diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 90598ba8..74876ddc 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ export {
   getState,
   Snapshot,
   createSnapshot,
-  createSnapshotFromDoc,
+  snapshot,
+  emptySnapshot,
   findRootTypeKey,
   typeListToArraySnapshot,
   typeMapGetSnapshot,
@@ -46,5 +47,9 @@ export {
   applyUpdate,
   encodeStateAsUpdate,
   encodeStateVector,
-  UndoManager
+  UndoManager,
+  decodeSnapshot,
+  encodeSnapshot,
+  isDeleted,
+  equalSnapshots
 } from './internals.js'
diff --git a/src/types/AbstractType.js b/src/types/AbstractType.js
index 9207c175..82aa8fc8 100644
--- a/src/types/AbstractType.js
+++ b/src/types/AbstractType.js
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ export const typeMapHas = (parent, key) => {
  */
 export const typeMapGetSnapshot = (parent, key, snapshot) => {
   let v = parent._map.get(key) || null
-  while (v !== null && (!snapshot.sm.has(v.id.client) || v.id.clock >= (snapshot.sm.get(v.id.client) || 0))) {
+  while (v !== null && (!snapshot.sv.has(v.id.client) || v.id.clock >= (snapshot.sv.get(v.id.client) || 0))) {
     v = v.left
   }
   return v !== null && isVisible(v, snapshot) ? v.content.getContent()[v.length - 1] : undefined
diff --git a/src/utils/DeleteSet.js b/src/utils/DeleteSet.js
index 747d8162..ea3b7b59 100644
--- a/src/utils/DeleteSet.js
+++ b/src/utils/DeleteSet.js
@@ -169,6 +169,8 @@ export const addToDeleteSet = (ds, id, length) => {
   map.setIfUndefined(ds.clients, id.client, () => []).push(new DeleteItem(id.clock, length))
 }
 
+export const createDeleteSet = () => new DeleteSet()
+
 /**
  * @param {StructStore} ss
  * @return {DeleteSet} Merged and sorted DeleteSet
@@ -177,7 +179,7 @@ export const addToDeleteSet = (ds, id, length) => {
  * @function
  */
 export const createDeleteSetFromStructStore = ss => {
-  const ds = new DeleteSet()
+  const ds = createDeleteSet()
   ss.clients.forEach((structs, client) => {
     /**
      * @type {Array<DeleteItem>}
@@ -224,6 +226,26 @@ export const writeDeleteSet = (encoder, ds) => {
   })
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param {decoding.Decoder} decoder
+ * @return {DeleteSet}
+ *
+ * @private
+ * @function
+ */
+export const readDeleteSet = decoder => {
+  const ds = new DeleteSet()
+  const numClients = decoding.readVarUint(decoder)
+  for (let i = 0; i < numClients; i++) {
+    const client = decoding.readVarUint(decoder)
+    const numberOfDeletes = decoding.readVarUint(decoder)
+    for (let i = 0; i < numberOfDeletes; i++) {
+      addToDeleteSet(ds, createID(client, decoding.readVarUint(decoder)), decoding.readVarUint(decoder))
+    }
+  }
+  return ds
+}
+
 /**
  * @param {decoding.Decoder} decoder
  * @param {Transaction} transaction
@@ -232,7 +254,7 @@ export const writeDeleteSet = (encoder, ds) => {
  * @private
  * @function
  */
-export const readDeleteSet = (decoder, transaction, store) => {
+export const readAndApplyDeleteSet = (decoder, transaction, store) => {
   const unappliedDS = new DeleteSet()
   const numClients = decoding.readVarUint(decoder)
   for (let i = 0; i < numClients; i++) {
@@ -279,6 +301,7 @@ export const readDeleteSet = (decoder, transaction, store) => {
     }
   }
   if (unappliedDS.clients.size > 0) {
+    // TODO: no need for encoding+decoding ds anymore
     const unappliedDSEncoder = encoding.createEncoder()
     writeDeleteSet(unappliedDSEncoder, unappliedDS)
     store.pendingDeleteReaders.push(decoding.createDecoder(encoding.toUint8Array(unappliedDSEncoder)))
diff --git a/src/utils/Snapshot.js b/src/utils/Snapshot.js
index 3fb807d2..f9d2714e 100644
--- a/src/utils/Snapshot.js
+++ b/src/utils/Snapshot.js
@@ -6,18 +6,26 @@ import {
   getItemCleanStart,
   createID,
   iterateDeletedStructs,
+  writeDeleteSet,
+  writeStateVector,
+  readDeleteSet,
+  readStateVector,
+  createDeleteSet,
+  getState,
   Transaction, Doc, DeleteSet, Item // eslint-disable-line
 } from '../internals.js'
 
 import * as map from 'lib0/map.js'
 import * as set from 'lib0/set.js'
+import * as encoding from 'lib0/encoding.js'
+import * as decoding from 'lib0/decoding.js'
 
 export class Snapshot {
   /**
    * @param {DeleteSet} ds
-   * @param {Map<number,number>} sm state map
+   * @param {Map<number,number>} sv state map
    */
-  constructor (ds, sm) {
+  constructor (ds, sv) {
     /**
      * @type {DeleteSet}
      * @private
@@ -28,10 +36,64 @@ export class Snapshot {
      * @type {Map<number,number>}
      * @private
      */
-    this.sm = sm
+    this.sv = sv
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param {Snapshot} snap1
+ * @param {Snapshot} snap2
+ * @return {boolean}
+ */
+export const equalSnapshots = (snap1, snap2) => {
+  const ds1 = snap1.ds.clients
+  const ds2 = snap2.ds.clients
+  const sv1 = snap1.sv
+  const sv2 = snap2.sv
+  if (sv1.size !== sv2.size || ds1.size !== ds2.size) {
+    return false
+  }
+  for (const [key, value] of sv1) {
+    if (sv2.get(key) !== value) {
+      return false
+    }
+  }
+  for (const [client, dsitems1] of ds1) {
+    const dsitems2 = ds2.get(client) || []
+    if (dsitems1.length !== dsitems2.length) {
+      return false
+    }
+    for (let i = 0; i < dsitems1.length; i++) {
+      const dsitem1 = dsitems1[i]
+      const dsitem2 = dsitems2[i]
+      if (dsitem1.clock !== dsitem2.clock || dsitem1.len !== dsitem2.len) {
+        return false
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param {Snapshot} snapshot
+ * @return {Uint8Array}
+ */
+export const encodeSnapshot = snapshot => {
+  const encoder = encoding.createEncoder()
+  writeDeleteSet(encoder, snapshot.ds)
+  writeStateVector(encoder, snapshot.sv)
+  return encoding.toUint8Array(encoder)
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param {Uint8Array} buf
+ * @return {Snapshot}
+ */
+export const decodeSnapshot = buf => {
+  const decoder = decoding.createDecoder(buf)
+  return new Snapshot(readDeleteSet(decoder), readStateVector(decoder))
+}
+
 /**
  * @param {DeleteSet} ds
  * @param {Map<number,number>} sm
@@ -39,11 +101,13 @@ export class Snapshot {
  */
 export const createSnapshot = (ds, sm) => new Snapshot(ds, sm)
 
+export const emptySnapshot = createSnapshot(createDeleteSet(), new Map())
+
 /**
  * @param {Doc} doc
  * @return {Snapshot}
  */
-export const createSnapshotFromDoc = doc => createSnapshot(createDeleteSetFromStructStore(doc.store), getStateVector(doc.store))
+export const snapshot = doc => createSnapshot(createDeleteSetFromStructStore(doc.store), getStateVector(doc.store))
 
 /**
  * @param {Item} item
@@ -53,7 +117,7 @@ export const createSnapshotFromDoc = doc => createSnapshot(createDeleteSetFromSt
  * @function
  */
 export const isVisible = (item, snapshot) => snapshot === undefined ? !item.deleted : (
-  snapshot.sm.has(item.id.client) && (snapshot.sm.get(item.id.client) || 0) > item.id.clock && !isDeleted(snapshot.ds, item.id)
+  snapshot.sv.has(item.id.client) && (snapshot.sv.get(item.id.client) || 0) > item.id.clock && !isDeleted(snapshot.ds, item.id)
 )
 
 /**
@@ -65,8 +129,10 @@ export const splitSnapshotAffectedStructs = (transaction, snapshot) => {
   const store = transaction.doc.store
   // check if we already split for this snapshot
   if (!meta.has(snapshot)) {
-    snapshot.sm.forEach((clock, client) => {
-      getItemCleanStart(transaction, store, createID(client, clock))
+    snapshot.sv.forEach((clock, client) => {
+      if (clock < getState(store, client)) {
+        getItemCleanStart(transaction, store, createID(client, clock))
+      }
     })
     iterateDeletedStructs(transaction, snapshot.ds, store, item => {})
     meta.add(snapshot)
diff --git a/src/utils/YEvent.js b/src/utils/YEvent.js
index 63435563..05429ee7 100644
--- a/src/utils/YEvent.js
+++ b/src/utils/YEvent.js
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 
 import {
   isDeleted,
-  AbstractType, Transaction, AbstractStruct // eslint-disable-line
+  Item, AbstractType, Transaction, AbstractStruct // eslint-disable-line
 } from '../internals.js'
 
