Experiments with CodeMirror: Building a code review tool

3 months ago

The author discusses the need for a more advanced text/code editor in web applications, moving beyond simple textareas.
CodeMirror 6 is highlighted as a modular and customizable editor library, preferred over Monaco for its flexibility.
The importance of a code review mode in editors is emphasized, especially with the rise of LLMs, for accepting or rejecting changes.
Various text editor options are reviewed, including simple textareas, HTML datalists, and libraries like Ace, Monaco, and CodeMirror 5.
CodeMirror 6's architecture is explained, focusing on its modular design, state management, and the concept of facets for extensions.
A practical example is provided for implementing a unified merge view in CodeMirror 6 for code review functionality.
The author shares future experiments with CodeMirror 6, including custom decorations, Lezer for parsing, and LSP integration.
A self-contained code snippet for a review tool extension is included, demonstrating how to implement review mode in CodeMirror 6.

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