HTML serialize arbitrary node trees

[MathiasGretland]

Hi!

I am currently working on migrating from PlateJS version 34 to version 49 and noticed that one of the key features that worked before has been removed. This is tied to the serializeHtml function.

In my old version i have a wrapper function that calls the serializeHtml function with some pre-configured arguments, it looks like this:

import { serializeHtml } from "@udecode/plate-serializer-html";

    serializeToHtml: (value) =>
      serializeHtml(editor, {
        nodes: value,
         ...,
      }),
   ...,

Where value is any arbitrary node tree, example:

[
  { type: 'h1', children: [{ text: 'Title' }] },
  { type: 'p', children: [{ text: 'Paragraph' }] }
]

Typical use-case

This was very handy when i wanted to generate HTML out of node trees without mutating the live editor. Such as fetching "old" node values that are stored in local storage.

Problem

In version 49, serializeHtml seems to always serialize the current editor.children, and has removed the ability to set a specific node tree (removed: { nodes: ..., }).

To now replicate the old behavior, I now have to create either a temporary editor or swap out the current children, currently doing the temporary editor workaround like this:

import { serializeHtml } from "platejs";
import { createPlateEditor } from "platejs/react";

    serializeToHtml: async (value) => {
      const tempEditor = createPlateEditor({
        plugins: plugins,
      });
      tempEditor.children = value;
      return await serializeHtml(tempEditor, {
        nodes: value,
        ...,
      });
    },

While this works as intended i feel like its a bit "hacky" for something that used to work. So my question(s) really is:

What is the reasoning for removing the nodes parameter? Is the solution i have now the intended way to serialize a arbitrary node tree or does it exist a function that i have yet to discover?

Thanks for all the good work you guys are putting into Plate! 🙌

Plate version

49

Slate React version

0.117.4

Browsers

Chrome

[dosubot[bot]]

Hi @MathiasGretland! I'm Dosu and I’m helping the plate team.

In Plate v49, the serializeHtml function no longer accepts a nodes parameter and only serializes the current editor.children. There isn't a public utility for statelessly serializing arbitrary node trees to HTML—creating a temporary editor and assigning its children is the recommended approach now. This change appears intentional, encouraging serialization as part of the editor context rather than a stateless transform. The markdown API still supports serializing specific nodes, but this pattern isn't available for HTML serialization in v49. No official reasoning or changelog notes were found about this removal, so your current workaround is the best practice for now.
Reference

To reply, just mention @dosu.

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[felixfeng33]

It is recommended to create an editor using createSlateEditor before serialization. You just need to switch to rendering plateStatic with createSlateEditor instead of createPlateEditor in your code.
See https://github.com/udecode/plate/blob/main/apps/www/src/registry/ui/export-toolbar-button.tsx#L99

[MathiasGretland]

Thanks! I'll stick with the solution then 👍