Etherpad Review

Achieve True And Real-Time Collaborative Editing

Real-time collaboration is the most important benefit that users can get with Etherpad. Built on an architecture where they can create and edit documents live; the tool allows students, writers, and professionals to work on the same documents simultaneously.

Created Collaborative Documents Or Pads

The real-time collaborative editing capability of Etherpad is made possible by its very powerful feature known as “pad.” A pad is a collaborative document that any user can create online. Once a pad is set up, a URL link is generated which can be shared with the rest of the team. Anyone who has such URL link can access the pad and participate in the activities and discussions within it.

Authorship Colors

Etherpad also utilizes authorship colors. Thus, each participant in the pad has a specific color assigned to him or her. This color-coding feature assists users in recognizing which part of the text document or pad was typed by a particular participant. In other words, the contents or texts within the pad are highlighted based on the authors who wrote them.

Built-In Chat Functionality

The collaborative editing tool has a built-in chat functionality. A chatbox is provided for each pad where team members can communicate with each other and make discussions. Users can invite others to join in the pad and participate in the discussions either by using the invite option which is located above the chatbox or by sharing the unique URL link of the pad.

Version Control

Version control is another awesome feature available in Etherpad. The tool has the capability to automatically save documents at a regular time intervals. However, users can also save any version of the documents any time they want. Because of this, collaborators and team members will be able to easily access the previous versions of their documents and restore them any time.

Powerful Time Slider

Etherpad has a time slider which works seamlessly with its version control feature. This time slider enables participants to keep track of all the things that have happened within a particular pad throughout a period of time. Thus, they will be able to view all the changes, edits, and additions made by the collaborators of the pad. The activities and events in the pad are shown like a video presentation. This feature can be used for training new authors and participants about the writing guidelines or project requirements they should be aware of. In addition, the time slider is very useful for those who have failed to attend the collaborative meetings, helping them catch up with the discussions and events.

Extensive Collection Of Plugins

Being a highly customizable online editor, the application provides users with the capability to configure and enhance its features and capabilities to suit their own specific needs. Through the aid of its tons of plugins; they can shape, develop, and extend Etherpad so that it can perform their tasks better and can function according to their existing workflows and processes.