Collaboration ready
The architecture of CKEditor 5 was purpose-built for collaboration. Even real-time collaboration can be set up within hours.
Why upgrade to CKEditor 5?
CKEditor 5 is more modern and flexible than CKEditor 4
Its modular architecture, content editing model, and performance improvements make it
the perfect choice for developers who need a powerful and customizable rich text editor framework
Powerful APIs
A broader selection of APIs gives you greater flexibility and control, while making it easier to customize, extend, and create custom plugins.
File conversion
Multiple file conversions available, with Import from Word and Export to PDF and Word – available as REST APIs to help you automate.
Now in TypeScript
CKEditor 5 codebase is now available in TypeScript, along with complete typings. This delivers an improved developer experience, and better performance in large, complex projects.
Eight improvements in CKEditor 5 that make
the upgrade worth the effort
New
Editing engine
CKEditor 5 has a modern MVC architecture, leading-edge custom data model and custom virtual-DOM structures, that help you easily scale with growth.
Upgraded
Modern UI
Its lightweight UI is completely renewed, with an intuitive seamless user experience when managing block elements, images, and links.
New
Premium feature bundle with Slash Commands
Slash Commands, Document Outline and Table of Contents are new features in this bundle of Premium plugins.
New
Markdown output
Default output is HTML, with an option to change it to Markdown. Thanks to the data processor, the editor also produces custom outputs, eg. JSON, or XML.
New
Inspector
A set of debugging tools that enable the live observation of data structure changes and selection, plus aiding feature development and the understanding of existing functionalities.
Upgraded
Plugin-based architecture
Everything is a plugin – even a basic functionality like typing. So you can customize, remove or replace whatever plugins you desire.
Upgraded
Theme customization
Easily adjust the theme with CSS variables. You can even build your own third-party UI, for example in Bootstrap or React.
Upgraded
Integrations
Native integrations with Angular, React and Vue.js are available and it’s compatible with Electron plus Android and iOS devices.
How to upgrade to CKEditor 5
With its modular architecture, CKEditor 5 is a new editor installation
Step 1
Download and install CKEditor 5
Step 2
Consider plugin compatibility
Step 3
Update plugins
Step 4
Migrate content from CKEditor 4 to CKEditor 5
Step 5
Test and deploy
Trusted, used and approved by Fortune 500 and startups
Not ready to upgrade?
Keep CKEditor 4 secure after end-of-life
Extended Support Model
If a CKEditor 5 upgrade isn't possible, purchase a limited-time Extended Support Model.
Security
The package ensures your editor remains secure, with uninterrupted access to all functionality.
Frequently asked questions
Beyond the EOL on 30 June 2023, there are no new features, plugins, enhancements, bug fixes or security updates for CKEditor 4.
To learn more, read this article that explains the CKEditor 4 end of life process.
Yes, you can continue using CKEditor 4, but you need to be aware this decision may leave your application open to security vulnerabilities .
The final public security patches for CKEditor 4 were delivered by 30 June 2023 and since then there have already been private LTS security patch releases. This means the public versions of CKEditor 4 are no longer secure.
For debugging purposes, it is still possible to download CKEditor 4 until further notice. But we strongly recommend upgrading to CKEditor 5 to get the latest, most secure version of our editor.
If you wish to continue using CKEditor 4, you can purchase the Extended Support Model Package for CKEditor 4. This extends CKEditor 4 support to with ongoing security fixes until December 2026.
CKEditor 5 is a modern JavaScript rich text editor framework with MVC architecture, custom data model and virtual DOM. It is written from scratch in TypeScript and has excellent webpack support.
CSP support backed by a modern architecture of CKEditor 5 protects your website against XSS or data injection attacks.
It may depend on the specific terms of your existing contract, so please contact us at sales@cksource.com to talk about your case. In principle, we allow customers to migrate to CKEditor 5 as long as they’ve been regularly renewing their contracts.
Please note: Different from CKEditor 4, the open source license for CKEditor 5 is GPL v2+. Free-of-charge use of CKEditor 5 is allowed in compatible open source projects, or under our Free for Open Source Policy.
Having problems upgrading on time? Chat to our sales team about the paid support options you have available.
CKEditor 5 is distributed under a GPL 2+ copyleft license. If you wish to use CKEditor 5 and are not familiar with the GPL 2+ license restrictions, contact us at sales@cksource.com
The core editor, with basic features, is free for open source projects. If you are a commercial product, please reach out to our sales team to discuss licensing options.