# Quill Editor Migration Guide for ActiveAdmin 4 ## Overview This guide helps you migrate the activeadmin-quill_editor gem to support ActiveAdmin 4 with modern Rails 8+ and Propshaft asset pipeline. ## Key Changes Made ### 1. Removed jQuery Dependency **Before**: JavaScript relied on jQuery for initialization and DOM manipulation **After**: Pure vanilla JavaScript with modern event listeners ### 2. Asset Pipeline Updates **Before**: Sprockets-based asset compilation with CDN dependencies **After**: Propshaft-compatible with NPM-based Quill installation ### 3. Ruby and Rails Version Requirements - **Minimum Ruby**: 3.2+ (previously 3.0+) - **Rails Support**: 7.0+ with ActiveAdmin 2.9-4.x - **ActiveAdmin 4**: Full support with Propshaft ## Installation & Setup ### Step 1: Update Your Gemfile ```ruby gem 'activeadmin_quill_editor', '~> 2.0' ``` ### Step 2: Install Quill via NPM ```bash # In your Rails app root npm install quill@^2.0.2 ``` Or add to `package.json`: ```json { "dependencies": { "quill": "^2.0.2" } } ``` ### Step 3: Configure JavaScript (Rails 8 with esbuild) **IMPORTANT**: Do NOT copy the gem's JavaScript file into your application. The gem provides `activeadmin_quill_editor.js` via its vendor/assets directory. You should import it, not duplicate it. Create or update `app/javascript/active_admin.js`: ```javascript // Import ActiveAdmin - this already includes all features and Rails UJS // DO NOT import Rails separately as it's already included and started in ActiveAdmin import '@activeadmin/activeadmin'; // Import Quill from NPM and make it globally available import Quill from 'quill'; window.Quill = Quill; // Import the image uploader plugin if available (optional) try { const ImageUploader = require('quill-image-uploader'); window.ImageUploader = ImageUploader.default || ImageUploader; } catch(e) { // Image uploader is optional (silent failure) } // Import the Quill Editor initialization module from the gem // This imports from vendor/assets/javascripts/activeadmin/quill_editor.js import QuillEditorModule from 'activeadmin/quill_editor'; // Now that Quill is available, initialize the editors // This ensures proper initialization order without setTimeout hacks if (window.QuillEditor && window.QuillEditor.init) { window.QuillEditor.init(); } else if (QuillEditorModule && QuillEditorModule.init) { QuillEditorModule.init(); } ``` ### Step 4: Configure CSS #### With Tailwind CSS (ActiveAdmin 4) In `app/assets/stylesheets/active_admin.tailwind.css`: ```css @import "tailwindcss/base"; @import "tailwindcss/components"; @import "tailwindcss/utilities"; /* Quill styles */ @import "quill/dist/quill.snow.css"; @import "quill/dist/quill.bubble.css"; ``` #### With Sass/SCSS (Legacy) In `app/assets/stylesheets/active_admin.scss`: ```scss @import "active_admin/base"; @import "quill/dist/quill.snow"; // Optional bubble theme @import "quill/dist/quill.bubble"; ``` ### Step 5: Build Configuration #### esbuild.config.js ```javascript #!/usr/bin/env node const esbuild = require('esbuild'); const path = require('path'); // IMPORTANT: Set up the alias to resolve the gem's JavaScript file // For production apps, you can get the gem path dynamically: const { execSync } = require('child_process'); const gemPath = execSync('bundle show activeadmin_quill_editor', { encoding: 'utf-8' }).trim(); // Or for development/testing with a local gem: // const gemPath = path.resolve(__dirname, '../..'); // Adjust based on your setup // Configuration for esbuild with proper module resolution const config = { entryPoints: ['app/javascript/active_admin.js'], bundle: true, sourcemap: true, format: 'iife', outdir: 'app/assets/builds', publicPath: '/assets', loader: { '.js': 'js', }, // Define global Quill for the initialization script define: { 'global': 'window' }, // CRITICAL: Use alias to import the gem's JavaScript from