CKEditor 5 in Drupal: What Editors Need to Know
Last updated: March 2026 · Reading time: 7 minutes
The editor is the tool editors work with daily. With Drupal 10 came the switch to CKEditor 5 — and with it a fundamentally new editing experience. The interface is cleaner, media integration more seamless, and the plugin architecture allows custom extensions without compromises.
This article explains what CKEditor 5 specifically offers, which plugins are worthwhile, and what the switch means for existing projects.
What CKEditor 5 Changes for Editors
Modern interface. The toolbar is clean and touch-optimized. Formatting, inserting media, and embedding videos flow seamlessly. Auto-formatting and keyboard shortcuts speed up work.
Better media management. Seamless integration with the Drupal media library makes inserting and editing images and videos straightforward. Images can be resized, aligned, and captioned directly in the editor.
Table management. The enhanced table plugin makes creating and designing tables powerful and simple — directly in the editor.
Plugin Pack. The CKEditor 5 Plugin Pack includes word count, special characters, find-and-replace, emojis, and more features. Installation via Composer, activation with one click.
CKEditor 5 for Developers and Site Builders
Modular plugin architecture. CKEditor 5 was designed from the ground up to be modular. Plugins extend functionality without added complexity. Only enable what you need — the editor stays lean.
Developing custom plugins. The CKEditor 5 API is clearly structured. Custom buttons, formatting options, or widgets can be implemented precisely. Important: CKEditor 5 works with an internal data model. HTML is translated into this model on load (upcast) and converted back on save (downcast). Both processes must be defined.
Toolbar per role. Site builders can customize the toolbar for each user role individually. Editors see a streamlined selection, power users the full functionality.
Performance and security. CKEditor 5 is optimized for fast load times and comes with modern security standards. Long-term maintenance by the CKEditor community ensures future-proofness.
Set Up CKEditor 5 Optimally for Your Team?
arocom configures the editor precisely for your editorial workflows — and develops custom plugins when needed. Write to us or start with the Future Check for an analysis of your editorial system.
Do I need to switch from CKEditor 4 to CKEditor 5?
Yes. CKEditor 4 is no longer supported in Drupal 11. The switch is necessary and worthwhile — the plugin architecture, performance, and editing experience are significantly better.
Can I develop custom CKEditor 5 plugins?
Yes. The API is documented and allows development of custom buttons, formatting options, and widgets. arocom has implemented custom plugins in client projects and knows the specifics of the upcast/downcast system.
Which CKEditor 5 plugins does arocom recommend?
For most projects, we recommend the Plugin Pack (word count, find-and-replace, special characters), the Media Embed plugin, and — depending on requirements — the Linkit module for internal linking.
Read more
- Gin Theme — The best Drupal backend for editors
- Drupal 11 — The most important innovations at a glance
- Why Drupal? — The detailed analysis
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