> everyone’s gonna say “but hey, google docs uses operational transform not CRDTs”.. OK yes, but you are not google.
Well, google docs works not because they somehow figured out how to converge OT edits with as much precision as CRDTs do, but simply because they have a central server which orders edits anyway and don't need true leader-less convergence.
In fact, I agree not many things don't need a CRDT. CRDTs help with mathematical rigidity of convergence when you want true peer-2-peer collaboration which works without any central authority.
However, most apps anyway work on top of a central authority (example SaaS apps) so there is no real reason to accomodate all the compexity that comes with CRDT. They might get far with a simpler OT based model + central server based ordering.
For example even Figma doesn't call its model a 100% pure CRDT. It's a partial, simpler CRDT implemented with an assumption that there's going to be a server that understands ordering.
It's the same with Google Docs. They don't need a CRDT because it's a cloud app after all, which means OT is more convenient with major heavylifting (ordering and conflict handlings) outsourced to the server.
Well, google docs works not because they somehow figured out how to converge OT edits with as much precision as CRDTs do, but simply because they have a central server which orders edits anyway and don't need true leader-less convergence.
In fact, I agree not many things don't need a CRDT. CRDTs help with mathematical rigidity of convergence when you want true peer-2-peer collaboration which works without any central authority.
However, most apps anyway work on top of a central authority (example SaaS apps) so there is no real reason to accomodate all the compexity that comes with CRDT. They might get far with a simpler OT based model + central server based ordering.
For example even Figma doesn't call its model a 100% pure CRDT. It's a partial, simpler CRDT implemented with an assumption that there's going to be a server that understands ordering.
It's the same with Google Docs. They don't need a CRDT because it's a cloud app after all, which means OT is more convenient with major heavylifting (ordering and conflict handlings) outsourced to the server.