# Ethersync Real-time Collaboration in Your Text Editor > [! note]- > The content of this page is generated by audio/video transcription and text transformation from the content and links of this source. Source: [https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-4890-ethersync-real-time-collaboration-in-your-text-editor-/](https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-4890-ethersync-real-time-collaboration-in-your-text-editor-/) <video src="https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1308/fosdem-2025-4890-ethersync-real-time-collaboration-in-your-text-editor-.av1.webm" controls></video> ## Summary & Highlights: **Introduction to Ethersync** Ethersync is a groundbreaking open-source software designed to facilitate real-time collaboration directly in your text editor. It aims to offer a similar experience to Etherpad but extends its functionality to entire projects on the local file system. This session introduces the Ethersync project, explaining its vision, technical implementation, and the challenges faced during development. **Challenges and Solutions** The key challenge of existing collaborative tools like Etherpad is their dependency on an internet connection, making offline work impossible. Ethersync addresses this by adopting a 'local-first' approach, where data remains on the user's hard drive, allowing for offline access and control. The software uses Conflict-Free Replicating Data Types (CRDTs) and Operational Transform to manage real-time editing and synchronization. **Technical Implementation** Ethersync is built with a peer-to-peer architecture, eliminating the need for a central server. The daemon, written in Rust, connects via libp2p, a library enabling encrypted private networks. Plugins for Neovim and VS Code are available, with more in development, making the tool editor-agnostic and highly versatile. **Opportunities for Contribution** The session encourages developers to contribute by creating plugins for additional editors or improving the synchronization protocol. The project is still in development, with opportunities for community members to help refine and standardize its features, ensuring broader interoperability with other collaborative tools. **Conclusion and Call to Action** Participants are urged to try Ethersync and provide feedback, helping shape its development. The session concludes by inspiring attendees to challenge the status quo of collaborative work, envisioning a future where seamless, offline-enabled collaboration is the norm. ## Importance for an eco-social transformation Ethersync holds significant potential for eco-social transformation by promoting decentralized and community-driven collaboration. Its local-first approach reduces reliance on centralized servers, which can lead to energy savings and increased data privacy. Eco-social designers can leverage Ethersync to collaborate on projects without an internet connection, making it ideal for areas with limited connectivity. However, challenges remain in achieving widespread adoption, such as developing more plugins for various editors and improving the ease of cross-network connections. Addressing these challenges requires community engagement and innovative solutions to ensure the tool's accessibility and usability across diverse environments. ## Slides: | | | | --- | --- | | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_001.jpg\|300]] | The first slide introduces Ethersync, highlighting its core feature of enabling real-time collaboration directly within text editors. The session is presented by blinry at FOSDEM 2025, setting the stage for an exploration of this innovative tool. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_002.jpg\|300]] | The second slide likely continues the introduction or provides additional context about Ethersync and its relevance to the audience. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_003.jpg\|300]] | The third slide is expected to delve deeper into the problem Ethersync addresses, possibly contrasting it with existing solutions like Etherpad or LiveShare. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_004.jpg\|300]] | This slide emphasizes Ethersync's unique position as an editor-agnostic, open-source tool and protocol designed for collaborative editing of local files, highlighting its versatility and accessibility. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_005.jpg\|300]] | Slide five introduces the key contributors to the Ethersync project, blinry and Moritz, who have developed the tool with funding support, showcasing the collaborative effort behind its creation. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_006.jpg\|300]] | The sixth slide explains how to establish a connection using Ethersync, detailing the process for synchronizing directories between users, thus enabling real-time collaboration. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_007.jpg\|300]] | This slide focuses on the real-time collaboration capabilities of Ethersync, illustrating how users can work together seamlessly within their text editors. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_008.jpg\|300]] | The eighth slide likely contains a visual demonstration or a brief video clip showcasing Ethersync's real-time editing features in action. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_009.jpg\|300]] | Slide nine highlights the ability to see other users' cursors during collaboration, enhancing the interactive and cooperative experience provided by Ethersync. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_010.jpg\|300]] | Similar to slide eight, this slide may include another visual or video element, further demonstrating Ethersync's capabilities. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_011.jpg\|300]] | This slide introduces the existing plugins for Neovim and VS Code, emphasizing Ethersync's compatibility with popular text editors and its potential for expansion. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_012.jpg\|300]] | Slide twelve could provide additional technical details or user testimonials, reinforcing the practical benefits of Ethersync. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_013.jpg\|300]] | The thirteenth slide discusses Ethersync's ability to synchronize entire projects, not just individual files, showcasing its comprehensive approach to collaboration. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_014.jpg\|300]] | This slide highlights the integration of external tools within Ethersync's workflow, allowing users to maintain their existing processes while collaborating. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_015.jpg\|300]] | Slide fifteen likely contains another visual or demonstration, emphasizing Ethersync's seamless integration with external tools. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_016.jpg\|300]] | This slide underlines the 'local-first' approach of Ethersync, ensuring users have full access to their content even when offline, a critical feature for sustainable collaboration. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_017.jpg\|300]] | Slide seventeen may provide further insights into the benefits of Ethersync's offline capabilities, reinforcing its value proposition. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_018.jpg\|300]] | This slide explains the peer-to-peer connection model used by Ethersync, highlighting its decentralized nature and the security benefits of not relying on central servers. