SCEditor is a free, open-source WYSIWYG editor for composing BBCode and (X)HTML content in webpages. Its two formats convert editor input and output. To add it to a page, load its JavaScript and CSS files and initialize the editor in place of a textarea. Listed plugins add autosaving to localStorage, YouTube link embedding, drag and drop, emoji insertion, paste-formatting removal, and undo and redo. Downloadable themes include default, dark, modern, Office, and square; the files page also lists a core build with jQuery integration. The MIT license permits commercial and non-commercial use. Listed forum integrations cover MyBB, phpBB 3.1.x, PunBB, Question2Answer, and SMF, though some are described as premium or paid. The compatibility list includes desktop Chrome/Chromium, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and Opera, plus mobile browsers including iOS 5+ and Android Browser on Android 4.0+. On browsers without WYSIWYG support, the editor is disabled by default and leaves the plain textarea; source mode can be enabled with an option. The documentation advises server-side BBCode conversion and sanitizing submitted HTML to prevent XSS.
Who it is for
SCEditor suits developers adding formatted BBCode or (X)HTML editing to a webpage, especially where a textarea-based integration fits. Its MIT license permits commercial and non-commercial use, and it includes listed forum integrations and plugins.
What is good
- Free, MIT-licensed software for commercial or non-commercial use.
- Supports BBCode and (X)HTML formats.
- Plugins include autosave, emoji, and undo/redo.
- Downloadable files include five themes.
- Compatibility list includes desktop and mobile browsers.
What to know first
- Some listed forum integrations are premium or paid.
- WYSIWYG is disabled by default where browsers lack support.
- Submitted HTML requires server-side sanitization.
Verdict
SCEditor offers a textarea replacement with BBCode and (X)HTML formats, plugins, themes, and listed forum integrations. Account for its browser-dependent WYSIWYG behavior and follow the documentation’s server-side guidance for submitted content.
SCEditor plans and pricing
All plansCompared on rich text editor software
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment
- self_hosted
- Framework support
- JavaScript, jQuery
- Structured content
- Yes
- Real-time collaboration
- No
- Table editing
- Yes
- Media handling
- images, YouTube video embeds, file drag and drop
