Application stutter when typing `/` or `:` in code block

[FalcoGer]

Description

When typing into a code block, I often use // comment for comments (I use Trillium to take notes on learning new coding concepts). After typing the first /, a menu is displayed to offer me formatting options. This is a bit annoying, as I am already in a code block, and formatting doesn't really apply there.

When Trillium is freshly started or if this is done in a small note, then this menu and trillium are responsive. But as I type more and more, every time it slows down considerably, until every time I press / the whole application hangs up for up to several seconds. I can still type, but nothing is displayed and the application only updates after several seconds have passed, putting in all the text at once. It is quite disruptive.

A similar behavior occurs when typing : in a code block.

I am not sure if this has anything to do with me doing it in an actual code block or if it's an issue with bringing these menus repeatedly up anywhere, or maybe if it's an issue with these symbols being present so often; but I simply don't use that menu, ever, because / is only used in code blocks for me, and for everything else I use markdown, keyboard shortcuts, or the tool bar.

In addition to fixing the performance issue, I would like to either get rid of these menus entirely, or at least get rid of them inside code blocks and code text. Code naturally has lots of comments, divisions and scopes, and clearly I don't care to align right, or add an emoji.

TriliumNext Version

0.97.2

What operating system are you using?

Ubuntu

What is your setup?

Local + server sync

Operating System Version

Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS

Error logs

The errors below happen by simply typing // , then backspace back to // and then to / and then typing back to // again. The logs get spammed every time / or : is interacted with inside a code block.