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_019.jpg\|300]] | The nineteenth slide provides a detailed overview of how Ethersync operates, likely including diagrams or technical specifications to illustrate its architecture. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_020.jpg\|300]] | Slide twenty directs users to Ethersync's GitHub repository, encouraging exploration of the source code and further community involvement. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_021.jpg\|300]] | This slide may offer additional resources or links for attendees to learn more about Ethersync and its development. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_022.jpg\|300]] | Slide twenty-two details the technical connections between Ethersync daemons, utilizing libp2p's private network feature and the Automerge sync protocol for secure data exchange. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_023.jpg\|300]] | This slide describes the interaction between Ethersync daemons and editors, focusing on the JSON-RPC connection and the simplified syncing protocol inspired by the Language Server Protocol (LSP). | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_024.jpg\|300]] | Slide twenty-four could offer further technical insights or examples, aiding developers in understanding Ethersync's implementation. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_025.jpg\|300]] | The twenty-fifth slide clarifies what Ethersync is not, such as a replacement for Git or a system for rich-text editing, managing expectations about its current capabilities. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_026.jpg\|300]] | This slide addresses an open question regarding cross-network connections, discussing current limitations and potential solutions like magic-wormhole-style connections. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_027.jpg\|300]] | Slide twenty-seven outlines ways to get involved with Ethersync, encouraging community contributions to enhance the tool's functionality and reach. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_028.jpg\|300]] | This slide invites developers to write their own editor plugins, expanding Ethersync's compatibility and usability across different platforms. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_029.jpg\|300]] | Slide twenty-nine provides a status update on existing plugins, recognizing contributors and highlighting ongoing development efforts. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_030.jpg\|300]] | This slide continues the discussion on plugin development, showcasing additional editors and contributors involved in expanding Ethersync's reach. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_031.jpg\|300]] | Slide thirty-one further encourages community involvement in plugin development, inviting new contributors to join the effort. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_032.jpg\|300]] | This slide reiterates the call to action for plugin development, emphasizing the potential for innovation and collaboration within the community. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_033.jpg\|300]] | Slide thirty-three invites participation in improving the editor sync protocol, appealing to those with LSP experience to help refine and standardize it for broader use. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_034.jpg\|300]] | This slide encourages users to try Ethersync and provide feedback, highlighting the importance of community input in shaping the tool's future. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_035.jpg\|300]] | Slide thirty-five aims to inspire attendees to desire better collaborative solutions, challenging the status quo and envisioning a future with seamless real-time collaboration. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_036.jpg\|300]] | This slide provides links to Ethersync's online presence, including its website, Mastodon account, and GitHub repository, facilitating further exploration and engagement. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_037.jpg\|300]] | Slide thirty-seven likely contains bonus content or additional insights not covered in the main presentation, offering further value to attendees. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_038.jpg\|300]] | This slide discusses the process of sending edits between processes, highlighting Ethersync's technical approach to real-time collaboration. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_039.jpg\|300]] | Slide thirty-nine includes a reference to an external resource, possibly providing additional context or technical information. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_040.jpg\|300]] | This slide presents Operational Transformation as a solution for handling edits, linking to a relevant Wikipedia page for further reading. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_041.jpg\|300]] | Slide forty-one explains how to communicate with the Ethersync client using JSON-RPC, providing an example of opening a file. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_042.jpg\|300]] | This slide might offer additional technical details or examples related to Ethersync's implementation. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_043.jpg\|300]] | Slide forty-three describes the 'open' and 'close' message sequence between the editor and daemon, using a sequence diagram to illustrate the process. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_044.jpg\|300]] | This slide details the 'edit' message structure, showcasing how changes are communicated between the editor and daemon. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_045.jpg\|300]] | Slide forty-five provides a sequence diagram for note editing, illustrating the interaction between the daemon and editor during real-time collaboration. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_046.jpg\|300]] | This slide explains how 'cursor' messages are sent from the editor, describing the structure and purpose of these messages in the collaboration process. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Ethersync-Realtime-Collaboration-in-Your-Text-Edit/preview_047.jpg\|300]] | Slide forty-seven continues the discussion on 'cursor' messages, detailing how they are communicated from the daemon and identifying users involved in the collaboration. ## Links [Slides (PDF)](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-4890-ethersync-real-time-collaboration-in-your-text-editor-/slides/237972/ethersync_e3Ip0mj.pdf) [Source code](https://github.com/ethersync/ethersync) [Documentation](https://ethersync.github.io) [Mastodon account](https://fosstodon.org/@ethersync) [Video recording (AV1/WebM)](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1308/fosdem-2025-4890-ethersync-real-time-collaboration-in-your-text-editor-.av1.webm) [Video recording (MP4)](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1308/fosdem-2025-4890-ethersync-real-time-collaboration-in-your-text-editor-.av1.mp4) [Video recording subtitle file (VTT)](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1308/fosdem-2025-4890-ethersync-real-time-collaboration-in-your-text-editor-.vtt) [Chat room(web)](https://fosdem.org/2025/chat/h1308) [Chat room(app)](https://fosdem.org/2025/chat/app/h1308)