Wordgard: In-browser rich-text editor from the creator of ProseMirror

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A new in-browser rich-text editor called Wordgard, created by the author of ProseMirror, is prompting interest as a potential next-generation alternative to existing editors like ProseMirror and Meta’s Lexical. Commenters highlight Wordgard’s architectural changes (such as transaction-aware updates and zero external dependencies), but note there’s no easy upgrade path from ProseMirror and that mobile behavior, especially on iOS and Android, is still fragile. The conversation surfaces long-standing frustrations with the lack of a robust browser-native rich text standard, trade-offs of React integration, and broader concerns about relying on big-company ecosystems versus independent, well-designed tools.

React and architectural considerations

  • Several comments note ProseMirror is awkward in React because React wants to “own” the DOM and use pure-state updates, while ProseMirror/Wordgard manage DOM more directly.
  • Wordgard’s transaction-focused update model (view receives transactions, not just state) is seen as a potential improvement for precise DOM updates and integration with UI frameworks, though docs could better address React interop.

Motivation, relation to ProseMirror, and switching cost

  • People ask why Wordgard exists instead of a ProseMirror v2 and whether it’s worth migrating existing setups (e.g., TipTap-based).
  • The answer from the author in-thread: ProseMirror will continue to be maintained; Wordgard embodies new design insights that couldn’t be cleanly added in a backward-compatible way.
  • There is no simple upgrade path; switching likely involves significant work and may not be worthwhile if ProseMirror already meets needs.

Technical design details

  • Wordgard’s edit model is compared to “retain/keep + action” sequences used in some collaborative editors, praised as easier to reason about than ProseMirror’s steps.
  • It uses a custom selection layer instead of browser selection, which some see as saner for complex editing behavior.
  • Zero external dependencies apart from small utility packages by the same author.
  • Mentions/“@”-style completions and other utilities are candidates for inclusion but not yet clearly defined.

Comparison with other editors and the web platform

  • Multiple comparisons with Lexical: some praise Lexical’s power and plugin system and active maintenance; others distrust Meta as steward or prefer the independent project.
  • There is broad frustration that, after decades, browsers still lack a robust standard rich-text element; contenteditable is viewed as buggy and inconsistent, making robust editors a huge effort.
  • Older contenteditable-based editors (TinyMCE/FCKEditor era) are contrasted with modern model-driven editors like ProseMirror/Wordgard/Lexical.

Mobile behavior and stability

  • Several users report serious issues on mobile (Android and iOS): undo not working, selection bugs, full-selection deletion breaking the editor, autocorrect/suggestion replacements deleting words, swipe-backspace not working.
  • Others confirm some bugs, and at least one specific issue was filed and fixed.
  • Consensus: architecture is promising, but mobile behavior is still unstable and needs real-world testing.

Ecosystem, hosting, and maintenance concerns

  • Some worry about ProseMirror’s future as many major products rely on it; the thread clarifies it will continue to be maintained and is MIT-licensed, so it can be forked.
  • Brief concern that the self-hosted code repo was down; others confirm it works and note motivations for moving off GitHub (uptime, sanctions risk, product direction).

UX, art, and general sentiment

  • Strong positive reactions to the site’s hand-drawn artwork and non-AI illustrations.
  • Mixed feelings on WYSIWYG in general; some prefer markdown and emphasize autosaving drafts (e.g., via localStorage) as crucial product behavior rather than a technical limitation.