app_context.js:11 16:57:25 Uncaught error: Message: Uncaught CKEditorError: contextualballoon-add-view-exist
Read more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist, URL: http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js, Line: 187, Column: 54758, Error object: TypeError: Converting circular structure to JSON
    --> starting at object with constructor 'JM'
    |     property 'accessibility' -> object with constructor 'dC'
    --- property '_editor' closes the circle, Stack: CKEditorError: contextualballoon-add-view-exist
Read more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist
    at nt.add (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:187:54758)
    at nV._showOrUpdateUI (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9375)
    at nV._handleFeedResponse (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9180)
    at nV.<anonymous> (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:6544)
    at nV.fire (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:24:1428)
    at nV._requestFeed (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:7801)
    at Dt.__.edges (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9481)
    at l (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8907)
    at c (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8946)
    at http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9029
logError$1 @ app_context.js:11
Ke.window.onerror @ index_jquery.js:1
setTimeout
d @ ckeditor5.js:1
g @ ckeditor5.js:1
u @ ckeditor5.js:1
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:343
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_evaluateTextBeforeSelection @ ckeditor5.js:200
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:200
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_handleChangeBlock @ ckeditor5.js:125
_runPendingChanges @ ckeditor5.js:128
enqueueChange @ ckeditor5.js:128
execute @ ckeditor5.js:197
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:24
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
<computed> @ ckeditor5.js:24
execute @ ckeditor5.js:143
execute @ ckeditor5.js:143
listenTo.priority @ ckeditor5.js:197
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
qn @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:197
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
qn @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
onDomEvent @ ckeditor5.js:113
listenTo.useCapture @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
t @ ckeditor5.js:39
app_context.js:11 16:57:25 CKEditor state changed to crashed
app_context.js:11 16:57:25 CKEditor crash logs: [
    {
        "message": "contextualballoon-add-view-exist\nRead more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist",
        "stack": "CKEditorError: contextualballoon-add-view-exist\nRead more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist\n    at nt.add (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:187:54758)\n    at nV._showOrUpdateUI (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9375)\n    at nV._handleFeedResponse (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9180)\n    at nV.<anonymous> (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:6544)\n    at nV.fire (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:24:1428)\n    at nV._requestFeed (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:7801)\n    at Dt.__.edges (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9481)\n    at l (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8907)\n    at c (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8946)\n    at http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9029",
        "filename": "http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js",
        "lineno": 187,
        "colno": 54758,
        "date": 1758552918993
    },
    {
        "message": "contextualballoon-add-view-exist\nRead more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist",
        "stack": "CKEditorError: contextualballoon-add-view-exist\nRead more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist\n    at nt.add (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:187:54758)\n    at nV._showOrUpdateUI (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9375)\n    at nV._handleFeedResponse (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9180)\n    at nV.<anonymous> (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:6544)\n    at nV.fire (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:24:1428)\n    at nV._requestFeed (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:7801)\n    at Dt.__.edges (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9481)\n    at l (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8907)\n    at c (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8946)\n    at http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9029",
        "filename": "http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js",
        "lineno": 187,
        "colno": 54758,
        "date": 1758552920469
    },
    {
        "message": "contextualballoon-add-view-exist\nRead more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist",
        "stack": "CKEditorError: contextualballoon-add-view-exist\nRead more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist\n    at nt.add (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:187:54758)\n    at nV._showOrUpdateUI (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9375)\n    at nV._handleFeedResponse (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:9180)\n    at nV.<anonymous> (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:6544)\n    at nV.fire (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:24:1428)\n    at nV._requestFeed (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:7801)\n    at Dt.__.edges (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9481)\n    at l (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8907)\n    at c (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:8946)\n    at http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:1:9029",
        "filename": "http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js",
        "lineno": 187,
        "colno": 54758,
        "date": 1758553045772
    }
]
logError$1 @ app_context.js:11
(anonymous) @ layout_commons.js:143
_fire @ ckeditor5.js:137
_handleError @ ckeditor5.js:137
_boundErrorHandler @ ckeditor5.js:137
setTimeout
d @ ckeditor5.js:1
g @ ckeditor5.js:1
u @ ckeditor5.js:1
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:343
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_evaluateTextBeforeSelection @ ckeditor5.js:200
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:200
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_handleChangeBlock @ ckeditor5.js:125
_runPendingChanges @ ckeditor5.js:128
enqueueChange @ ckeditor5.js:128
execute @ ckeditor5.js:197
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:24
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
<computed> @ ckeditor5.js:24
execute @ ckeditor5.js:143
execute @ ckeditor5.js:143
listenTo.priority @ ckeditor5.js:197
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
qn @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:197
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
qn @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
onDomEvent @ ckeditor5.js:113
listenTo.useCapture @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
t @ ckeditor5.js:39
ckeditor5.js:187 Uncaught CKEditorError: contextualballoon-add-view-exist
Read more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-contextualballoon-add-view-exist
    at nt.add (ckeditor5.js:187:54758)
    at nV._showOrUpdateUI (ckeditor5.js:343:9375)
    at nV._handleFeedResponse (ckeditor5.js:343:9180)
    at nV.<anonymous> (ckeditor5.js:343:6544)
    at nV.fire (ckeditor5.js:24:1428)
    at nV._requestFeed (ckeditor5.js:343:7801)
    at Dt.__.edges (ckeditor5.js:1:9481)
    at l (ckeditor5.js:1:8907)
    at c (ckeditor5.js:1:8946)
    at ckeditor5.js:1:9029
add @ ckeditor5.js:187
_showOrUpdateUI @ ckeditor5.js:343
_handleFeedResponse @ ckeditor5.js:343
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:343
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_requestFeed @ ckeditor5.js:343
Dt.__.edges @ ckeditor5.js:1
l @ ckeditor5.js:1
c @ ckeditor5.js:1
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:1
setTimeout
d @ ckeditor5.js:1
g @ ckeditor5.js:1
u @ ckeditor5.js:1
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:343
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_evaluateTextBeforeSelection @ ckeditor5.js:200
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:200
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_handleChangeBlock @ ckeditor5.js:125
_runPendingChanges @ ckeditor5.js:128
enqueueChange @ ckeditor5.js:128
execute @ ckeditor5.js:197
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:24
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
<computed> @ ckeditor5.js:24
execute @ ckeditor5.js:143
execute @ ckeditor5.js:143
listenTo.priority @ ckeditor5.js:197
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
qn @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:197
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
qn @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
onDomEvent @ ckeditor5.js:113
listenTo.useCapture @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
t @ ckeditor5.js:39
app_context.js:11 16:57:25 CKEditor state changed to initializing
app_context.js:11 16:57:25 Creating new CKEditor
app_context.js:11 16:57:26 CKEditor state changed to ready
app_context.js:11 16:57:31 Uncaught error: Message: Uncaught CKEditorError: marker-destroyed
Read more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-marker-destroyed, URL: http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js, Line: 125, Column: 63108, Error object: {"context":{"name":"mention","_managedUsingOperations":false,"_affectsData":false,"_liveRange":null},"name":"CKEditorError"}, Stack: CKEditorError: marker-destroyed
Read more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-marker-destroyed
    at to.getRange (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:125:63108)
    at target (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:343:10212)
    at Ps (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:178:27752)
    at Fe.attachTo (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:178:21987)
    at Fe._startPinning (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:178:23016)
    at Fe.pin (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:178:22621)
    at nt.updatePosition (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:187:55846)
    at $m (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:224:23495)
    at nt.<anonymous> (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:224:23261)
    at nt.fire (http://127.0.0.1:37840/assets/v0.97.2/src/ckeditor5.js:24:1428)
logError$1 @ app_context.js:11
Ke.window.onerror @ index_jquery.js:1
setTimeout
d @ ckeditor5.js:1
g @ ckeditor5.js:1
u @ ckeditor5.js:1
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:343
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_evaluateTextBeforeSelection @ ckeditor5.js:200
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:200
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
_handleChangeBlock @ ckeditor5.js:125
_runPendingChanges @ ckeditor5.js:128
enqueueChange @ ckeditor5.js:128
flush @ ckeditor5.js:197
(anonymous) @ ckeditor5.js:197
fire @ ckeditor5.js:24
qn @ ckeditor5.js:108
fire @ ckeditor5.js:108
_onMutations @ ckeditor5.js:108
ckeditor5.js:125 Uncaught CKEditorError: marker-destroyed
Read more: https://ckeditor.com/docs/ckeditor5/latest/support/error-codes.html#error-marker-destroyed
    at to.getRange (ckeditor5.js:125:63108)
    at target (ckeditor5.js:343:10212)
    at Ps (ckeditor5.js:178:27752)
    at Fe.attachTo (ckeditor5.js:178:21987)
    at Fe._startPinning (ckeditor5.js:178:23016)
    at Fe.pin (ckeditor5.js:178:22621)
    at nt.updatePosition (ckeditor5.js:187:55846)
    at $m (ckeditor5.js:224:23495)
    at nt.<anonymous> (ckeditor5.js:224:23261)
    at nt.fire (ckeditor5.js:24:1428)

