Block drag and drop interaction fails within vscode extension webview
Hi @protozoo I'm not sure exactly why but looks like the vscode iframe (probably sandboxed) is blocking the native HTML5 Drag & Drop (this is what is used on Blocks). As this is not strictly related to the core I'll move this one to the discussion.
Read full answer below ↓Question
GrapesJS version
- I confirm to use the latest version of GrapesJS
What browser are you using?
VSCode (WebView within VSCode extension)
Reproducible demo link
https://grapesjs.com/demo.html
Describe the bug
How to reproduce the bug?
- Create a new vscode extension (or use one that you already have)
- Create a Webview that contains an HTML document with an iframe loading the GrapesJS demo (see example code below)
- Run the extension and webview to load the GrapesJS demo
- Try to drag a Grapes Block in the canvas
What is the expected behavior? The dragged block should be added to the canvas
What is the current behavior? The dragged component is NOT added to the canvas. You can watch a video showing the problem here: https://www.protozoo.com/tests/grapesjs/vscode_extension_grapes.mov. As demonstrated in the video, other dragging interactions work as expected. The issue can be seen near the end.
If is necessary to execute some code in order to reproduce the bug, paste it here below:
// Here's a simplified code example on how to create a webview within a vscode example, and load grapesjs demo inside.
// You can download a ready-to-build-and-run project here:
// http://www.protozoo.com/tests/grapesjs/visualEditor_vscode_extension.zip
const vscode = require('vscode');
/**
* @param {vscode.ExtensionContext} context
*/
function activate(context) {
console.log('Congratulations, your extension "visualEditor" is now active!');
let disposable = vscode.commands.registerCommand('visualeditor.openVisualEditor', function () {
const panel = vscode.window.createWebviewPanel(
'visualEditor',
'Visual Editor',
vscode.ViewColumn.One,
{ enableScripts: true }
);
panel.webview.html = `<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Visual Editor</title>
</head>
<body style="padding: 0 0px;">
<iframe src="https://grapesjs.com/demo.html" style="position: fixed; width: 100%; height: 100%;">
</iframe>
</body>
</html>`
});
context.subscriptions.push(disposable);
}
function deactivate() {}
module.exports = {
activate,
deactivate
}
Code of Conduct
- I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct
Answers (2)
Hi @protozoo I'm not sure exactly why but looks like the vscode iframe (probably sandboxed) is blocking the native HTML5 Drag & Drop (this is what is used on Blocks). As this is not strictly related to the core I'll move this one to the discussion.
Thanks for reporting this, @protozoo.
Great question about Block drag and drop interaction fails within vscode extension webview. The recommended approach with StyleManager is to use the event-driven API.
Start here:
- Check the GrapesJS documentation for your specific module
- Look for the
on()event listener method - Most operations can be achieved by listening to editor and component events
Common patterns:
// Listen for changes
editor.on('change', () => console.log('something changed'));
// Component lifecycle
editor.on('component:mount', (c) => console.log('component ready', c));
editor.on('component:update', (c) => console.log('component updated', c));
If you're still stuck:
- Share a minimal CodeSandbox reproduction
- Include what you've already tried
- Mention your GrapesJS version
- The community is here to help!
Related Questions and Answers
Continue research with similar issue discussions.
Issue #4247
Components disappearing/not being rendered at cloning, moving or adding
GrapesJS version [X] I confirm to use the latest version of GrapesJS What browser are you using? Chromium v96 Reproducible demo link https:...
Issue #6269
Component model and view inits every time it's dragged over every component present in Canvas on which it can be dropped into
GrapesJS version [X] I confirm to use the latest version of GrapesJS What browser are you using? Chrome Version 130.0.6723.59 (Official Bui...
Issue #5705
Component tools misalign when the editor is resized
GrapesJS version [X] I confirm to use the latest version of GrapesJS What browser are you using? Chrome v122 Reproducible demo link https:/...
Issue #3759
Uncaught TypeError: Failed to execute 'appendChild' on 'Node': parameter 1 is not of type 'Node'.
GrapesJS version[X] I confirm to use the latest version of GrapesJSWhat browser are you using? chrome new versionReproducible demo link htt...
Paid Plugins That Match This Issue
Curated by issue keywords and label relevance to help you ship faster.
Loading paid plugin recommendations...
Check the open-source GrapesJS plugins on GitHub or run a quick search in our free catalog.
Browse free plugins →Premium plugins ship with support, regular updates, and production-ready features — save days of integration work.
Browse premium plugins →Related tutorials
In-depth guides on the same topic.
Tutorial
Find the Right GrapesJS Plugin in Seconds: Smarter Discovery Is Live
We're shipping a set of discovery upgrades. New label filters, a proper compatibility switch for GrapesJS vs Studio, one-click and a smarter sort bar.
Tutorial
GrapesJS vs Webflow vs Tilda: What to Choose for Your Business in 2026
Choosing the right website platform in 2026 is no longer just about building a site
Tutorial
GJS Market 2.0 - Donations, Tracking, Labels and Better Product Discovery
We’ve rolled out a new set of GrapesJS marketplace updates across GJS Market, focused on improving how creators distribute products
Browse Plugin Categories
Jump directly to plugin category pages on the marketplace.