etherpad-lite/doc/api/changeset_library.md
Richard Hansen 4a8c72a38c Changeset: Minimize changeset docs, add links to code
This reduces the amount of duplicate documentation, and helps keep the
documentation and code in sync.
2021-10-24 21:29:42 -04:00

44 lines
1.5 KiB
Markdown
Raw Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

# Changeset Library
The [changeset
library](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/blob/develop/src/static/js/Changeset.js)
provides tools to create, read, and apply changesets.
## Changeset
```javascript
const Changeset = require('ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/Changeset');
```
A changeset describes the difference between two revisions of a document. When a
user edits a pad, the browser generates and sends a changeset to the server,
which relays it to the other users and saves a copy (so that every past revision
is accessible).
A transmitted changeset looks like this:
```
'Z:z>1|2=m=b*0|1+1$\n'
```
## Attribute Pool
```javascript
const AttributePool = require('ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/AttributePool');
```
Changesets do not include any attribute keyvalue pairs. Instead, they use
numeric identifiers that reference attributes kept in an [attribute
pool](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/blob/develop/src/static/js/AttributePool.js).
This attribute interning reduces the transmission overhead of attributes that
are used many times.
There is one attribute pool per pad, and it includes every current and
historical attribute used in the pad.
## Further Reading
Detailed information about the changesets & Easysync protocol:
* [Easysync Protocol](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/blob/develop/doc/easysync/easysync-notes.pdf)
* [Etherpad and EasySync Technical Manual](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/blob/develop/doc/easysync/easysync-full-description.pdf)