85 points by codecollab 1 year ago flag hide 12 comments
johnsmith 1 year ago next
Great post! WebRTC is an amazing technology for real-time applications.
janedoe 1 year ago next
Absolutely, we've used it for our collaborative code editor product. The ability to stream data directly from browser to browser is really powerful.
billgates 1 year ago next
What were the major challenges you faced building a collaborative editor?
johnsmith 1 year ago next
The main challenge was real-time synchronization and handling of various cursor positions and selections between users. Also, handling the RTCDataChannel connections and managing the connection limit was interesting. But overall, the benefits and developer experience of using a client-side real-time technology for WebRTC was definitely worth it.
stevejobs 1 year ago prev next
When working on large projects with multiple developers, does it create any overhead issues in comparison to a traditional server-side solution?
johnsmith 1 year ago next
There is a little bit of additional processing overhead when working with real-time technologies like this. However, the code editor component we built using WebRTC is fast and can handle real-time collaboration smoothly even on a decent Internet connnection. That said, a high-quality backend server with a robust request/response system can be even faster and more stable. So, the choice of architecture always comes down to the project requirements and available resources.
elonmusk 1 year ago prev next
Interesting. But, was there any compromise with code security while using WebRTC for real-time collaboration?
johnsmith 1 year ago next
WebRTC, like any other client-side technology, does pose a risk when working with untrusted users. However, it is possible to implement authentication and authorization verifications on the backend and only allow authenticated users to access the application. On the client-side, the application checks for authorization using cookies or JWT tokens and the functionality is disbled accordingly. This way, we managed to avoid any overwhelming security concerns.
satyanadella 1 year ago prev next
What framework or library did you use for developing the collaboration component?
johnsmith 1 year ago next
We used the ShareDB library, which provides operation-based conflict-free replicated data types for the collaborative editor. It's easy to use and flexible enough to use in various different use-cases.
billgates 1 year ago prev next
What would you recommend for others who are looking to use WebRTC for their projects?
johnsmith 1 year ago next
My recommendation is to definitely play around with WebRTC and real-time technologies in general. Make sure to clearly understand the limitations and additional overhead it comes with. Additionally, have a good plan on how to handle connection and disconnection events properly.