Plate has different setup paths for UI-first editors, headless React editors, server components, and backend processing. Start with Plate UI when you want a complete editor surface. Use the lower-level guides when you need to own the rendering, runtime environment, or server-only pipeline.
| Surface | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Plate React APIs and Plate UI | React and React DOM 19.2 or later. Plate's React packages declare >=19.2.0 peer dependencies. |
| Copied Plate UI source | Enable React Compiler in the app that owns the copied components. Registry components rely on Compiler-owned memoization. The shadcn command installs packages and files; it does not configure your build tool. Follow the React Compiler installation guide for your framework. |
| Published Plate packages | No consumer Compiler step is needed for imported package code. Plate compiles its packages for the React 19 runtime before publishing. |
These are separate boundaries: React 19.2 is the package compatibility floor, while React Compiler configuration belongs to the app that builds copied Plate UI source.
Use Plate UI when you want the fastest working editor path.
After Plate UI is installed, choose the runtime guide that matches your app:
Use feature kits when you want complete plugin + UI wiring. Use manual plugin docs when you want only the headless package behavior.
| Environment | Use it when | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Manual React | You do not want Plate UI or shadcn/ui. | Manual Installation |
| React Server Components | You need static content generation or server-side editor processing without client-side interactivity. | RSC |
| Node.js | You need backend migration, validation, or serialization scripts. | Node.js |
Server-only environments use base package imports like platejs and @platejs/basic-nodes. Do not import from /react subpaths in RSC or Node.js.
Once the editor runs, use these docs to customize it:
Done. You now have the right install path for your app surface.