Enhanced Collaboration Feature on the Platform

[prasad14070]

Current Behavior

1. Lack of Multi-User Permissions:

   • Currently, the platform does not support granular user permissions for collaborative projects.
   • All users have equal access rights, leading to potential issues with unauthorized modifications or accidental changes by collaborators.
   • The absence of role-based permissions hinders effective project management and control, especially in larger collaborative efforts where different users may have varying levels of involvement or responsibility.

2. Missing Real-Time Chat Feature:

   • The platform lacks a real-time chat feature for facilitating communication among collaborators.
   • Users have to resort to external communication channels (e.g., email, instant messaging) to discuss project details, share ideas, or provide feedback during collaborative editing sessions.
   • Without an integrated chat solution, there is a risk of disjointed communication and delays in collaboration, impacting productivity and the overall user experience.

Desired Behavior

1. Implementation of Multi-User Permissions:

   • Introduce a comprehensive system for managing user permissions within collaborative projects.
   • Allow project owners to define different roles (e.g., admin, editor, viewer) and assign corresponding permissions to each role.
   • Provide granular control over access rights, including the ability to edit, comment, view-only, or manage project settings.
   • Ensure that users can easily collaborate while maintaining the integrity and security of the project by restricting access to sensitive features or content based on their assigned roles.

2. Integration of Real-Time Chat Feature:

   • Implement a built-in real-time chat feature directly within the collaboration interface.
   • Enable users to communicate seamlessly with each other during collaborative editing sessions, without the need for external communication tools.
   • Support features such as private messaging, group chats, and the ability to send multimedia content (e.g., images, audio files) to enhance collaboration and foster teamwork.
   • Ensure that the chat feature is intuitive to use and complements the collaborative workflow, promoting better coordination, brainstorming, and idea sharing among users.

Screenshots / Mockups

Implementation

Implementation

1. Multi-User Permissions:

   • Design and implement a role-based access control (RBAC) system to manage user permissions within collaborative projects.
   • Define roles such as project owner, admin, editor, and viewer, each with distinct sets of permissions.
   • Develop user interface components for project owners to assign roles and permissions to collaborators, including the ability to add or remove users from projects.
   • Implement server-side logic to enforce permissions at the API level, ensuring that users can only perform actions permitted by their assigned roles.
   • Provide feedback to users about their current role and available permissions within the project interface, promoting transparency and clarity in collaboration.

2. Real-Time Chat Feature:

   • Integrate a real-time messaging system using WebSocket technology or a similar approach to facilitate instant communication among collaborators.
   • Design a user-friendly chat interface with features such as message threading, inline media previews, and emoji support to enhance user engagement.
   • Implement server-side message storage and retrieval mechanisms to ensure that chat history is preserved and accessible to all users participating in the project.
   • Enable notifications for new messages, mentions, or replies to keep users informed about ongoing discussions and updates within the collaboration environment.
   • Implement robust security measures to protect user privacy and prevent unauthorized access to chat conversations, such as encryption and user authentication mechanisms.

By following these implementation strategies, the platform can effectively address the lack of multi-user permissions and integrate a real-time chat feature to enhance collaboration among users.

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[dubeanant]

Hello @prasad14070,

I am very eager to work on this issue as it seems quite interesting and could significantly enhance the Music Blocks project by adding an improved collaboration feature to the platform. However, I have a question—are these changes something the project genuinely needs, or are they based on your own ideas? If they are necessary, could you please check with @walterbender and confirm if they are needed? I will start working on them immediately once I have confirmation.

[dubeanant]

Hello @prasad14070 and @walterbender,

I just wanted to follow up on my previous comment regarding the collaboration feature. I’m eager to contribute and would appreciate your feedback to know if this feature is something the project genuinely needs.

Please let me know whenever you get a chance, and I’ll be ready to start working on it immediately.

Thank you!

[walterbender]

Check out the collaboration branch. Maybe contribute there to start.

[yashvikram30]

@walterbender is this issue still open? I would like to try my hands on it

[walterbender]

Pleaase check in with @apsinghdev re the current status

[apsinghdev]

@yashvikram30 Hi Yash, currently, we are working on deploying the collaboration to a test-production for testing purposes. After that, we'll test the collaboration and will iterate further. If you wanna explore the collaboration and know how it works. Please refer to these docs. Additionally, you'll need to set up the collaboration-server locally to run the collaboration. I'd love your feedback on this. Feel free to ping me if you need help.

[yashvikram30]

@yashvikram30 Hi Yash, currently, we are working on deploying the collaboration to a test-production for testing purposes. After that, we'll test the collaboration and will iterate further. If you wanna explore the collaboration and know how it works. Please refer to these docs. Additionally, you'll need to set up the collaboration-server locally to run the collaboration. I'd love your feedback on this. Feel free to ping me if you need help.

i did try to run it locally but something seems to be up, I ran the local server as mentioned and then the musicblocks locally but did not work. Is there some other way to test it?

[apsinghdev]

@yashvikram30 Hi Yash, currently, we are working on deploying the collaboration to a test-production for testing purposes. After that, we'll test the collaboration and will iterate further. If you wanna explore the collaboration and know how it works. Please refer to these docs. Additionally, you'll need to set up the collaboration-server locally to run the collaboration. I'd love your feedback on this. Feel free to ping me if you need help.

i did try to run it locally but something seems to be up, I ran the local server as mentioned and then the musicblocks locally but did not work. Is there some other way to test it?

can you please share screen recording of your setup and what problem you facing?