WYSIWYG Editor has a user-friendly interface, faster adoption, and ensures accessibility.
This editor tool has robust formatting tools that boost readability.
Media support is known for improving engagement.
Developer APIs and plugins ensure customization.
Security and inclusive design are maintained with version control and accessibility.
An HTML editor is quite important for web designers, developers, and front-end engineers. Even its global market is estimated to reach $2.5 billion by 2030. But with so many options available in the market, which one to choose?
These editors need to be easy to use, have robust features, and top-notch security. From my experience and the editors I have used, I can say WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor is the best HTML editor.
With that being said, it’s time to mention 10 essential features of a WYSIWYG HTML editor. Let’s get started.
1. Intuitive and Accessible User Interface (UI)
“An editor shouldn’t require training wheels. If it does, it’s already failed.” — Jane Wells, UX Lead at EditorKit
Why it matters: A sleek and intuitive AI can significantly boost user adoption, reduce support costs, and make sure that accessibility is maintained across various user types.
What to look for:
Clean, icon-based toolbars
Logical compilation of text tools
In-editor tooltips & keyboard hotkeys
Full screen reader integration
Example:Froala Editor uses a modular, floating toolbar that simplifies formatting without cluttering the workspace.
DO YOU KNOW? Many modern applications leverage the WYSIWYG principle to provide a better and user-friendly experience. Some of the modern applications are as follows:
2. Comprehensive Text Formatting Options
Structured content = better readability + SEO.
Why it matters: The editor must have the ability to replicate the power of a word processor while ensuring all the HTML/CSS standards.
Must-have formatting tools:
Headers (H1-H6)
Bullet, number, and checklist breakdowns
Emphasis (bold, italic, underline)
Tables, blockquotes, code blocks
Markdown or HTML view toggle
Tip: Use semantic tags (e.g., <blockquote>, <code>) to enhance accessibility and SEO.
3. Robust Media Handling (Images, Videos, Files)
Why it matters: Diverse learners can get enhanced clarity, accessibility, and engagement with multimedia.
Key capabilities:
Drag-and-drop image submissions
Video embedding (YouTube, MP4, Vimeo)
Resize, align, and crop images
File extensions with download links
Cloud/CDN connectivity
Example:TinyMCE offers responsive media embeds and custom file picker integrations.
4. Real-Time Preview and In-Place Editing
Why it matters: Formatting errors and editing friction can be reduced significantly with live changes.
Look for:
Inline adjustments for blog/CMS use cases
Toggle between code and visual presentation modes
Live preview without full-page reloads
Pro Tip: Avoid editors that require manual preview refreshes. They kill productivity.
5. Mobile Responsiveness and Touch Support
Why it matters: Nowadays, many people like to work on their phones, so the editor should be able to work seamlessly on phones or tablets.
Must-have features:
Reliable UI & toolbar scaling
Touch-optimized operating systems
Mobile preview modes
Virtual keyboard & drag-and-drop performance
Real-World Use Case: Ghost CMS users create and edit blog posts right away from mobile thanks to inline mobile-friendly menu controls.
6. Plugin Architecture and Developer APIs
Why it matters: Technical debt needs to be avoided, and for that, developers require flexibility to adapt the editor to their stack.
Key developer features:
Plugin system (e.g., tables, mentions, charts)
RESTful or JavaScript APIs
React, Vue, and Angular framework support
Custom event hooks and override options
Example:Quill.js allows custom themes and modules via its modular framework.
7. Secure Input and Content Sanitization
“If you’re accepting input, you’re accepting risk.” — Alex Sun, Security Engineer at WebSafe
Why it matters: Unsanitized input can open your system to XSS, data thefts, or worse.
Security must-haves:
Auto HTML sanitization
Whitelisted tag arrangements
Specific rules for paste behavior
Media URL sanitization and CORS prevention
Tip: Test your editor against OWASP XSS attack vectors.
INTERESTING TIDBIT The first proper WYSIWYG editor was a word processing program called Bravo, developed by Charles Simonyi at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s.
8. Multi-Language and RTL Support
Why it matters: The Editor should be able to support any team globally and assist customers from the start.
Look for:
Localized UI (i18n)
RTL (right-to-left) text processing
Unicode support
Spellcheck and grammar tools per language
Example:CKEditor 5 supports 40+ languages and dynamic RTL toggles.
9. Undo/Redo and Version Control
Why it matters: Sometimes content might get deleted or erased, but don’t worry it can be recovered easily.
Key features:
An infinite undo/redo stack
Auto-save with version rollback
Git/CMS versioning capabilities
Integrated edit tracking
Pro Tip: Use content snapshots to debug team collaboration issues.
10. Accessibility and WCAG Compliance
Why it matters: Inclusive design has now become a moral, legal, and, more importantly, a UX requirement.
Accessibility checklist:
ARIA roles and live regions
Keyboard commands for all actions
High-contrast mode
Focus-visible situations
Screen reader labels
Example:Froala offers a WCAG 2.1 audit and integrates with tools like Axe-Core for accessibility testing.
How These Features Were Chosen
This list was developed based on:
WCAG 2.1 adaptation standards
Real usage insights from GitHub issues (TinyMCE, Quill, CKEditor)
Audio interviews with SaaS founders and graphic developers
First-hand skills in implementing editors in low-code computing environments
Conclusion
While choosing the right WYSIWYG editor, it’s not necessary to pick the one with the most features. It’s about matching the editor’s capabilities to your users’ needs and your development workflow.
In case your priority is international users and accessibility, consider RTL and WCAG compliance. If you’re looking for a lightweight commercial solution that can serve as a modern benchmark, but always vet them with your real content pipeline.
FAQs (Structured Data Eligible)
Ans: Key features include responsive UI, media handling, security, accessibility, version control, and plugin extensibility.
Ans: Editors like Froala, Quill, and CKEditor provide strong developer APIs and modular plugin systems.
Ans: Consider your need for support, customization, licensing, and extensibility. Open source offers flexibility; commercial tools often offer better support and integrations.
