Real-Time Collaboration Editor
Build a Google Docs-style collaborative text editor with CRDTs, rich text, and live cursors.
$3,000 + Badge
Apr 16, 2026
Overview
Collaborative editing is one of the hardest problems in distributed systems. We want you to build a real-time collaborative text editor that multiple users can edit simultaneously — think Google Docs, but open source and self-hostable. This challenge tests your understanding of conflict-free replicated data types (CRDTs), WebSocket communication, rich text editing, and presence awareness. The winning submission will demonstrate mastery of distributed systems fundamentals. **What we're looking for:** - Rich text editing (bold, italic, headings, lists, code blocks) - Real-time collaboration with < 100ms perceived latency - Live cursor and selection indicators for each collaborator - Offline support with automatic sync on reconnection - Clean, well-documented architecture
Evaluation Criteria
Technical Implementation
/40Quality of code, architecture, use of AI/ML techniques
Problem Understanding
/20How well the submission addresses the stated problem
Innovation
/20Creative use of AI, novel approach, differentiated solution
Documentation & Clarity
/10README quality, pitch clarity, demo explanation
Completeness
/10End-to-end functionality, working demo
Sign up to unlock the full challenge
Get the problem statement, starter files, and submission instructions.