How collaboration works
When you open a project in Typeset:- Connection established - Your browser connects to the Liveblocks room for that project
- Document loaded - The shared document state loads from the Yjs CRDT (Conflict-free Replicated Data Type)
- Real-time sync - Every keystroke syncs to all collaborators within milliseconds
- Conflict resolution - Yjs automatically merges concurrent edits without conflicts
CRDT technology ensures that even when multiple users edit the same section simultaneously, all changes are preserved and merged intelligently.
Seeing other collaborators
Active user indicators
The top navigation bar shows who’s currently working on the document:- Avatar display - Circular avatars represent each active user
- Hover details - Hover over an avatar to see the user’s name
- Online status - Only users currently viewing the document appear
Live cursors
Inside the editor, you’ll see:- Colored cursors - Each collaborator has a unique color for their cursor
- Name labels - User names appear near their cursor position
- Selection highlights - When someone selects text, it’s highlighted in their color
- Real-time movement - Cursors move as others type and navigate
Your own cursor appears in your assigned color to you, but others see it with your name label attached.
Inviting collaborators
Enter email address
Type the email address of the person you want to invite. They must have a Typeset account.
Managing access
The invite dialog shows:- Current collaborators - List of users with access to the project
- Access level - Each user’s permission level (owner or editor)
- Remove access - Option to revoke a user’s access to the project
Only project owners can invite new collaborators and manage access permissions.
Collaboration scenarios
Simultaneous editing
When multiple users edit different parts of the document:- Changes appear instantly for everyone
- No need to save or refresh
- Each user maintains their own cursor position
- Undo/redo works independently for each user
Editing the same section
When users edit nearby or overlapping text:- Yjs merges changes automatically
- Character-level precision prevents data loss
- Both users’ changes are preserved
- The final result reflects all edits
While Yjs prevents data loss, simultaneous edits to the same sentence can produce unexpected results. Coordinate with your team for complex edits.
Reviewing changes together
Collaboration is especially useful when:- Pair writing - One person drafts while another suggests improvements
- Code review - Navigate through the document together, discussing changes
- Teaching - Instructors can demonstrate LaTeX techniques in real-time
- Debugging - Collaboratively fix compilation errors
Awareness features
Liveblocks awareness shows more than just cursors:- Typing indicators - See when others are actively typing
- Active section - Know which part of the document others are viewing
- Connection status - Indicator shows if you’re connected or reconnecting
Offline behavior
If your connection is interrupted:- Local edits continue - Keep working in the editor
- Changes queue - Your edits are saved locally
- Automatic sync - When reconnected, changes sync automatically
- Conflict resolution - Yjs merges your offline changes with others’ work
You’ll see a reconnecting indicator if the connection is lost. Most disconnections resolve in seconds.
Best practices
Communicate
Use external chat (Slack, Discord) to coordinate who’s working on which sections, especially for large documents.
Watch the cursors
Before making major edits, check where other collaborators are working to avoid conflicting changes.
Test compilation frequently
When collaborating, compile the document regularly to catch errors early before they accumulate.
Compilation in collaborative mode
When working with others:- Anyone can compile - All users can trigger PDF compilation
- Shared preview - The PDF preview is not synced; each user sees their own compilation result
- Compile frequently - Regular compilation helps catch issues early in collaborative editing
The PDF preview and compilation errors are local to your session. Other users must compile separately to see the latest PDF.
Privacy and security
- Encrypted in transit - All collaboration data uses secure WebSocket connections
- Access control - Only invited users can view or edit the document
- No public rooms - Projects are private by default
- Owner controls - Project owners can revoke access at any time