JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground
HTML
<div id="selectable">
<p>Hello world, <b>Attack on Titan</b> season two!</p>
<p>Another paragraph with sample text.</p>
</div>
<div id="notSelectable">
<p>The selection will behave normally on this div.</p>
</div>
JavaScript
(function(el){
el.addEventListener('mouseup',function(evt){
if (document.createRange) { // Works on all browsers, including IE 9+
var selected = window.getSelection();
/* if(selected.toString().length){ */
var d = document,
nA = selected.anchorNode,
oA = selected.anchorOffset,
nF = selected.focusNode,
oF = selected.focusOffset,
range = d.createRange();
range.setStart(nA,oA);
range.setEnd(nF,oF);
// Check if direction of selection is right to left
if(range.startContainer !== nA || (nA === nF && oF < oA)){
range.setStart(nF,oF);
range.setEnd(nA,oA);
}
// Extend range to the next space or end of node
while(range.endOffset < range.endContainer.textContent.length && !/\s$/.test(range.toString())){
range.setEnd(range.endContainer, range.endOffset + 1);
}
// Extend range to the previous space or start of node
while(range.startOffset > 0 && !/^\s/.test(range.toString())){
range.setStart(range.startContainer, range.startOffset - 1);
}
// Remove spaces
if(/\s$/.test(range.toString()) && range.endOffset > 0)
range.setEnd(range.endContainer, range.endOffset - 1);
if(/^\s/.test(range.toString()))
range.setStart(range.startContainer, range.startOffset + 1);
// Assign range to selection
selected.addRange(range);
el.style.MozUserSelect = '-moz-none';
/* } */
} else {
// Fallback for Internet Explorer 8 and earlier
// (if you think it still is worth the effort of course)
}
});
/* This part is necessary to eliminate a FF specific dragging behavior */
el.addEventListener('mousedown',function(){
if (window.getSelection) { // Works on all browsers, including IE 9+
var selection = window.getSelection ();
selection.collapse (selection.anchorNode, selection.anchorOffset);
} else {
// Fallback for Internet Explorer 8 and earlier
// (if you think it still is...