There’s no doubt that choosing a WYSIWYG Editor for your project can be a challenging and complicated job. Option around with a few key players such as TinyMCE ruling the market.
HTML editors can offer your site an extra layer of usability. However, including third-party parts to any online project must be performed with utmost care. Keep in mind that the World Wide Web is ever-changing. Meaning your website should be in step with the times or risk opening itself to unforeseen issues.
In this post, we will present to you the important questions you need to ask yourself when selecting the best WYSIWYG Editor. Hopefully, it will also help you with your search.
Table of Contents
Question #1. Can it be customized?
This aspect can be a bit tricky. Being extremely customizable is not always good. For instance, developers need to run different tests to ensure all things work fine, especially if they have four features with a True or False testing.
That amount rises substantially with every extra feature, as all potential combinations should be tested over one another.
Meanwhile, not being customizable indicates added costs to get your editor working as preferred. You can check how an application is a configuration through the size of its API. Anything more than 200 options might be a bit too much unless your team is keeping the editor with enough resources.
Question #2. Does it provide an active community?
Be it in add-ons repository or forums, an active community will clue you in on the number of users actively keeping the project. These are the individuals who can offer you a recommendation should you run into issues.
Further, it will offer you access to different third-party plugins not provided in the editor by default. Keep in mind that a big add-ons repository is a certain way an editor is worth investing time, effort, and money.
Question #3. What type of technology does it base on?
Take note that WYSIWYG Editors can be built through a wide array of technologies, such as jQuery, Java, and JavaScript, among others. You need to be acquainted with the technology that fits you best. Every language has its respective pros and cons.
jQuery-dependent editors need extra libraries where total JavaScript apps do not. The former is famous these days, but you may struggle to find a developer for unorthodox projects. Meanwhile, complete JavaScript apps are more likely to be simple to adopt and perform better.
Other technologies such as JavaScript are dependent on native browser technology, bringing drawbacks for both end-users and developers alike.
Question #4. Is it safe to use?
There’s a good chance your editor is safe and secure if it has an Open Source version, updated regularly, and provides commercial licenses. Further, the editor will be under continuous inspection and have a paid team whose task is to resolve problems and release regular patches.
Question #5. Is it stable?
Why don’t you give your WYSIWYG Editor a quick test run in different browsers? Typical problems creep up in functionalities such as caret positioning, lists, images, tables, and copy-pasting, among others. All it takes often is some non-standard maneuvers to present the ugly side of the editor.
Keep in mind that source apps have the extra gain of allowing you to test the editor before you commit to a commercial license.
Question #5. Is it updated on a regular basis?
Undoubtedly, frequent updates indicate better stability. However, they often mean the core development team is listening to its users. Did you know it’s a principle referred to as Release Early, Release Often, aspiring to the concept that a feedback loop between users or tests and developers is made through recurrent releases? That leads to apps, which are better adjusted to present realities.
Do not forget that a great WYSIWYG Editor must have an update every once a month.
Question #6. Who are the people using it?
Make sure you check the list of previous and existing clients or users of the editor. Doing so will not only offer you an idea of how famous the application is, but it will provide you how the editor can be executed.
Is the editor providing support and commercial licenses? Then there’s a good possibility its team has already encountered dealing with identical projects to yours. What’s more, is its client base involves giant firms? Then you can expect a product with a high standard.
Question #7. Is it commercial or Open Source?
Ultimately, you want to know if your editor is commercial or Open Source. The latter is more likely to be stable as they have a bigger user base. Meanwhile, commercial licenses have a stable future and get regularly updated. It’s forced to adapt to professional standards of excellence too.
There you have it! Make sure you consider all these questions before you finally choose a WYSIWYG Editor for your project.
