Vue Js V Html Contenteditable Prevent Dom Refresh To Keep Cursor Caret From Jumping

Vue.js is a fantastic framework for building web applications, and one common scenario many developers face is using contenteditable elements in their projects. However, when working with Vue.js and contenteditable divs, you may notice an annoying issue where the DOM refreshes, causing the cursor caret to jump around unexpectedly. In this article, we'll explore how to prevent this dom refresh and keep the cursor caret in its place.

The key to solving this problem lies in understanding how Vue.js handles DOM updates. By default, Vue.js re-renders the component whenever data changes, which is great for ensuring your UI stays in sync with your data. However, this behavior can lead to the cursor caret jumping when working with contenteditable elements.

To prevent the DOM from refreshing unnecessarily, we can leverage Vue's v-once directive. By using v-once on the element containing the contenteditable div, we tell Vue to render the element only once and not update it on subsequent data changes. This effectively stops the cursor caret from jumping around when the data updates.

Let's see this in action with a simple example:

<div>
    <div>{{ content }}</div>
  </div>



export default {
  data() {
    return {
      content: 'Hello, World!',
    };
  },
  methods: {
    updateContent(event) {
      this.content = event.target.innerText;
    },
  },
};

In this example, we have a contenteditable div that binds to the `content` data property. When the user types in the div, the `updateContent` method is called to update the `content` data property. By wrapping the outer `div` with the v-once directive, we ensure that the DOM is not refreshed unnecessarily, preventing the cursor caret from jumping.

Another approach to tackle this issue is by using the key attribute. By assigning a unique key to the contenteditable element, Vue.js will reuse the element instead of re-rendering it when the data changes. This approach can also help in keeping the cursor caret in place while updating the content.

<div>
    <div>{{ content }}</div>
  </div>



export default {
  data() {
    return {
      content: 'Hello, World!',
    };
  },
  methods: {
    updateContent(event) {
      this.content = event.target.innerText;
    },
  },
};

By using either the v-once directive or the key attribute, you can prevent unnecessary DOM refreshes in Vue.js when working with contenteditable elements and ensure that the cursor caret stays in its place. This simple tweak can make your user interactions smoother and enhance the overall experience of your web application. Happy coding!