Real Time Collaboration
Real Time Collaboration (RTC) is a software development concept and set of technologies that enable multiple users to simultaneously edit, view, or interact with shared digital content with minimal latency. It allows changes made by one participant to be immediately visible to others, typically using techniques like operational transformation (OT) or conflict-free replicated data types (CRDTs). This concept is fundamental to collaborative applications like document editors, design tools, and multiplayer games.
Developers should learn Real Time Collaboration when building applications that require multiple users to work together simultaneously, such as collaborative document editing (Google Docs), team design tools (Figma), or live multiplayer experiences. It's essential for reducing coordination overhead in distributed teams and creating engaging, interactive user experiences where immediate feedback and synchronization are critical.