---
meta:
  title:
    "Get started with a Lexical text editor using Liveblocks Storage and Next.js"
  parentTitle: "Quickstart"
  description:
    "Learn how to sync a Lexical text editor with Liveblocks Storage and Next.js"
---

Liveblocks is a realtime collaboration infrastructure for building performant
collaborative experiences. Follow the following steps to start adding
collaboration to your Next.js application using the APIs from the
[`@liveblocks/lexical`](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-lexical) package.

<Banner>

This guide uses Liveblocks Storage. For Comments, mentions, and the full Text
Editor product, see the
[`@liveblocks/react-lexical` quickstart](/docs/get-started/nextjs-lexical)
instead.

</Banner>

## Quickstart

<PromptCta />

<Steps>
  <Step>
    <StepTitle>Install Liveblocks and Lexical</StepTitle>
    <StepContent>

      Every Liveblocks package should use the same version.

      ```bash trackEvent="install_liveblocks"
      npm install @liveblocks/client @liveblocks/react @liveblocks/lexical lexical @lexical/react @lexical/selection @lexical/utils
      ```

    </StepContent>

  </Step>
  <Step>
    <StepTitle>Initialize the `liveblocks.config.ts` file</StepTitle>
    <StepContent>

      We can use this file later to [define types for our application](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-react#Typing-your-data).

      ```bash
      npx create-liveblocks-app@latest --init --framework react
      ```

      Add types for your Lexical document and presence:

      ```ts file="liveblocks.config.ts"
      import type { LiveLexicalSelection, LiveRootNode } from "@liveblocks/lexical";

      declare global {
        interface Liveblocks {
          Presence: {
            selection: LiveLexicalSelection | null;
          };
          Storage: {
            document: LiveRootNode;
          };
          UserMeta: {
            id?: string;
            info?: {
              name?: string;
              color?: string;
            };
          };
        }
      }

      export {};
      ```

    </StepContent>

  </Step>
  <Step>
    <StepTitle>Create a Liveblocks room</StepTitle>
    <StepContent>

      Liveblocks uses the concept of rooms, separate virtual spaces where people
      collaborate, and to create a realtime experience, multiple users must
      be connected to the same room. When using Next.js’ `/app` router,
      we recommend creating your room in a `Room.tsx` file in the same directory
      as your current route.

      Store your editor document as a Storage tree and set an initial presence shape for cursors.

      Set up a Liveblocks client with
      [`LiveblocksProvider`](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-react#LiveblocksProvider),
      join a room with [`RoomProvider`](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-react#RoomProvider),
      and use [`ClientSideSuspense`](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-react#ClientSideSuspense)
      to add a loading spinner to your app.

      ```tsx file="app/Room.tsx"
      "use client";

      import { ReactNode } from "react";
      import { LiveList, LiveObject, LiveText } from "@liveblocks/client";
      import {
        LiveblocksProvider,
        RoomProvider,
        ClientSideSuspense,
      } from "@liveblocks/react/suspense";

      export function Room({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
        return (
          // +++
          <LiveblocksProvider publicApiKey={"{{PUBLIC_KEY}}"}>
            <RoomProvider
              id="my-room"
              initialPresence={{ selection: null }}
              initialStorage={{
                document: new LiveObject({
                  kind: "root",
                  type: "root",
                  version: 1,
                  children: new LiveList([
                    new LiveObject({
                      kind: "element",
                      type: "paragraph",
                      version: 1,
                      children: new LiveList([
                        new LiveObject({
                          kind: "text",
                          type: "text",
                          version: 1,
                          content: new LiveText(),
                        }),
                      ]),
                    }),
                  ]),
                }),
              }}
            >
              <ClientSideSuspense fallback={<div>Loading…</div>}>
                {children}
              </ClientSideSuspense>
            </RoomProvider>
          </LiveblocksProvider>
          // +++
        );
      }
      ```

  </StepContent>

</Step>
<Step>
  <StepTitle>Add the Liveblocks room to your page</StepTitle>
  <StepContent>

    After creating your room file, import it into your `page.tsx` file and place
    your editor inside it.

    ```tsx file="app/page.tsx"
    import { Room } from "./Room";
    import { Editor } from "./Editor";

    export default function Page() {
      return (
        // +++
        <Room>
          <Editor />
        </Room>
        // +++
      );
    }
    ```

  </StepContent>

</Step>
<Step>
  <StepTitle>Set up the collaborative Lexical editor</StepTitle>
  <StepContent>

    Now that Liveblocks is set up, create a Lexical editor in `Editor.tsx`.
    Use [`LiveblocksCollaborationPlugin`](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-lexical#LiveblocksCollaborationPlugin)
    to sync the document with Storage, and
    [`RemoteCursorsPlugin`](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-lexical#RemoteCursorsPlugin)
    to show remote carets and selections.

    ```tsx file="app/Editor.tsx"
    "use client";

    import { useCallback, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
    import { LexicalComposer } from "@lexical/react/LexicalComposer";
    import { ContentEditable } from "@lexical/react/LexicalContentEditable";
    import { LexicalErrorBoundary } from "@lexical/react/LexicalErrorBoundary";
    import { RichTextPlugin } from "@lexical/react/LexicalRichTextPlugin";
    import {
      LiveblocksCollaborationPlugin,
      RemoteCursorsPlugin,
    } from "@liveblocks/lexical";
    import type { Room } from "@liveblocks/client";
    import { useRoom } from "@liveblocks/react/suspense";
    import "@liveblocks/lexical/styles.css";

    export function Editor() {
      const room = useRoom();
      const root = useRoot(room);

      if (root === null) {
        return <div>Loading…</div>;
      }

      const document = root.get("document");

      return (
        <LexicalComposer
          initialConfig={{
            namespace: "Liveblocks",
            onError: (error) => console.error(error),
          }}
        >
          <div className="relative">
            <RichTextPlugin
              contentEditable={<ContentEditable className="outline-none" />}
              ErrorBoundary={LexicalErrorBoundary}
            />
            // +++
            <LiveblocksCollaborationPlugin root={document}>
              <RemoteCursorsPlugin />
            </LiveblocksCollaborationPlugin>
            // +++
          </div>
        </LexicalComposer>
      );
    }

    function useRoot(room: Room) {
      const subscribe = room.events.storageDidLoad.subscribeOnce;
      const getSnapshot = room.getStorageOrNull;
      const getServerSnapshot = useCallback(() => null, []);
      return useSyncExternalStore(subscribe, getSnapshot, getServerSnapshot);
    }
    ```

</StepContent>

</Step>
<Step lastStep>
  <StepTitle>Next: authenticate and add your users</StepTitle>
  <StepContent>
    Your editor is set up and working now, but each user is anonymous—the next step is to
    authenticate each user as they connect, and attach their name and color to remote carets.

    <Button asChild className="not-markdown">
      <a href="/docs/guides/how-to-add-users-to-liveblocks-presence-components">
        Set up authentication and add user information
      </a>
    </Button>

  </StepContent>

</Step>
</Steps>

## What to read next

Congratulations! You now have set up the foundation for your collaborative
Lexical editor inside your Next.js application.

- [@liveblocks/lexical API Reference](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-lexical)
- [Next.js and React guides](/docs/guides?technologies=nextjs%2Creact)
- [Lexical website](https://lexical.dev)

For Comments, mentions, and default Text Editor components, see
[`@liveblocks/react-lexical`](/docs/api-reference/liveblocks-react-lexical).

---

For an overview of all available documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt).