Almost every time I see CRDTs mentioned it’s used as a magic device that makes conflicts disappear. The details, of course, are not mentioned.
Technically an algorithm that lets the last writer win is a CRDT because there is no conflict.
Making a true system that automatically merges data while respecting user intent and expectations can be an extremely hard problem for anything complex like text.
Another problem is that in some situations using a CRDT to make the conflict disappear isn’t even the right approach. If two users schedule a meeting for the same open meeting room, you can’t avoid issues with an algorithm. You need to let them know about the conflict so they can resolve the issue.
Technically an algorithm that lets the last writer win is a CRDT because there is no conflict.
Making a true system that automatically merges data while respecting user intent and expectations can be an extremely hard problem for anything complex like text.
Another problem is that in some situations using a CRDT to make the conflict disappear isn’t even the right approach. If two users schedule a meeting for the same open meeting room, you can’t avoid issues with an algorithm. You need to let them know about the conflict so they can resolve the issue.