Real-time Collaboration Platform

Project Overview

A comprehensive web application enabling teams to collaborate in real-time with document editing, video calls, and project management features - all in one place.

Key Features

Real-time Document Editing

• Collaborative Text Editor: Multiple users can edit simultaneously
• Conflict Resolution: Operational Transformation (OT) algorithm
• Version History: Track all changes with rollback capability
• Comments & Mentions: In-context discussions

Video Conferencing

• WebRTC Integration: Peer-to-peer video calls
• Screen Sharing: Share your screen with team members
• Virtual Backgrounds: Professional meeting environments
• Recording: Automatic meeting recordings

Project Management

• Kanban Boards: Visual task management
• Sprint Planning: Agile workflow support
• Time Tracking: Built-in time tracker
• Gantt Charts: Project timeline visualization

Technical Deep Dive

Real-time Architecture

// WebSocket connection management
class CollaborationServer {
  private io: SocketIO.Server;
  private documents: Map<string, Document>;
  
  handleConnection(socket: Socket) {
    socket.on('join-document', (docId) => {
      const doc = this.documents.get(docId);
      socket.join(docId);
      
      // Send current document state
      socket.emit('document-state', doc.getState());
      
      // Broadcast changes to all participants
      socket.on('operation', (op) => {
        doc.applyOperation(op);
        socket.to(docId).emit('operation', op);
      });
    });
  }
}

WebRTC Implementation

// Peer connection setup
async function setupPeerConnection(remoteUserId) {
  const pc = new RTCPeerConnection(config);
  
  // Add local stream
  localStream.getTracks().forEach(track => {
    pc.addTrack(track, localStream);
  });
  
  // Handle incoming stream
  pc.ontrack = (event) => {
    remoteVideo.srcObject = event.streams[0];
  };
  
  return pc;
}

Database Schema

Optimized PostgreSQL schema for:

• User management and permissions
• Document storage and versioning
• Real-time presence tracking
• Activity logs

Performance Optimizations

1. Connection Pooling

• Reuse WebSocket connections
• Implement connection timeouts
• Handle reconnection gracefully

2. Data Compression

• GZIP compression for text documents
• Video stream optimization
• Delta encoding for document updates

3. Caching Strategy

• Redis for session management
• CDN for static assets
• Browser caching for repeated requests

Security Features

• End-to-end Encryption: For sensitive documents
• Role-based Access Control: Granular permissions
• Audit Logs: Complete activity tracking
• 2FA Authentication: Optional two-factor auth

Scalability

Horizontal Scaling

• Load balancer distributes traffic
• Multiple WebSocket servers
• Shared state via Redis

Vertical Scaling

• Optimized database queries
• Efficient memory management
• Connection pooling

User Experience

Responsive Design

• Works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile
• Adaptive UI based on screen size
• Touch-friendly controls

Accessibility

• WCAG 2.1 AA compliant
• Keyboard navigation support
• Screen reader compatible

Challenges Overcome

1. Conflict Resolution

Challenge: Handling simultaneous edits Solution: Implemented OT algorithm with conflict-free replicated data types (CRDTs)

2. Network Latency

Challenge: Poor experience on slow connections Solution: Optimistic UI updates + rollback mechanism

3. Scalability

Challenge: Supporting 1000+ concurrent users Solution: Microservices architecture + load balancing

Impact & Metrics

• 5000+ active users in first 3 months
• 99.9% uptime achieved
• <200ms latency for document updates
• 4.8/5 star rating from users

Tech Stack Details

Frontend:

• Next.js 14 with App Router
• React with TypeScript
• Tailwind CSS for styling
• Zustand for state management

Backend:

• Node.js with Express
• Socket.io for WebSocket
• PostgreSQL database
• Redis for caching

Infrastructure:

• Docker containers
• AWS EC2 for hosting
• CloudFront CDN
• GitHub Actions for CI/CD

Future Roadmap

• Mobile applications (iOS & Android)
• AI-powered meeting summaries
• Advanced analytics dashboard
• Third-party integrations (Slack, Teams)
• Offline mode support

Lessons Learned

1. Real-time is hard: Dealing with network issues, latency, and concurrency requires careful planning
2. User feedback is gold: Early beta testing revealed critical UX issues
3. Start small, iterate: MVP first, then add features based on usage patterns
4. Performance matters: Users notice even small delays in real-time apps

Try It Yourself

Check out the live demo or explore the source code on GitHub!