+import * as set from 'lib0/set.js'
+import * as array from 'lib0/array.js'
+
 /**
  * YEvent describes the changes on a YType.
  */
@@ -28,6 +31,10 @@ export class YEvent {
      * @type {Transaction}
      */
     this.transaction = transaction
+    /**
+     * @type {Object|null}
+     */
+    this._changes = null
   }
 
   /**
@@ -65,6 +72,113 @@ export class YEvent {
   adds (struct) {
     return struct.id.clock >= (this.transaction.beforeState.get(struct.id.client) || 0)
   }
+
+  /**
+   * @return {{added:Set<Item>,deleted:Set<Item>,delta:Array<{insert:Array<any>}|{delete:number}|{retain:number}>}}
+   */
+  get changes () {
+    let changes = this._changes
+    if (changes === null) {
+      const target = this.target
+      const added = set.create()
+      const deleted = set.create()
+      /**
+       * @type {Array<{insert:Array<any>}|{delete:number}|{retain:number}>}
+       */
+      const delta = []
+      /**
+       * @type {Map<string,{ action: 'add' | 'update' | 'delete', oldValue: any}>}
+       */
+      const keys = new Map()
+      changes = {
+        added, deleted, delta, keys
+      }
+      const changed = /** @type Set<string|null> */ (this.transaction.changed.get(target))
+      if (changed.has(null)) {
+        /**
+         * @type {any}
+         */
+        let lastOp = null
+        const packOp = () => {
+          if (lastOp) {
+            delta.push(lastOp)
+          }
+        }
+        for (let item = target._start; item !== null; item = item.right) {
+          if (item.deleted) {
+            if (this.deletes(item)) {
+              if (lastOp === null || lastOp.delete === undefined) {
+                packOp()
+                lastOp = { delete: 0 }
+              }
+              lastOp.delete += item.length
+              deleted.add(item)
+            } // else nop
+          } else {
+            if (this.adds(item)) {
+              if (lastOp === null || lastOp.insert === undefined) {
+                packOp()
+                lastOp = { insert: [] }
+              }
+              lastOp.insert = lastOp.insert.concat(item.content.getContent())
+              added.add(item)
+            } else {
+              if (lastOp === null || lastOp.retain === undefined) {
+                packOp()
+                lastOp = { retain: 0 }
+              }
+              lastOp.retain += item.length
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        if (lastOp !== null && lastOp.retain === undefined) {
+          packOp()
+        }
+      }
+      changed.forEach(key => {
+        if (key !== null) {
+          const item = /** @type {Item} */ (target._map.get(key))
+          /**
+           * @type {'delete' | 'add' | 'update'}
+           */
+          let action
+          let oldValue
+          if (this.adds(item)) {
+            let prev = item.left
+            while (prev !== null && this.adds(prev)) {
+              prev = prev.left
+            }
+            if (this.deletes(item)) {
+              if (prev !== null && this.deletes(prev)) {
+                action = 'delete'
+                oldValue = array.last(prev.content.getContent())
+              } else {
+                return
+              }
+            } else {
+              if (prev !== null && this.deletes(prev)) {
+                action = 'update'
+                oldValue = array.last(prev.content.getContent())
+              } else {
+                action = 'add'
+                oldValue = undefined
+              }
+            }
+          } else {
+            if (this.deletes(item)) {
+              action = 'delete'
+              oldValue = array.last(/** @type {Item} */ item.content.getContent())
+            } else {
+              return // nop
+            }
+          }
+          keys.set(key, { action, oldValue })
+        }
+      })
+      this._changes = changes
+    }
+    return changes
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/utils/encoding.js b/src/utils/encoding.js
index c4ee0d2a..a0ebf23f 100644
--- a/src/utils/encoding.js
+++ b/src/utils/encoding.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import {
   readID,
   getState,
   getStateVector,
-  readDeleteSet,
+  readAndApplyDeleteSet,
   writeDeleteSet,
   createDeleteSetFromStructStore,
   Doc, Transaction, AbstractStruct, StructStore, ID // eslint-disable-line
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ export const tryResumePendingDeleteReaders = (transaction, store) => {
   const pendingReaders = store.pendingDeleteReaders
   store.pendingDeleteReaders = []
   for (let i = 0; i < pendingReaders.length; i++) {
-    readDeleteSet(pendingReaders[i], transaction, store)
+    readAndApplyDeleteSet(pendingReaders[i], transaction, store)
   }
 }
 
