Summernote review
A flexible, free rich-text editor for embedding in web pages.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Summernote is an open-source JavaScript WYSIWYG editor for embedding rich-text editing in web pages and applications. It suits web developers who need users to format content, insert media and switch between visual editing and HTML code. The editor includes controls for fonts, colors, lists and paragraphs, along with images, links, video, tables and horizontal rules. Fullscreen editing, undo and redo round out the core writing experience.
Its platform fit is broad within web development. Summernote offers Bootstrap 3, 4 and 5 builds, as well as a standalone Lite build, so teams can choose between Bootstrap-based presentation and a more focused option. The configurable toolbar and popovers support tailored editing interfaces, while plugin and custom module support allows additional behavior. A JavaScript API and callbacks provide application-level control. Official integrations or wrappers are described for Django, Rails, Angular and React, and the editor is intended for use in web pages across Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
The main trade-off is scope. Summernote is a library for adding rich-text editing to an application, not a standalone desktop editor for Windows, macOS or Linux. Its strongest fit is content fields, document-like inputs and other browser-based authoring workflows where HTML access and media insertion matter. Teams seeking a configurable, open-source editor for embedded web content should consider it; teams looking for a programming-oriented text editor or a separate desktop application should choose a different type of product.
Summernote pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Open-source and free under the MIT license
- HTML view, media insertion, formatting, tables and fullscreen editing
- Bootstrap builds, Lite build, plugins, APIs and framework integrations
- Where it doesn't
- Designed for web pages rather than standalone desktop editing
- Requires a web application integration rather than operating as a complete editor
- Focused on rich-text content, not programming-oriented text editing
Summernote fact sheet, pricing and score →
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