Collaborating on the same document in real time?

I have a vague recollection of hearing that this kind of workflow is actually possible.
For instance—if I were to upload a document (like a .docx file) and simply send the link over to a friend, we could both jump into that same file at the exact same time to collaborate—you know, typing, editing, or deleting content simultaneously.

People usually just call this "collaboration"—you could test out how it functions using something like Google Docs, for instance, though I'm sure there are plenty of other services out there too.

https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494891?hl=en

You can totally do that through Gmail since you've got access to Microsoft 365 tools like Word online. Once you upload the doc, you and your friend can both jump in and edit it at the exact same time. It’s actually pretty cool because you can see exactly which part of the document the other person is working on in real time.

I just finished logging into my Gmail, and I have to admit—I am feeling a bit lost with some of these features.

1-How exactly do I generate a shareable link for a document? I want to send one over to a friend, but I can't seem to find the option anywhere in the interface.
2-Does my friend actually need to have their own Gmail account to access it? If they do, that might be a bit of a dealbreaker for me.
3-What is the best way to upload a Word document that I currently have saved locally on my hard drive?

restlessdrifter12 said:I just logged into Gmail, and honestly—I’m a bit lost. There are several things I can't quite wrap my head around here.

1-How exactly do I generate a link for a document so I can send it over to a friend? (I've looked everywhere, but I don't see an option for it)
2-Does my friend actually need to have their own Gmail account to view it? (If they do, that’s going to be a real problem for me)
3-What’s the best way to upload a Word document that I currently have saved on my hard drive?

So, I decided to give Google Docs a shot instead—checking it out via https://docs.google.com/
And I have to say, I am genuinely impressed by the capabilities! It’s absolutely perfect for what I’m trying to accomplish.
Thanks