Real-time syncing for multiuser document collaboration

Synchronize annotations, comments, and edits instantly across users, devices, and platforms — all in a secure, self-hosted environment. Powered by Document Engine for fast, reliable state management and conflict resolution.


Collaborate in real time

Sync annotations, comments, and form fills instantly across participants and devices so all changes are reflected immediately.

Eliminate merge headaches

Use built-in diffing and conflict resolution to prevent concurrent edits from overwriting each other.

Control the experience

Run on your own infrastructure or a managed environment, integrate with your authentication, and define granular document access.

Enable work anywhere

Deliver a consistent collaboration workflow across Web, iOS, Android, and desktop.


HOW IT WORKS

From open document to synchronized workspace

Instant turns any document into a live, multiuser workspace with server-backed updates and version tracking.

KEY FEATURES

Real-time, server-backed document collaboration

Instant lets you synchronize annotations, comments, and form fills across users and devices — all powered by Document Engine — for speed, security, and full control.

Illustration of multiple people collaborating on a document by adding annotations
Cross-platform syncing

Keep Web, iOS, Android, and desktop clients perfectly aligned — no extra code paths required.


Conflict-free editing

Built-in diffing and merge logic prevent overwrites when multiple users make changes.


Granular access control

Set per-user permissions for viewing, editing, or commenting, down to individual annotations.


Layer-based workflows

Separate edits into layers for private notes, team reviews, or staged approvals.


Self-hosted security

Deploy with Document Engine to retain full ownership of data and authentication.


Offline resilience

Queue updates when offline, and sync them automatically on reconnection.


Supported on your platform



Run it your way

Whether you’re building for web, mobile, or the backend, Nutrient gives you full flexibility — all with a consistent developer experience.

Client-side SDKs

Use the web, mobile, and cross-platform SDKs to embed document capabilities directly into your app — fully client-side, no backend required


Server-backed control

Use Document Engine for server-backed processing, data control, and deep infrastructure integration


Cloud-hosted scale

Use Document Web Services (DWS) for instant scale, with cloud-hosted APIs for viewing, annotating, converting, and more


WEB PLAYGROUND

Looking for the code? Come play in our sandbox



REAL-WORLD IMPACT

Built for scale. Trusted in production.

Nutrient powers mission-critical document workflows for global enterprises — from compliance-heavy industries to modern SaaS teams.


Streamlined construction project collaboration with in-app markup and PDF tools — helping teams coordinate more effectively from jobsite to back office.


Renders multipage PDFs and signature tags with Nutrient, keeping 200 million users in 188 countries moving at the speed of eSignature.


Empowers 34,000 pilots to view, annotate, and sign 90-page flight releases on iPad using Nutrient iOS SDK, saving minutes — and money — on every flight.

FREE TRIAL

Add collaboration to your app — no credit card required

Frequently asked questions

What is Nutrient’s Instant component?

Instant is a real-time collaboration layer for Nutrient SDKs, enabling multiple users to view, annotate, and comment on the same document simultaneously. It’s powered by Document Engine for secure, self-hosted synchronization.

Do I need Document Engine to use Instant?

Yes. Document Engine provides the backend that syncs updates between clients, handles conflict resolution, and stores document state.

Can I control who can see or edit specific content?

Yes. With Collaboration Permissions, you can define per-user access to annotations, comments, and form fields.

How does Instant handle concurrent edits?

It uses layer-based versioning and conflict-free diffing so that no changes are lost when multiple users edit at the same time.

Does Instant work across platforms?

Yes. The same APIs power collaboration on Web, iOS, Android, and desktop — with a consistent user experience.

Can Instant be used for offline workflows?

While Instant is designed for live connectivity, it can queue changes and sync them when a device comes back online.


Power real-time collaboration into your documents

Need to let multiple users view, edit, and annotate the same document at once? Nutrient Instant Collaboration turns static PDFs into synchronized workspaces — with changes appearing in real time across devices. Built on Document Engine, it handles state management, diffing, conflict resolution, and secure permissions, so you can focus on your app’s features.

Key capabilities include:
  • Real-time syncing of annotations, comments, and form fills
  • Layer-based workflows for private or shared edits
  • Conflict-free editing with automatic diffing and merging
  • Cross-platform APIs for Web, iOS, Android, and desktop
  • Per-user permissions for granular access control
  • Offline update queuing and automatic reconciliation
Built for use cases like:
  • Legal teams co-editing and reviewing contracts
  • Engineers marking up technical drawings in real time
  • Educators collaborating with students on shared documents
  • Field teams capturing and annotating data onsite with instant updates
  • Distributed design teams reviewing prototypes together
Nutrient Instant helps developers answer high-intent questions like:
  • How do I enable real-time PDF editing in my app?
  • What’s the best way to sync annotations and comments across devices?
  • How can I prevent merge conflicts when multiple users edit the same file?
  • Can I give different users different access rights in a shared document?
  • How do I add live collaboration to PDFs without relying on third-party SaaS?

Add production-grade document collaboration to your application with just one SDK — and keep every participant perfectly in sync.