[dosubot]

This is a known issue in TriliumNext: the formatting menu (slash command/contextual balloon) appears when typing / or : in code blocks, causing stutter and CKEditor errors like contextualballoon-add-view-exist and marker-destroyed as more text is added. The root cause is deep in CKEditor’s plugin/UI management, especially with floating toolbars and emoji features. There’s currently no built-in option to disable these menus specifically inside code blocks or code text—Trilium’s configuration allows customizing slash commands globally, but not contextually for code blocks. The only context-sensitive suppression implemented is for the toolbar balloon, not slash/emoji menus source.

Workarounds include switching the CKEditor toolbar to fixed mode (which reduces error frequency), making frequent manual saves, or using a plain text editor for critical notes source source. Recent updates to CKEditor dependencies may improve stability, but do not directly address this menu suppression source. To fully suppress these menus in code blocks, custom code changes would be needed at the plugin or integration layer.

To reply, just mention @dosu.

---

^{How did I do? Good | Irrelevant | Incorrect | Verbose | Hallucination | Report 🐛 | Other}    

[eliandoran]

For : (emoji autocompletion), this behaviour can be disabled by going to Options -> Text Notes and unchecking "Enable Emoji auto-completion".

Unfortunately, for slash commands there isn't a way to disable it just yet. #6764 should handle it but it's not done yet.

[FalcoGer]

I just noticed that this bug seems to correlate with my notes not saving properly.
I just typed some 50 lines of code, and now they're all gone after switching to a different note and back.

[eliandoran]

@FalcoGer , I've just noticed that you're two versions behind latest. Could you check the latest version? I'm pretty sure there were a few updates to the CKEditor since then.

[FalcoGer]

I have notifications for new versions on. Not sure why that didn't notify me.
Will do.

[eliandoran]

I have notifications for new versions on. Not sure why that didn't notify me.

Yes, this got broken after the switch to the new repo and it was fixed a version later in #6657.

[FalcoGer]

Propblem persists in 0.98.1.
It seems instead of allowing me to edit my notes it just restarts something internal and displays an empty note when ckeditor breaks. going back by selecting a different note and then the original note shows the lastest change without silently discarding my edits.
But it still stutters horribly.

[eliandoran]

@FalcoGer , sorry to hear that. Does the workaround provided by @dosu to use the fixed toolbar help?

[dosubot]

There isn't any documentation or user report confirming that switching to vertical layout (instead of horizontal) reliably improves CKEditor stutter or crash issues in Trilium. The codebase shows that layout changes can affect how CKEditor is initialized and rendered, which might have indirect effects on performance depending on your environment, but there are no explicit optimizations or guarantees tied to layout choice. If you want to try the vertical layout, it may help in some setups, but there's no evidence that it consistently resolves the issue.

To reply, just mention @dosu.

---

^{How did I do? Good | Irrelevant | Incorrect | Verbose | Hallucination | Report 🐛 | Other}    

[FalcoGer]

I have had a fixed toolbar the entire time. I didn't like the floating one. As for the layout, I don't think that has anything to do with it?

[eliandoran]

The issue is somehow related to #6153 which is an upstream issue of the editor.

I've raised a question to them in ckeditor/ckeditor5#19146, so that we can disable these features while in a code block.

In the meantime, in the upcoming release you should have a way to disable slash commands by going to Options -> Text Notes and unchecking "Enable slash commands".