Lexical vs Trix
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
An extensible text editor framework for building rich text editors in web apps.
Open source · MIT
A rich text editor web component for writing messages, comments, and articles in web apps.
The short answer
Choose Lexical if you need…
- Developers adding a rich text editor to a web app
- React teams who want official bindings and a documented quick start
- Projects that need real-time collaboration through Yjs integration
- Teams that want import/export to JSON, Markdown, or HTML
Choose Trix if you need…
- Developers adding a rich text box to a Rails or other web app
- Teams that want simple, consistent HTML output for comments or messages
- Projects that need embedded attachments inside text
- Developers who want control over editor behavior instead of browser contenteditable quirks
Side-by-side
| Lexical | Trix | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 24k | 20k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 9 days ago |
What each one is
Lexical
Lexical is a framework from Meta for building text editors inside web applications. It is a toolkit rather than a finished editor, so developers use it to create editing experiences with features like lists, tables, code blocks, and undo/redo. The README says it works with any UI framework and offers official React bindings.
Trix
Trix is a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) text editor that you add to a web page so users can format text with bold, lists, quotes and links. It is built from standard web components and produces simple, consistent HTML. It comes from 37signals, the company behind Basecamp, and is used there.
Best for
Lexical
- Developers adding a rich text editor to a web app
- React teams who want official bindings and a documented quick start
- Projects that need real-time collaboration through Yjs integration
- Teams that want import/export to JSON, Markdown, or HTML
Trix
- Developers adding a rich text box to a Rails or other web app
- Teams that want simple, consistent HTML output for comments or messages
- Projects that need embedded attachments inside text
- Developers who want control over editor behavior instead of browser contenteditable quirks
Strengths
Lexical
- Built-in accessibility support and WCAG compliance, per the README
- Framework-agnostic core with official React bindings
- Written in TypeScript with type definitions
Trix
- Built on standard web APIs such as Custom Elements and Element Internals
- Treats contenteditable as an input device, giving consistent behavior across browsers
- Produces terse, consistent HTML output
Not ideal for
Lexical
- Non-developers looking for a ready-made word processor, since it is a framework with no standalone end-user app described in the README
- Projects that must support very old browsers, since it lists Chrome 86+, Firefox 115+, and Safari 15+
Trix
- Non-developers looking for a ready-made app; Trix is a component to integrate, not a standalone product
- Projects needing complex document features like tables or heavy page layout, which the README does not describe
- Sites that must support old browsers, since it targets evergreen desktop and mobile browsers
Trade-offs
Lexical
- Requires building your own editor UI from plugins and components, which takes development effort
- Browser support is limited to the listed recent versions
Trix
- The README describes only basic editing; advanced features are not detailed in the excerpt
- Requires JavaScript integration work and some HTML knowledge to set up forms and toolbars
- Trix content must be sanitized carefully when loaded from untrusted sources
Getting started
Lexical
Install Lexical with React bindings
npm install lexical @lexical/reactInstall dependencies for development
pnpm installTrix
Include from npm CDN (simplest)
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://unpkg.com/trix@2.0.8/dist/trix.css"> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://unpkg.com/trix@2.0.8/dist/trix.umd.min.js"></script>Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Lexical and Trix?
Lexical: An extensible text editor framework for building rich text editors in web apps. Trix: A rich text editor web component for writing messages, comments, and articles in web apps. Lexical suits developers adding a rich text editor to a web app, while Trix suits developers adding a rich text box to a rails or other web app.
Are Lexical and Trix free?
Lexical: Free and open source. Trix: Free and open source.
Is Lexical or Trix more popular?
Lexical has more GitHub stars (24k) than Trix (20k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Lexical and Trix?
Other options people compare them with include Slate, Tiptap, pell, Milkdown, Vditor.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.