CollabTeX - Collaborative LaTeX Editor | Jaeden Rotondo

Overview

CollabTeX is a cutting-edge peer-to-peer (P2P) collaborative text editor specifically designed for LaTeX document creation. Built with TypeScript and Python, it enables real-time collaboration without the need for a central server, ensuring privacy and efficiency.

Key Features

Real-time P2P Collaboration: Multiple users can edit documents simultaneously using Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs)
LaTeX Compilation: Integrated LaTeX compilation service with live PDF preview
Docker Integration: Isolated build environments using Docker spawn builds
Offline Support: Full functionality even when disconnected, with automatic sync when reconnected
Version Control: Built-in document history and version tracking

Technical Stack

Frontend

SvelteKit: Modern, reactive UI framework
TypeScript: Type-safe development
IndexedDB: Client-side storage for offline functionality

Backend

Python: LaTeX compilation service
SQLite: Lightweight database for document metadata
Docker: Containerized build environments

Core Technologies

CRDTs: For conflict-free collaborative editing
WebRTC: P2P connection establishment
WebSockets: Real-time communication fallback

Architecture Highlights

The application uses a decentralized architecture where:

Each client maintains a local copy of the document
Changes are propagated through P2P connections using CRDTs
LaTeX compilation happens in isolated Docker containers
PDF preview is generated and streamed to all connected clients

This architecture ensures data privacy, reduces server costs, and provides excellent performance even with multiple concurrent users.