For a basic multiline text editor in React, use the built-in <textarea>. Choose a controlled textarea when React needs the text as the user types; choose defaultValue when the browser can own edits after the initial content is set. The examples below build a labeled plain-text editor, not a rich-text editor with formatting or collaborative editing.
Build a controlled React text editor
A controlled textarea gets its displayed text from React state. This is useful when other parts of the interface need the current text, such as a live character count or preview.
import { useState } from 'react';
export default function TextEditor() {
const [text, setText] = useState('');
return (
<div>
<label htmlFor="editor-text">Text</label>
<textarea
id="editor-text"
value={text}
onChange={(event) => setText(event.target.value)}
rows={10}
cols={50}
/>
<p>Characters: {text.length}</p>
</div>
);
}The onChange handler reads event.target.value and updates state synchronously. That keeps the state-backed value aligned with what the user just typed. Initialize state with a string and keep it a string for the textarea’s entire lifetime; do not change the same field from uncontrolled to controlled or the reverse.
Choose controlled or uncontrolled behavior
React describes its built-in <textarea> as a multiline text input. The choice is whether React should own the current value or whether the browser should handle ongoing edits after an initial value.
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| Approach | Set the text with | Who owns edits? | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled | value plus onChange |
React state | Other UI needs the current text, or the app must respond to each edit. |
| Uncontrolled | defaultValue |
The browser after initialization | Only an initial value is needed and React does not need each keystroke. |
Uncontrolled textarea with initial content
export default function NotesField() {
return (
<label htmlFor="notes">
Notes
<textarea id="notes" defaultValue="Start writing here." rows={8} />
</label>
);
}Use defaultValue for initial text; React does not support setting the initial textarea text by placing JSX children between the opening and closing <textarea> tags. If you need React to track later edits, use the controlled pattern instead.
Label the field and size it for the task
Associate a visible label with the textarea. You can nest the field inside a <label>, or connect a separate <label htmlFor> to the textarea’s matching id, as in the controlled example. React notes that screen readers announce the label caption when the field receives focus. Set rows and, where appropriate, cols to provide a useful starting size; CSS can handle the visual layout.
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When a textarea is not enough
A textarea handles plain text. If the requirement is formatted content, browser editing of rendered content is possible with contentEditable, but it is not a drop-in replacement for a textarea. React warns that its normal rendering of children does not work as usual on an editable element: after a user edits that content, React cannot update it normally.
The suppressContentEditableWarning prop only hides React’s warning when a library manages editable content manually. It does not provide synchronization, cursor or selection handling, security, or accessibility behavior. React also warns that inserting untrusted HTML with dangerouslySetInnerHTML can expose an application to cross-site scripting (XSS). A formatted or collaborative editor therefore needs additional design and implementation beyond this plain-text component.
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Keep typing responsive
Updating controlled state on every keystroke is necessary to keep a controlled textarea current. It can also cause related UI to render on each edit. Keep the state and components focused, and avoid changing keys or component structure in a way that remounts the textarea while someone is typing; remounting can disrupt the editing experience. Do not defer the state update that supplies the textarea’s value.
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React references
- React <textarea> reference for controlled values,
defaultValue, and labels. - React common DOM components reference for
contentEditableand editable-content caveats.
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