When is CRDT-based collaboration the wrong choice?
CRDTs add complexity and memory overhead. For purely server-side, single-writer workflows (a spreadsheet with one editor at a time), the cost isn't justified. Also, CRDTs struggle with operations that aren't naturally commutative—like 'set this field to X' without context—requiring careful operation design.
Answered in
CRDTs: Conflict-Free Collaboration at 60fpsEvery user edits a local replica; operations merge automatically into an identical state regardless of arrival order, with no central locking.
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