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Operational Transform

SDD Classification: L3-Technical Authority: Engineering Team Review Cycle: Quarterly
This document details Relay’s Operational Transform (OT) implementation for conflict-free concurrent document editing, including transformation algorithms, vector clock management, and conflict resolution strategies.

OT Architecture Overview


Operation Types

Core Operations

Operation Structure

Composite Operations

Multiple operations can be composed into a single transaction:

Transformation Rules

Insert vs Insert

When two users insert at the same position: Algorithm:

Insert vs Delete

Delete vs Delete


Vector Clock Management

Vector Clock Structure

Causal Ordering


OT Engine Implementation

Core Engine

Transform Function


Undo/Redo Support

Operation Inversion

Undo Stack Management


Performance Optimization

Batching Operations

Operation Compression


Conflict Resolution Strategies

Deterministic Ordering

For truly concurrent operations at the same position:

Formatting Conflicts

When multiple users apply different formatting to the same region:

Error Handling

OT Errors


Testing OT Correctness

Convergence Test



Document Status: Complete Version: 2.0