html textarea along with cursor position set
document.getElementById('bold').addEventListener('click', boldText); function boldText() { var txtarea = document.getElementById("editor_area"); var start = txtarea.selectionStart; var end = txtarea.selectionEnd; var sel = txtarea.value.substring(start, end); var finText = txtarea.value.substring(0, start) + '[b]' + sel + '[/b]' + txtarea.value.substring(end); txtarea.value = finText; txtarea.focus(); txtarea.selectionEnd= end + 7; }