vendor/assets alias: { 'activeadmin/quill_editor': path.join(gemPath, 'vendor/assets/javascripts/activeadmin/quill_editor.js') } }; // Check if we're in watch mode const watchMode = process.argv.includes('--watch'); if (watchMode) { // Start the build with watch mode esbuild.context(config).then(ctx => { ctx.watch(); console.log('Watching for changes...'); }).catch(error => { console.error('Build failed:', error); process.exit(1); }); } else { // Single build esbuild.build(config).then(() => { console.log('Build completed'); }).catch(error => { console.error('Build failed:', error); process.exit(1); }); } ``` #### package.json scripts ```json { "scripts": { "build:js": "node esbuild.config.js", "build:css": "tailwindcss -i app/assets/stylesheets/active_admin.tailwind.css -o app/assets/builds/active_admin.css -m", "build": "npm run build:js && npm run build:css" } } ``` ## Complete Example Files These are complete working examples from our test suite that you can use as reference: ### tailwind.config.js ```javascript const execSync = require('child_process').execSync; const activeAdminPath = execSync('bundle show activeadmin', { encoding: 'utf-8' }).trim(); module.exports = { content: [ `${activeAdminPath}/vendor/javascript/flowbite.js`, `${activeAdminPath}/plugin.js`, `${activeAdminPath}/app/views/**/*.{arb,erb,html,rb}`, './app/admin/**/*.{arb,erb,html,rb}', './app/views/active_admin/**/*.{arb,erb,html,rb}', './app/views/admin/**/*.{arb,erb,html,rb}', './app/javascript/**/*.js', // Quill editor gem files '../../lib/**/*.rb', '../../app/**/*.rb' ], darkMode: "class", plugins: [ require('@activeadmin/activeadmin/plugin') ], theme: { extend: { // Add any custom theme extensions here } }, // CRITICAL: Safelist for ActiveAdmin 4 dynamic classes safelist: [ // Grid and layout 'grid', 'gap-4', 'gap-6', 'lg:grid-cols-3', 'md:grid-cols-2', 'col-span-2', 'col-span-3', 'lg:col-span-2', 'lg:col-span-1', // Flexbox 'flex', 'inline-flex', 'flex-col', 'flex-row', 'flex-wrap', 'flex-nowrap', 'justify-start', 'justify-end', 'justify-center', 'justify-between', 'justify-around', 'items-start', 'items-end', 'items-center', 'items-baseline', 'items-stretch', // Spacing 'space-x-4', 'space-y-4', 'space-x-2', 'space-y-2', 'p-0', 'p-1', 'p-2', 'p-3', 'p-4', 'p-5', 'p-6', 'p-8', 'px-0', 'px-1', 'px-2', 'px-3', 'px-4', 'px-5', 'px-6', 'px-8', 'py-0', 'py-1', 'py-2', 'py-3', 'py-4', 'py-5', 'py-6', 'py-8', 'm-0', 'm-1', 'm-2', 'm-3', 'm-4', 'm-5', 'm-6', 'm-8', 'mx-0', 'mx-1', 'mx-2', 'mx-3', 'mx-4', 'mx-5', 'mx-6', 'mx-8', 'mx-auto', 'my-0', 'my-1', 'my-2', 'my-3', 'my-4', 'my-5', 'my-6', 'my-8', 'my-auto', 'mt-0', 'mt-1', 'mt-2', 'mt-3', 'mt-4', 'mt-5', 'mt-6', 'mt-8', 'mb-0', 'mb-1', 'mb-2', 'mb-3', 'mb-4', 'mb-5', 'mb-6', 'mb-8', 'ml-0', 'ml-1', 'ml-2', 'ml-3', 'ml-4', 'ml-5', 'ml-6', 'ml-8', 'ml-auto', 'mr-0', 'mr-1', 'mr-2', 'mr-3', 'mr-4', 'mr-5', 'mr-6', 'mr-8', 'mr-auto', // Display 'block', 'inline-block', 'inline', 'hidden', 'table', 'table-cell', 'table-row', 'lg:block', 'lg:inline-block', 'lg:hidden', 'lg:flex', 'md:block', 'md:inline-block', 'md:hidden', 'md:flex', 'sm:block', 'sm:inline-block', 'sm:hidden', 'sm:flex', // Width/Height 'w-full', 'w-auto', 'w-1/2', 'w-1/3', 'w-2/3', 'w-1/4', 'w-3/4', 'w-12', 'w-16', 'w-20', 'w-24', 'w-32', 'w-48', 'w-64', 'w-96', 'h-full', 'h-screen', 'h-auto', 'h-12', 'h-16', 'h-32', 'h-64', 'min-h-screen', 'min-h-full', 'max-w-7xl', 'max-w-full', // Typography 'text-xs', 'text-sm', 'text-base', 'text-lg', 'text-xl', 'text-2xl', 'text-3xl', 'font-thin', 'font-light', 'font-normal', 'font-medium', 'font-semibold', 'font-bold', 'text-left', 'text-center', 'text-right', 'text-justify', 'uppercase', 'lowercase', 'capitalize', 'normal-case', 'italic', 'not-italic', 'leading-none', 'leading-tight', 'leading-normal', 'leading-loose', // Colors (for dynamic theme) 'text-gray-50', 