---
title: "Instant sync & collaboration permission overview | Nutrient"
canonical_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web/collaboration-permissions/introduction-to-collaboration-permissions/"
md_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web/collaboration-permissions/introduction-to-collaboration-permissions.md"
last_updated: "2026-06-08T09:14:14.465Z"
description: "Discover how collaboration permissions enhance document security by managing user actions like viewing, editing, and replying to comments efficiently."
---

# Defining document collaboration permissions

Instant sync and collaboration is available when using [Web SDK](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web.md) with [Document Engine](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/document-engine.md). For more information, refer to the [operational mode](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web/about/operational-modes.md) guide.








Collaboration Permissions is a feature that gives you a fine-grained permission system for defining actions allowed by individual users when multiple users are working on the same document.

Collaboration permissions allow a user to:

- View an annotation, comment, or form field

- Edit an annotation, comment, or form field

- Delete an annotation, comment, or form field

- Fill out a form

- Reply to a comment thread

These permissions are based on the configuration present in the [JSON Web Token](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web/viewer/client-authentication.md) (JWT). Since these permissions can’t be modified on the client side, they’re more secure than the previously existing client-side restrictions.

See the permissions syntax in the [set permissions](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web/collaboration-permissions/defining-permissions.md) guide.

Collaboration Permissions doesn’t handle the creation of annotations, comments, or form fields. Such permissions are granted by specifying the `write` permission in the `permissions` array in the JWT.

Permissions are available for any server-backed (Web SDK + Document Engine) installation with [Instant](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web/instant-synchronization.md) enabled in the license.

If Collaboration Permissions is enabled, by default, the user isn’t allowed to perform any of the actions unless specified.
---

## Related pages

- [Content ownership in Nutrient Instant](/guides/web/instant-synchronization/permissions/content-ownership.md)
- [Example: Understanding Collaboration Permissions](/guides/web/collaboration-permissions/landlord-tenant-example.md)
- [Editing user permissions](/guides/web/collaboration-permissions/changing-permissions.md)
- [Setting user collaboration permissions](/guides/web/collaboration-permissions/defining-permissions.md)