Real-time editing & presence

Multiple editors can work in the same room at the same time. Changes sync live — no "check the latest version" emails — and Katalyz prevents two people from editing the same block simultaneously to keep things conflict-free.

Real-time editing

When you open a room (you're in edit mode by default):

• Your changes save automatically — no "Save" button
• Other editors see your changes live as you make them
• Per-block locking — only one editor at a time on a given block (more on this below)

Per-block presence — avatar + "editing" label

Katalyz doesn't show a global "who's here" list in the header. Instead, presence is shown right at the block being edited:

• When someone starts editing a block (a widget, a section title, an action, etc.), their avatar appears just above that block, with an "editing" label next to it.
• While that person is editing, the block is locked for everyone else — other editors can still read it but can't make changes until the editor moves away.
• Once they leave the block, it unlocks and any other editor can take over.

This makes "who's doing what" obvious at a glance and removes the risk of two people overwriting each other on the same widget.

How sync works

Under the hood, Katalyz uses WebSocket-based real-time sync. This requires:

• A stable internet connection
• Not blocking WebSocket traffic (uncommon, but some corporate networks do)

If your connection drops, changes you've already saved are not lost — but you won't be able to edit a locked block remotely until your session reconnects.

What if someone is "editing" but actually walked away?

Locks are released automatically after a short period of inactivity, and when the user closes the tab or session. So a forgotten "editing" status won't keep a block locked forever.

Etiquette

• The lock removes mechanical conflicts, but it's still considerate to work in different sections when collaborating live.
• For overlap-prone work (e.g. rewriting a paragraph together), coordinate via comments or a quick chat — the lock keeps the data safe but doesn't replace alignment.

Performance

Real-time sync is optimized for typical room sizes. Very large rooms (100+ widgets, many concurrent editors) may feel slower — break them into multiple rooms if you hit this.

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Updated on: 18/06/2026