Unlock the Power of Customizable Code Editors
Gone are the days of coding in Notepad and displaying code blocks using plain HTML. Today, highlighted code is not only visually appealing but also easier to read and understand. In this tutorial, we’ll embark on a journey to create a React code editor and syntax highlighter that allows users to type in their code and see it come alive with syntax highlighting. We’ll also add interactivity to the editor, enabling users to switch between multiple languages and themes.
What is Syntax Highlighting?
Syntax highlighting is a feature built into text and code editors, as well as Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), to style a rendered block of code according to the linting rules and conventions of the programming language. This technique dates back to the late 1960s when text editors like Emacs and Vi introduced basic styling features such as line numbering and character highlighting.
The Benefits of Syntax Highlighting
Syntax highlighting significantly enhances the developer experience (DX) obtained from coding in a specific language. By highlighting code blocks, developers can:
- Improve code readability
- Detect errors more efficiently
- Navigate code visually
Advantages of Creating a Custom Code Editor
While the HTML code element recognizes and displays computer code using a monospace font, it doesn’t do much to highlight code syntax. By creating a custom code editor, developers can tailor the user experience to meet the needs of their users through customized user interfaces.
Comparing Libraries for Syntax Highlighting
To simplify the process of highlighting code within an editor, open-source packages like Prism.js and Highlight.js have been made available to developers. Let’s examine these popular syntax highlighting libraries for JavaScript applications.
Prism.js
Prism.js is a lightweight and performant syntax highlighter library with an 18.8KB minified bundle size. It supports a wide variety of programming and markup languages and provides a large collection of themes and styles for developers to customize the look and feel of the highlighted code.
Highlight.js
Highlight.js is similar to Prism.js, supporting a broad range of programming and markup languages, alongside configuration files. However, at a 910.9KB minified bundle size, Highlight.js is not as lightweight as Prism.js. It provides advanced features such as automatic language detection from the code syntax and compatibility with old browsers.
Wireframing the React Code Editor and Syntax Highlighter
Let’s create a simple wireframe to design the layout of the components:
- The entire app will reside in App, which will be the main wrapper for our application.
- Inside App, there will be ControlsBox and PanelsBox components.
- ControlsBox will further include two Dropdown components for selecting the input language and theme.
Setting Up the React Code Editor Project
To create a project boilerplate, we’ll use Create React App, which will set up a fully configured React project in no time.
Creating the Base of Our Project
We’ll create the base structure of our project to build upon. Let’s start with the index.js file, which will render our app.
Setting the States in React with useState Hook
We’ll use React’s built-in useState Hook to store the input language, theme, and user input in state variables.
Creating the App Components
We’ll create separate components for Dropdown, Editor, and Highlighter to divide the building blocks of the app from the app logic.
Adding the react-syntax-highlighter Package
To highlight the code blocks, we’ll use the react-syntax-highlighter package.
Creating the App Logic
In this final phase, we’ll put everything together, making the app functional. We’ll import the Dropdown, Editor, and Highlighter components, set the default language and theme, and pass in the data prop to generate the dropdown options list.
The Final Result
With our code editor and syntax highlighter complete, users can now type in their code and see it come alive with syntax highlighting. They can also switch between multiple languages and themes, creating a seamless coding experience.
Take Your Coding Experience to the Next Level
From now on, every time you need to pick up the most appropriate theme, you don’t need to build a test application. You’ll have your own tool that you can use! In the future, you can further customize the project by adding an auth system and database so that users can save their snippets, creating a full-stack playground.