What happens when there's a scroll bar?
The text area will grow as usual as you type. Once it gets to the max-height, a scrollbar will appear only to the text without including the toolbar.
In
this prototype the text area is not growing, but you can experience the scrollbar appearing.
I think it needs a gray divider (like VisualEditor in a page) or background (like Gmail, the wiki editor toolbar, etc.).
I would start by presenting the controls as part of the editing area. I think providing controls in that way is common in messaging apps (e.g., to provide secondary options such as add images) and keeps the maximum focus to the message. I agree in taking a close look to this aspect to identify issues that may suggest providing more contrast between the content and the tools (a separator line or gray-ish background seem both good candidates in case we need them).
Is the rightmost <> icon the one-way "Switch to source editiing" as in VE?
Yes. In
the prototype I added some tooltips considering that we are keeping the preference persistent and the switch may hapen in longer periods of time.
Pau, is the change to heavy gray "Reply to Ludmilla" placeholder text in your design intentional? The current lighter italic "Reply to "content of post"" looks better. What's the rationale for changing the placeholder text from the message content to the person to whom you're replying?
That was an inaccuracy on the mockups. Sorry for the confusion.
Thanks for your feedback!
Pau