---
title: "Tiptap Concepts"
description: "Explore the foundational elements of Tiptap's API, designed for intricate rich text editing based on ProseMirror's architecture."
canonical_url: "https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/core-concepts/introduction"
---

# Tiptap Concepts

Explore the foundational elements of Tiptap's API, designed for intricate rich text editing based on ProseMirror's architecture.

## Structure

ProseMirror works with a strict [Schema](https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/core-concepts/schema.md), which defines the allowed structure of a document. A document is a tree of headings, paragraphs and other elements, called nodes. Marks can be attached to a node, e. g. to emphasize part of it. [Commands](https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/api/commands.md) change that document programmatically.

## State

The document is stored in a state. Changes are applied as transactions to the state. The state has details about the current content, cursor position and selection. You can hook into [events](https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/api/events.md), for example to alter transactions before they get applied.

## Content

The document is stored internally as a [ProseMirror node](https://prosemirror.net/docs/ref/#model.Node), and can be retrieved as a Tiptap JSON object calling `editor.getJSON()`.

Tiptap JSON is the recommended format for storing the document and working with it. Below is an example Tiptap JSON document:

```json
{
  "type": "doc",
  "content": [
    {
      "type": "paragraph",
      "attrs": {
        "textAlign": "center"
      },
      "content": [
        { "type": "text", "text": "Hello, " },
        {
          "type": "text",
          "text": "world",
          "marks": [{ "type": "bold" }, { "type": "italic" }]
        },
        { "type": "text", "text": "!" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

A Tiptap JSON document is a tree of nodes. Some nodes can have children, but only text nodes (those with `type: 'text'`) can contain text. Text nodes and other inline nodes can have marks applied to them. Some nodes and marks can have attributes.

The JSON Schema for valid Tiptap JSON content is available in [`/assets/schemas/tiptap-json-schema.json`](https://tiptap.dev/docs/assets/schemas/tiptap-json-schema.json). You can use it to validate Tiptap JSON before storing or processing it.

## Extensions

Extensions add [nodes](https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/extensions/nodes.md), [marks](https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/extensions/marks.md) and/or [functionalities](https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/extensions/functionality.md) to the editor. A lot of those extensions bound their commands to common [keyboard shortcuts](https://tiptap.dev/docs/editor/core-concepts/keyboard-shortcuts.md).

## Vocabulary

ProseMirror has its own vocabulary and you’ll stumble upon all those words now and then. Here is a short overview of the most common words we use in the documentation.

| Word        | Description                                                              |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Schema      | Configures the structure your content can have.                          |
| Document    | The actual content in your editor.                                       |
| State       | Everything to describe the current content and selection of your editor. |
| Transaction | A change to the state (updated selection, content, …)                    |
| Extension   | Registers new functionality.                                             |
| Node        | A type of content, for example a heading or a paragraph.                 |
| Mark        | Can be applied to nodes, for example for inline formatting.              |
| Command     | Execute an action inside the editor, that somehow changes the state.     |
| Decoration  | Styling on top of the document, for example to highlight mistakes.       |