I have a document sharing feature in my application where users can collaborate on files. When one person makes changes to a shared document, I want all other collaborators to receive instant push notifications about these updates, similar to how Google Docs notifies users of real-time changes.
I’m wondering if I can achieve this functionality using C2DM (Cloud to Device Messaging) or if there are better alternatives. What would be the best approach to implement this type of real-time notification system? Are there any specific APIs or services that work well for document collaboration notifications?
Any guidance on the technical implementation would be really helpful.
fcm’s the way to go like others said. just don’t forget rate limiting on your backend - i screwed that up once and users got bombarded with notifications. also store the notification payload in your database so users can see what changed when they’re back online.
I’ve built a collaborative editing platform and ran into this same issue. FCM alone won’t cut it - you need a proper event-driven backend architecture. I used Redis pub/sub for real-time document changes, then triggered push notifications based on user preferences and whether they’re active. Don’t notify users for every keystroke - that’s annoying. Separate minor edits from significant changes. I built a batching system that waits for editing to pause before sending notifications. Made a huge difference in user experience. And don’t forget offline scenarios - queue notifications and deliver them when users reconnect.
C2DM’s been deprecated for a long time; I recommend transitioning to Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). I implemented a similar notification feature for a project management app recently, and FCM proved effective for notifying users of document updates. By configuring webhooks to trigger FCM messages on document changes, you can ensure that all collaborators are notified. However, it’s crucial to handle notifications carefully—implementing a debounce mechanism that consolidates notifications rather than sending them for every minor edit can prevent overwhelming users. Additionally, consider integrating WebSocket connections for real-time updates when users are actively collaborating.