Etherpad

beginner

Real-time collaborative document editor.

Overview

Etherpad is an open-source, web-based collaborative document editor that enables multiple users to work on documents simultaneously in real-time. Originally developed by the Etherpad team and later open-sourced, it provides a lightweight alternative to commercial solutions like Google Docs, offering complete control over your data and infrastructure. The platform features automatic synchronization, revision history, and a clean interface that makes collaborative writing accessible without requiring user accounts or complex setup procedures. This Etherpad deployment runs as a standalone service with persistent data storage, allowing teams to maintain their collaborative documents across container restarts and updates. The configuration includes customizable welcome text and application branding, making it suitable for organizations that need a private, self-hosted document collaboration platform. The service operates entirely through web browsers, eliminating the need for specialized client software while providing real-time synchronization of text changes, cursor positions, and user presence indicators. This setup is ideal for development teams, educational institutions, small businesses, and privacy-conscious organizations that require collaborative document editing without relying on external cloud services. The lightweight nature of Etherpad makes it particularly valuable for environments with limited resources, while its extensibility through plugins allows for customization of features like user authentication, document import/export, and integration with existing workflow tools.

Key Features

Real-time collaborative editing with live cursor tracking and user identification
Automatic revision history with timeline slider for document version navigation
Plugin system supporting over 300 community-developed extensions
Import/export capabilities for common document formats including HTML, PDF, and plain text
Customizable pad URLs allowing for easy document sharing and organization
Built-in chat system for communication alongside document editing
Color-coded authorship attribution showing individual contributor changes
Mobile-responsive interface supporting collaborative editing on tablets and smartphones

Common Use Cases

1Development teams collaborating on technical documentation, meeting notes, and project specifications
2Educational institutions providing students with shared note-taking and group project workspaces
3Remote teams conducting real-time brainstorming sessions and collaborative planning meetings
4Small businesses creating shared documents for policies, procedures, and team coordination
5Open source projects maintaining community-editable documentation and contribution guidelines
6Privacy-focused organizations requiring document collaboration without external data sharing
7Event organizers coordinating logistics, schedules, and collaborative planning documents

Prerequisites

Docker and Docker Compose installed with at least 512MB available RAM
Port 9001 available and not conflicting with other web services
Basic understanding of web-based document editing workflows
Network access for users who will be accessing the Etherpad instance
Sufficient disk space for document storage and revision history (minimum 1GB recommended)
Modern web browsers supporting WebSocket connections for real-time synchronization

For development & testing. Review security settings, change default credentials, and test thoroughly before production use. See Terms

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  etherpad: 
3    image: etherpad/etherpad:latest
4    container_name: etherpad
5    restart: unless-stopped
6    environment: 
7      TITLE: Etherpad
8      DEFAULT_PAD_TEXT: "Welcome to Etherpad!"
9    volumes: 
10      - etherpad_data:/opt/etherpad-lite/var
11    ports: 
12      - "9001:9001"
13
14volumes: 
15  etherpad_data:

.env Template

.env

1# Configure authentication as needed

Usage Notes

1Access at http://localhost:9001
2Real-time editing
3Google Docs alternative

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  etherpad:
5    image: etherpad/etherpad:latest
6    container_name: etherpad
7    restart: unless-stopped
8    environment:
9      TITLE: Etherpad
10      DEFAULT_PAD_TEXT: "Welcome to Etherpad!"
11    volumes:
12      - etherpad_data:/opt/etherpad-lite/var
13    ports:
14      - "9001:9001"
15
16volumes:
17  etherpad_data:
18EOF
19
20# 2. Create the .env file
21cat > .env << 'EOF'
22# Configure authentication as needed
23EOF
24
25# 3. Start the services
26docker compose up -d
27
28# 4. View logs
29docker compose logs -f

One-Liner

Run this command to download and set up the recipe in one step:

terminal

1curl -fsSL https://docker.recipes/api/recipes/etherpad/run | bash

Troubleshooting

Etherpad shows 'Application Error' on startup: Check container logs for database connection issues and ensure proper volume permissions
Real-time synchronization not working between users: Verify WebSocket connections aren't blocked by firewalls or proxy servers
Documents not persisting after container restart: Confirm etherpad_data volume is properly mounted and has write permissions
Performance degradation with multiple concurrent users: Increase container memory limits and consider enabling Etherpad's minification settings
Plugin installation failures: Ensure the container has internet access and restart Etherpad after plugin installation
Import/export functions not working: Check file upload size limits and verify temporary directory permissions within the container

Community Notes

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