'text-gray-100', 'text-gray-200', 'text-gray-300', 'text-gray-400', 'text-gray-500', 'text-gray-600', 'text-gray-700', 'text-gray-800', 'text-gray-900', 'bg-white', 'bg-gray-50', 'bg-gray-100', 'bg-gray-200', 'bg-gray-300', 'bg-gray-400', 'bg-gray-500', 'bg-gray-600', 'bg-gray-700', 'bg-gray-800', 'bg-gray-900', 'bg-transparent', 'border-gray-100', 'border-gray-200', 'border-gray-300', 'border-gray-400', 'border-gray-500', 'border-gray-600', 'border-gray-700', 'border-gray-800', // Dark mode 'dark:bg-gray-700', 'dark:bg-gray-800', 'dark:bg-gray-900', 'dark:text-gray-50', 'dark:text-gray-100', 'dark:text-gray-200', 'dark:text-gray-300', 'dark:text-gray-400', 'dark:text-white', 'dark:border-gray-600', 'dark:border-gray-700', 'dark:border-gray-800', // Borders and Rounding 'border', 'border-0', 'border-2', 'border-4', 'border-8', 'border-t', 'border-b', 'border-l', 'border-r', 'border-t-0', 'border-b-0', 'border-l-0', 'border-r-0', 'rounded', 'rounded-sm', 'rounded-md', 'rounded-lg', 'rounded-xl', 'rounded-2xl', 'rounded-full', 'rounded-t', 'rounded-b', 'rounded-l', 'rounded-r', 'rounded-t-md', 'rounded-b-md', 'rounded-l-md', 'rounded-r-md', // Shadows 'shadow-none', 'shadow-sm', 'shadow', 'shadow-md', 'shadow-lg', 'shadow-xl', 'shadow-2xl', // Overflow 'overflow-auto', 'overflow-hidden', 'overflow-visible', 'overflow-scroll', 'overflow-x-auto', 'overflow-x-hidden', 'overflow-x-visible', 'overflow-x-scroll', 'overflow-y-auto', 'overflow-y-hidden', 'overflow-y-visible', 'overflow-y-scroll', // Position 'static', 'fixed', 'absolute', 'relative', 'sticky', 'top-0', 'right-0', 'bottom-0', 'left-0', 'inset-0', 'inset-x-0', 'inset-y-0', // Z-index 'z-0', 'z-10', 'z-20', 'z-30', 'z-40', 'z-50', 'z-auto', // Opacity 'opacity-0', 'opacity-25', 'opacity-50', 'opacity-75', 'opacity-100', // Cursor 'cursor-auto', 'cursor-pointer', 'cursor-not-allowed', 'cursor-wait', // Forms 'form-input', 'form-select', 'form-checkbox', 'form-radio', // Tables 'table-auto', 'table-fixed', 'border-collapse', 'border-separate', // Transitions 'transition', 'transition-all', 'transition-colors', 'transition-opacity', 'duration-75', 'duration-100', 'duration-150', 'duration-200', 'duration-300', 'ease-in', 'ease-out', 'ease-in-out', 'ease-linear', // Transform 'transform', 'transform-none', 'scale-90', 'scale-95', 'scale-100', 'scale-105', 'scale-110', // Visibility 'visible', 'invisible', // Quill specific classes 'ql-toolbar', 'ql-container', 'ql-editor', 'quill-editor', 'ql-snow', 'ql-bubble' ] }; ``` ### lib/tasks/active_admin.rake ```ruby namespace :active_admin do desc "Build Active Admin Tailwind stylesheets" task build: :environment do command = [ "npx", "tailwindcss", "-i", Rails.root.join("app/assets/stylesheets/active_admin.css").to_s, "-o", Rails.root.join("app/assets/builds/active_admin.css").to_s, "-c", Rails.root.join("tailwind.config.js").to_s, "-m" ] system(*command, exception: true) end desc "Watch Active Admin Tailwind stylesheets" task watch: :environment do command = [ "npx", "tailwindcss", "--watch", "-i", Rails.root.join("app/assets/stylesheets/active_admin.css").to_s, "-o", Rails.root.join("app/assets/builds/active_admin.css").to_s, "-c", Rails.root.join("tailwind.config.js").to_s, "-m" ] system(*command) end end Rake::Task["assets:precompile"].enhance(["active_admin:build"]) Rake::Task["test:prepare"].enhance(["active_admin:build"]) if Rake::Task.task_defined?("test:prepare") Rake::Task["spec:prepare"].enhance(["active_admin:build"]) if Rake::Task.task_defined?("spec:prepare") Rake::Task["db:test:prepare"].enhance(["active_admin:build"]) if Rake::Task.task_defined?