Editor Presence

Editor Presence shows who else is editing the same content right now, so two editors no longer find out about each other only when the second one saves and Drupal refuses: "The content has either been modified by another user, or you have already submitted modifications."

By default it locks no one out. Sites that want one editor at a time can make the form read-only for everyone but the editor who opened it first. Unlike a lock, it releases itself: when that editor saves, closes the tab or walks away, the form unlocks for the next one, with no forgotten locks for an administrator to break.

Features

• Who else is editing: pictures or initials of the other editors at the top of the edit form, with a sentence such as "Sara is also editing this." Editors who have not typed, clicked or scrolled for a while show as idle.
• Newer versions: when someone saves the content while you are editing it, a warning tells you at once who saved it and when, before you spend more time on changes that cannot be saved.
• Content lists: a Being edited by column on the content overview page, and a Views field for any list of content, with a green dot for editing and a gray one for idle or waiting.
• Read-only forms (optional): the editor who opens the form first can edit; others see who is editing and wait. The editor holding the form sees who is waiting for them. Saving is also refused on the server, not only in the browser.
• Edit anyway: a permission for editors in chief and administrators to edit and save regardless.
• Works on the edit form of any content entity: content, taxonomy terms, media, custom blocks and others.
• Accessible: changes are announced to screen readers. Right-to-left ready.

How it works

Each open edit form checks in with a small request every 20 seconds. There are no WebSockets and no long-lived connections, so it runs on any hosting. Nothing runs for visitors or on pages other than edit forms. After 30 minutes without activity a form stops checking in, so a form left open does not keep the session alive or get in the way of automatic logout.

Post-installation

1. Give the roles that edit content the View editor presence permission.
2. Optionally, adjust the settings at Configuration » Content authoring » Editor presence: how often forms check in, when editors show as idle, read-only forms, and the column on the content overview page.
3. With read-only forms, give the Edit content others are editing permission to the roles that may edit anyway.

Requirements

Drupal 11.1 or later. No other modules; the content list column uses core Views.

Similar projects

• Content Lock locks content while someone edits it, until they save or unlock it. Editor Presence shows presence without locking by default, and its optional read-only mode releases itself when the editor leaves or stays inactive.
• Content Moderation Edit Notify warns about newer revisions on sites using Content Moderation. Editor Presence also does this, with or without Content Moderation, and shows who is editing.