AI Editor
Edit articles with the AI-powered editor, sidebar commands, keyboard shortcuts, and real-time collaboration.
AI Editor
The IANews editor is a rich text editor extended with AI-powered writing tools, real-time collaboration, and keyboard shortcuts designed for speed. This guide covers every feature -- from content blocks and AI commands to collaborative editing and version history.
Content blocks
The editor supports multiple content block types. Type / on an empty line to open the block menu, or use markdown shortcuts as you type.
| Block | Markdown shortcut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paragraph | Just type | Standard body text. Press Enter to create a new paragraph. |
| Heading 2 | ## | Main section headings. Use 3--5 per article. |
| Heading 3 | ### | Subsection headings within an H2 section. |
| Bullet list | - or * | Unordered list. Press Tab to nest. |
| Numbered list | 1. | Ordered list. Numbering updates automatically. |
| Blockquote | > | Pull quotes or attributed citations. |
| Code block | ``` | Syntax highlighting for 50+ languages. |
| Image | /image | Opens the image dialog. See the Images guide. |
| Table | /table | Insert from block menu. Rows and columns are resizable. |
Each article should have exactly one H1, which is the article title set in the metadata panel. Use H2 and H3 within the body for structure. Skipping heading levels (e.g., H1 to H3) hurts both readability and SEO.
Formatting toolbar
The floating toolbar appears when you select text. It provides quick access to inline formatting:
- Bold (Cmd+B) -- Emphasize key terms.
- Italic (Cmd+I) -- Titles, foreign words, subtle emphasis.
- Underline (Cmd+U) -- Sparingly; links are already underlined.
- Strikethrough (Cmd+Shift+X) -- Mark removed or outdated text.
- Highlight (Cmd+Shift+H) -- Background color to call attention to a passage.
- Link (Cmd+K) -- Insert or edit a hyperlink.
- Code (Cmd+E) -- Inline code formatting for technical terms.
AI sidebar
The AI sidebar is your context-aware editing assistant. It operates on selected text and provides five distinct actions.
Open the sidebar
Press Cmd+/ (Mac) or Ctrl+/ (Windows/Linux), or click the AI button in the toolbar. The sidebar opens on the right side of the editor.
Select text to edit
Highlight the text you want the AI to work with. This can be a single sentence, a full paragraph, or a multi-paragraph selection. The available actions update based on your selection length.
Choose an AI action
The sidebar offers five commands:
As you type, the AI predicts what comes next and displays ghost text ahead of your cursor. Press Tab to accept the suggestion, or keep typing to dismiss it. Autocompletion is context-aware -- it reads the preceding paragraph and article metadata to generate relevant continuations.
You can also trigger autocompletion manually with Ctrl+Space at any cursor position.
Preview and accept
After the AI processes your request, a diff preview appears in the sidebar. Added text is highlighted in green, removed text in red. Click Accept to apply the change to the editor, or Reject to discard it and keep the original.
AI suggestions require an active internet connection. The sidebar will not function offline. Autocompletion latency is typically under 500ms.
Real-time collaboration
Multiple team members can edit the same article simultaneously. IANews uses real-time collaborative editing for conflict-free synchronization.
- Live cursors -- Each collaborator has a colored cursor with their name. You see their position and selection in real time.
- Instant sync -- Changes propagate within milliseconds. No manual refresh is needed.
- Conflict resolution -- Concurrent edits are handled automatically. Two people editing different paragraphs will never overwrite each other. Edits to the same sentence are merged character by character.
- Presence indicators -- The toolbar shows avatars of all collaborators currently viewing the article. A green dot indicates active editing.
To collaborate, share the article URL with a team member who has editor or admin permissions on the site.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd+B | Bold |
| Cmd+I | Italic |
| Cmd+U | Underline |
| Cmd+Shift+H | Highlight selection |
| Cmd+Shift+X | Strikethrough |
| Cmd+K | Insert / edit link |
| Cmd+E | Inline code |
| Cmd+/ | Toggle AI sidebar |
| Ctrl+Space | Trigger autocompletion |
| Cmd+S | Save draft |
| Cmd+Enter | Publish article |
| Cmd+Z | Undo |
| Cmd+Shift+Z | Redo |
| Tab | Accept autocompletion / indent list item |
| Shift+Tab | Outdent list item |
| / | Open block menu (on an empty line) |
On Windows and Linux, replace Cmd with Ctrl for all shortcuts listed above.
Saving and version history
- Auto-save -- The editor saves your draft automatically every 30 seconds and when you navigate away from the page.
- Manual save -- Press Cmd+S at any time to force an immediate save.
- Draft status -- Articles start as "Draft" and remain so until you explicitly publish them.
- Version history -- Each save creates a version snapshot. Open the version panel from the article settings (gear icon) to browse previous versions, view diffs, and restore any earlier state.
- Collaboration history -- Version entries include the name of the team member who made the change, so you can trace edits by contributor.
What's next?
- Citations and sources -- Understand inline citation badges and the source panel
- SEO optimization -- Optimize meta tags and content structure
- Images and media -- Insert and manage images from Unsplash, Pexels, or your device