("db:test:prepare") ``` ## Usage ### Basic Usage ```ruby # app/admin/posts.rb ActiveAdmin.register Post do permit_params :title, :content, :description form do |f| f.inputs do f.input :title f.input :content, as: :quill_editor f.input :description, as: :quill_editor, input_html: { data: { options: { theme: 'snow', modules: { toolbar: [ ['bold', 'italic', 'underline'], ['link', 'image'], [{ list: 'ordered' }, { list: 'bullet' }] ] } } } } end f.actions end end ``` ### Custom Toolbar Configuration ```ruby f.input :content, as: :quill_editor, input_html: { data: { options: { theme: 'snow', # or 'bubble' modules: { toolbar: [ [{ 'header': [1, 2, 3, false] }], ['bold', 'italic', 'underline', 'strike'], [{ 'color': [] }, { 'background': [] }], [{ 'script': 'sub' }, { 'script': 'super' }], ['blockquote', 'code-block'], [{ 'list': 'ordered' }, { 'list': 'bullet' }], [{ 'align': [] }], ['link', 'image', 'video'], ['clean'] ] } } } } ``` ### Image Upload Support (Optional) ```bash npm install quill-image-uploader ``` Configure in your form: ```ruby f.input :content, as: :quill_editor, input_html: { data: { plugins: { image_uploader: { server_url: '/admin/upload', field_name: 'file' } } } } ``` ## JavaScript API The gem exposes these global functions: ```javascript // Get all Quill editor instances const editors = getQuillEditors(); // Get editor by index (0-based) const firstEditor = getQuillEditorByIndex(0); // Get editor by element ID const editor = getQuillEditorByElementId('post_content'); // Access Quill API directly editor.getContents(); editor.setText('New content'); editor.format('bold', true); ``` ## Migration from Legacy Versions ### Removing jQuery Dependencies **Old initialization (jQuery)**: ```javascript $(document).ready(function() { // Initialization code }); ``` **New initialization (Vanilla JS)**: ```javascript // Automatically handled by the gem // Or manually initialize: document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() { // Custom initialization if needed }); ``` ### Asset Pipeline Changes **Old (Sprockets)**: ```javascript //= require activeadmin/quill_editor/quill //= require activeadmin/quill_editor_input ``` **New (Propshaft/esbuild)**: ```javascript import Quill from 'quill'; // Gem's initialization auto-loads ``` ## Troubleshooting ### Issue: Quill not initializing **Solution**: Ensure JavaScript is properly included: - Check that `window.Quill` is defined - Verify the gem's JS is loaded after Quill - Check browser console for errors ### Issue: Styles not loading **Solution**: Verify CSS imports: - Ensure Quill CSS is imported - Check that Tailwind processes the styles - Verify no CSS conflicts with ActiveAdmin ### Issue: Form submission not saving content **Solution**: The gem automatically handles form submission. Check: - Hidden input field is present in HTML - No JavaScript errors preventing update - Strong parameters permit the field ## Testing Your Implementation ### RSpec System Tests ```ruby # spec/system/admin_posts_spec.rb require 'rails_helper' RSpec.describe 'Admin Posts', type: :system do it 'creates a post with Quill editor' do visit '/admin/posts/new' # Fill in Quill editor within '[data-aa-quill-editor]' do find('.ql-editor').set('Test content') end click_button 'Create Post' expect(page).to have_content('Post was successfully created') expect(Post.last.content).to include('Test content') end end ``` ## Version Compatibility Matrix | Gem Version | ActiveAdmin | Rails | Ruby | Quill | |-------------|-------------|-------|------|-------| | 2.0.x | 2.9-4.x | 7.0-8.x | 3.2+ | 2.x | | 1.x | 2.x-3.x | 6.1-7.x | 3.0+ | 1.x | ## Additional Resources - [Quill Documentation](https://quilljs.com/) - [ActiveAdmin 4 Migration Guide](https://github.com/activeadmin/activeadmin/wiki) - [Propshaft Documentation](https://github.com/rails/propshaft) - [Rails 8 Asset Pipeline Guide](https://guides.rubyonrails.org/asset_pipeline.html) ## Support For issues or questions: - GitHub Issues: https://github.com/rs-pro/activeadmin-quill_editor/issues - ActiveAdmin Community: https://github.com/activeadmin/activeadmin/discussions