Collaboration
Edit designs together in real time. Peers connect directly — no server relays your data, no account required.
Sharing a Room
- Click the share button in the top-right corner
- Copy the generated link (
app.openpencil.dev/share/<room-id>) - Send it to your collaborators
Anyone with the link can join. The room stays active as long as at least one participant has the page open.
What Syncs
- Document changes — every edit (shapes, text, properties, layout) syncs instantly
- Cursors — see where each collaborator is pointing, with their name and color
- Selections — highlighted selections are visible to everyone
Follow Mode
Click a collaborator's avatar in the top bar to follow their viewport. Your canvas pans and zooms to match their view. Click again to stop following.
How It Works
Peers connect directly via WebRTC — your design data goes straight from browser to browser, never through a central server. The document state uses a CRDT (conflict-free replicated data type), so concurrent edits merge automatically without conflicts.
The room persists locally — if you refresh the page, you rejoin with the same state.
Tips
- Works in the browser and the desktop app
- Room IDs are cryptographically random — only people with the link can join
- Stale cursors are cleaned up automatically when someone disconnects