Hence, media widgets now come with a dedicated balloon toolbar attached to them instead of a dialog bar. This empowers the users to adjust embedded media faster and in an easy breezy manner.

3. Tables with added dropdowns

If you have hands-on-experience with CKEditor 4, you are already aware that creating tables with the tool was a taxing task. However, with CKEditor 5 you no longer have to bear the old pangs associated with the process of creating and editing tables. Inserting, styling, and adjusting tables has become simplified with the upgraded version. You can copy and paste rows without any hassle.

All in all, you can get the desired tables with just a few clicks which makes the text editor perfect for editing at a jet’s speed.

4. Links and attached panels

In order to improve the performance and efficiency of CKEditor 5, balloon panels have been attached to links. This enables you to quickly see the URL link whenever you need which in turn enhances the speed and efficacy of the editing process.

5. Styles dropdown revamped

CKEditor 5 comes with a revamped styles dropdown menu. You can now clearly visualize how the preferred style will look if you apply it. This facilitates better decision-making and helps you present your content in an eye-catching manner.

6. Document lists reviewed and modified for top-notch user experience

Coming up with a phenomenal list feature is often a daunting task for text editors. This is primarily because hundreds of integration scenarios are involved which have to be taken into consideration. During CK5Editor’s creation, the document lists were thoroughly reviewed and modified to render a top-notch user experience.

Additional Modules Offered by Drupal 10

Apart from the various plug-ins discussed above, Drupal 10 renders multitudinous contributed modules that endow additional top-up functionality. Let’s examine them together.

1. CKEditor BiDi Buttons

CKEditor BiDi Buttons is an incredible Drupal module that enables you to change the text direction for HTML block-level elements such as paragraphs and lists. Using this module, you can effortlessly write content in languages that are written right to left such as Arabic, Azeri, Hebrew, and Kurdish. If you aspire to spread your wingspan internationally, this module can be of tremendous help to you.

2. Editor File Upload

With the Editor File Upload module, you can add a button on your active text editor toolbar to directly upload files and link them to your content in a hassle-free manner. The stable version of this module currently supports CKEditor 4 but the process of making it compatible with CKEditor 5 is in progress.

3. Editor Advanced Link

Installing and enabling the Editor Advanced Link module gives you the freedom to define additional attributes in CSS such as title, class, target, and rel.

4. Font Awesome Icons

Font Awesome Icons is a Drupal module that renders a set of the web’s most revered icons and toolkits. Millions of developers, content creators, and designers leverage the power of this phenomenal module to add a modern touch of elegance to their valuable work.

Splendid CKEditor 5 Features to Eye Upon in the Future

Team CKEditor is passionate about exploring new avenues and introducing new awe-inspiring features for users. Right now, they are focusing on integrating more productivity-oriented features into the text editor. So, here are some of the upcoming CKEditor 5 features you should eye upon in the future.

1. Autoformatting

The autoformatting feature will empower you to leverage the power of markup similar to markdown to make lists and format text seamlessly. As soon as this incredible CKEditor feature is officially released, it will be available with Drupal 10 too. The CKEditor team is working hard to get things done quickly so you can expect it to be available soon.

2. Transformations

CKEditor Transformations is a feature that has caused massive sensation even before its official release. Once you have it in place, you can introduce autocorrect rules to automatically change predefined text fragments into their improved forms. For instance, ! = will automatically get converted into ≠, and (c) will automatically get converted into ©.

CKEditor 5 Premium Features to Take Collaboration to a Whole New Dimension

CKEditor 4 limited content writers to individual working. It did not have provisions available to help multiple authors come together and work on a single piece of content. The CKEditor team was aware of the excruciating pains this limitation exposed content teams to at times. Hence, they have addressed this pain point in CKEditor 5. It renders supportive collaborative features that enable authors to work together.

They can now review content in a much easier manner and add comments wherever needed. Along with this, they can also mention people in the content who then get notified about it. All in all, CKEditor 5 has evolved into a text editor capable of taking content teams to a whole new sphere of collaboration.

Now, let’s dig into the multitudinous collaborative features you can access by subscribing to CKEditor Premium.

1. Track changes

Track changes is a phenomenal feature offered by CKEditor 5. It enables you to suggest edits to a piece of content while giving the author the freedom to accept them, discard them, or add comments for you. Once you select the track changes option, you can directly edit the document and the changes will get reflected as suggestions. This is similar to how the track changes feature operates in Google Docs.

2. Revision history

As the name suggests, the revision history feature is a gateway to maneuver through the content and identify what changes were made, when they were made, and by whom. The best part is that you can access all this information without leaving the editor. Additionally, you can also restore an older version of content if required. This feature is also similar to the revision history feature offered by Google Docs.

3. Comments

Using the comments feature, you can add comments to the selected portion of the content. You can not only add comments for text but also for images included in the content.

4. Export to Word and PDF

CKEditor enables you to export files to Word and PDF without expending much effort. Once you click the export to Word or export to PDF option, it prompts CKEditor 5’s Word or PDF converter to convert the respective file for you. Once the file has been converted, you can download it, and store it in the desired location. 

5. Seamless import from Word

With CKEditor 5, you can seamlessly import Word files whenever required. The formatting, suggestions, and comments are retained as it is during the process. Once you select a file and click on the import from Word button, it is sent to the CKEditor cloud services DOCX to HTML converter. Once the conversion is done, you can work on the file in the text editor.

6. Real-time collaboration for cooperative creation

With the real-time collaboration feature offered by CKEditor 5, you can work simultaneously on a text document with your team members in a hassle-free manner. You can also access the user presence list to see those currently working on the document. As creating appealing and engaging content often requires teamwork, this feature can act as a boon for your content creation team and your business.

Let’s Wrap Up

CKEditor 5 is an incredible feature that comes with Drupal 10. The combination of the cutting-edge CMS and the top-notch text editor is miraculous and offers benefits galore to the users. Seamless collaboration, exceptional user interface, and fabulous content editing tools are some features of CKEditor 5 that take Drupal 10 to a whole new sphere of excellence. With the powerful duo, you can create and deliver engaging content to your target audience and ensure thriving success for your business.

If you are feeling inspired to leverage the power of the fantastic duo, it is time to switch to Drupal 10. Our proficient team of Drupal developers can assist you with the process and help you conceive the intended results. So, without waiting any longer, contact us today.