# Understanding and Applying Operational Transformation ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article2.74d541386bbf.png) ## Metadata - Author: [[archive.org]] - Full Title: Understanding and Applying Operational Transformation - Category: #articles - Summary: Operational Transformation (OT) helps clients and servers synchronize document edits by transforming operations sent between them. When clients perform operations, they must adjust those operations based on changes made by the server to ensure they both reach the same document state. This process involves composing and transforming operations to maintain consistency across different clients working simultaneously. - URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20200406135608/http://www.codecommit.com/blog/java/understanding-and-applying-operational-transformation ## Highlights - One way to think of this is to keep in mind the “diamond” shape shown in the above diagram. OT solves a very simple problem: given the top two sides of the diamond, it can derive the bottom two sides. In practice, often times we only want one side of the box (e.g. client A only needs operation *b’*, it doesn’t need *a’*). However, OT *always* gives us both pieces of the puzzle. It “completes” the diamond, so to speak. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jj81ph9gb52wrx0j3kkzpj7q))