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Overview

Glass provides built-in multiplayer collaboration capabilities, allowing teams to work together in real-time on the same codebase. The collaboration system is built on a robust client-server architecture with conflict-free editing and awareness features.

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User System

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User Representation

// From crates/client/src/user.rs
pub struct User {
    pub id: UserId,
    pub github_login: SharedString,
    pub avatar_uri: SharedUri,
    pub name: Option<String>,
}
Each user in a collaboration session is identified by:
  • User ID: Unique identifier for the user
  • GitHub Login: GitHub username for authentication
  • Avatar: Profile picture URI
  • Display Name: Optional friendly name

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Collaborator Information

pub struct Collaborator {
    pub peer_id: proto::PeerId,
    pub replica_id: ReplicaId,
    pub user_id: UserId,
    pub is_host: bool,
    pub committer_name: Option<String>,
    pub committer_email: Option<String>,
}
Active collaborators have additional metadata:

Network Identity

  • Peer ID for network communication
  • Replica ID for conflict-free editing

Git Integration

  • Committer name and email
  • Host status for session ownership

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Contact Management

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Contact System

Manage your professional network within Glass: 
pub struct Contact {
    pub user: Arc<User>,
    pub online: bool,
    pub busy: bool,
}

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Contact Request Flow

1

Send Request

Send a contact request to another Glass user
2

Request Status

Track request status: None, RequestSent, RequestReceived, or RequestAccepted
3

Accept or Decline

Recipient can accept or decline the contact request
4

Collaboration Ready

Once accepted, users can collaborate and see each other’s online status

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Contact Events

pub enum ContactEventKind {
    Requested,
    Accepted,
    Cancelled,
}
The system emits events for:
  • New contact requests
  • Accepted contact requests
  • Cancelled requests

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Real-Time Collaboration

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Participant Tracking

The UserStore maintains:
  • All users by ID and GitHub login
  • Participant indices for each user
  • Online/offline status
  • Busy status indicators

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Cursor and Selection Sharing

See collaborators’ cursors and selections in real-time:
  • Each collaborator has a unique color
  • Cursor positions update as collaborators type
  • Selection ranges are highlighted
  • Collaborator names appear next to cursors
Collaborator cursor display can be controlled with the DisplayCursorNames action in the editor.

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Project Sharing

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Project Collaboration

pub struct ProjectId(pub u64);

pub struct ParticipantIndex(pub u32);
Share entire projects with collaborators:
  • Host Controls: Project host manages permissions
  • Participant Indices: Unique index for each participant
  • Project Synchronization: Files and changes sync automatically

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Shared Editing

The collaboration system provides:
  • Conflict-Free Editing: Operational transformation ensures edits don’t conflict
  • Replica IDs: Each editor instance has a unique replica ID for tracking changes
  • Automatic Merging: Changes from multiple users merge seamlessly

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Network Architecture

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Client-Server Communication

Glass uses a client-server architecture:

Client

  • Manages local editor state
  • Sends operations to server
  • Receives and applies remote operations
  • Handles presence updates

Server

  • Routes operations between clients
  • Maintains authoritative state
  • Manages user authentication
  • Tracks active sessions

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Protocol

Communication uses the proto protocol: 
// Network peer identification
pub peer_id: proto::PeerId,

// User data requests
rpc::proto::UsersResponse

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User Management

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User Store Events

pub enum Event {
    Contact {
        user: Arc<User>,
        kind: ContactEventKind,
    },
    ShowContacts,
    ParticipantIndicesChanged,
    PrivateUserInfoUpdated,
    PlanUpdated,
}
The user store emits events for:
  • Contact-related changes
  • Participant changes in active sessions
  • User profile updates
  • Subscription plan changes

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Organization Support

pub current_organization: Option<Arc<Organization>>,
pub organizations: Vec<Arc<Organization>>,
pub plans_by_organization: HashMap<OrganizationId, Plan>,
Support for team organizations:
  • Organization membership tracking
  • Organization-specific plans
  • Team-wide collaboration features

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Privacy and Permissions

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Access Control

Only users you’ve accepted as contacts can see your online status and request to join your projects.
Privacy features:
  • Contact-Based: Only contacts can collaborate
  • Invitation System: Explicit invitations required for project access
  • Host Controls: Project host can remove participants

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Status Management

Control your availability:
  • Online Status: Automatically tracked when app is active
  • Busy Status: Set busy to indicate focus time
  • Offline Mode: Work without broadcasting presence

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Best Practices

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Effective Collaboration

1

Add Contacts

Build your network by adding trusted collaborators as contacts
2

Share Projects

Share projects with specific collaborators when you need real-time help
3

Communicate

Use cursor positions and selections to show what you’re working on
4

Manage Presence

Set busy status when you need focused time without interruptions

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Performance Considerations

  • Collaboration works best with stable internet connections
  • Large files may have slight latency in synchronization
  • The system automatically handles network interruptions and reconnections
For the best collaboration experience, ensure all participants are using recent versions of Glass.

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Integration with Features

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Collaborative Editing

Collaboration integrates with core editor features:
  • Multi-Cursor Awareness: See all collaborators’ cursors
  • Selection Sharing: View what others have selected
  • Git Integration: Committer information tracked per user
  • Language Server: Shared diagnostics and code actions

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Future Enhancements

The collaboration system is designed to support:
  • Voice and video integration
  • Shared terminal sessions
  • Collaborative debugging
  • Team-wide extension sharing

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