Building a Custom WYSIWYG Block Editor
Architecting modular, drag-and-drop HTML layout builders from the ground up.
The "Blank Canvas" Problem
In the modern web, static forms are dying. Users want to build layouts visually, drag components around, and see the results instantly. When I built the Block Editor, the goal wasn't just to make a tool—it was to build a Framework for Creation.
Total development time: 15 Days | Lines of code: ~3,500 JS
01 The Component Registry
Modularity is the key. By using a centralized
ComponentRegistry, adding a new block type (like a Video or Map) becomes as simple as
registering a new class. No changes to the core editor logic are required.
// Registering a new custom block
ComponentRegistry.register('hero-banner', {
class: HeroComponent,
icon: 'layout_hero',
category: 'Marketing'
});02 The DOMBuilder Engine
To maintain a clean separation of concerns, the editor uses a
specialized DOMBuilder utility. This handles the complex nesting and attribute mapping
without cluttered document.createElement calls throughout the business logic.
Input
JSON manifest of the layout structure and element properties.
Output
Semantic, clean HTML ready for frontend rendering or storage.
Advanced UX: Context & Resizing
Context Menus
Right-click interaction for deep property editing, duplicating, and deleting areas without leaving the focus.
Dynamic Resizing
Implemented a custom grid-width calculation engine that adjusts columns in real-time as users drag border handles.
State Management
Built an undo/redo stack that tracks recursive changes to the component tree for a bulletproof editing experience.
The Vision
"A great editor shouldn't feel like a tool; it should feel like an extension of the creator's mind. By focusing on a modular architecture and semantic DOM building, we created an editor that is as powerful as it is easy to use."