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ export const readStructs = (decoder, transaction, store) => {
 export const readUpdate = (decoder, ydoc, transactionOrigin) =>
   ydoc.transact(transaction => {
     readStructs(decoder, transaction, ydoc.store)
-    readDeleteSet(decoder, transaction, ydoc.store)
+    readAndApplyDeleteSet(decoder, transaction, ydoc.store)
   }, transactionOrigin)
 
 /**
@@ -381,6 +381,22 @@ export const readStateVector = decoder => {
  */
 export const decodeStateVector = decodedState => readStateVector(decoding.createDecoder(decodedState))
 
+/**
+ * Write State Vector to `lib0/encoding.js#Encoder`.
+ *
+ * @param {encoding.Encoder} encoder
+ * @param {Map<number,number>} sv
+ * @function
+ */
+export const writeStateVector = (encoder, sv) => {
+  encoding.writeVarUint(encoder, sv.size)
+  sv.forEach((clock, client) => {
+    encoding.writeVarUint(encoder, client)
+    encoding.writeVarUint(encoder, clock)
+  })
+  return encoder
+}
+
 /**
  * Write State Vector to `lib0/encoding.js#Encoder`.
  *
@@ -389,16 +405,7 @@ export const decodeStateVector = decodedState => readStateVector(decoding.create
  *
  * @function
  */
-export const writeDocumentStateVector = (encoder, doc) => {
-  encoding.writeVarUint(encoder, doc.store.clients.size)
-  doc.store.clients.forEach((structs, client) => {
-    const struct = structs[structs.length - 1]
-    const id = struct.id
-    encoding.writeVarUint(encoder, id.client)
-    encoding.writeVarUint(encoder, id.clock + struct.length)
-  })
-  return encoder
-}
+export const writeDocumentStateVector = (encoder, doc) => writeStateVector(encoder, getStateVector(doc.store))
 
 /**
  * Encode State as Uint8Array.
diff --git a/tests/y-array.tests.js b/tests/y-array.tests.js
index b3bb8454..953e862f 100644
--- a/tests/y-array.tests.js
+++ b/tests/y-array.tests.js
@@ -191,6 +191,33 @@ export const testInsertAndDeleteEventsForTypes = tc => {
   compare(users)
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param {t.TestCase} tc
+ */
+export const testChangeEvent = tc => {
+  const { array0, users } = init(tc, { users: 2 })
+  /**
+   * @type {any}
+   */
+  let changes = null
+  array0.observe(e => {
+    changes = e.changes
+  })
+  const newArr = new Y.Array()
+  array0.insert(0, [newArr, 4, 'dtrn'])
+  t.assert(changes !== null && changes.added.size === 2 && changes.deleted.size === 0)
+  t.compare(changes.delta, [{insert: [newArr, 4, 'dtrn']}])
+  changes = null
+  array0.delete(0, 2)
+  t.assert(changes !== null && changes.added.size === 0 && changes.deleted.size === 2)
+  t.compare(changes.delta, [{ delete: 2 }])
+  changes = null
+  array0.insert(1, [0.1])
+  t.assert(changes !== null && changes.added.size === 1 && changes.deleted.size === 0)
+  t.compare(changes.delta, [{ retain: 1 }, { insert: [0.1] }])
+  compare(users)
+}
+
 /**
  * @param {t.TestCase} tc
  */
diff --git a/tests/y-map.tests.js b/tests/y-map.tests.js
index c47c9e46..becfde34 100644
--- a/tests/y-map.tests.js
+++ b/tests/y-map.tests.js
@@ -292,6 +292,54 @@ export const testThrowsAddAndUpdateAndDeleteEvents = tc => {
   compare(users)
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param {t.TestCase} tc
+ */
+export const testChangeEvent = tc => {
+  const { map0, users } = init(tc, { users: 2 })
+  /**
+   * @type {any}
+   */
+  let changes = null
+  /**
+   * @type {any}
+   */
+  let keyChange = null
+  map0.observe(e => {
+    changes = e.changes
+  })
+  map0.set('a', 1)
+  keyChange = changes.keys.get('a')
+  t.assert(changes !== null && keyChange.action === 'add' && keyChange.oldValue === undefined)
+  map0.set('a', 2)
+  keyChange = changes.keys.get('a')
+  t.assert(changes !== null && keyChange.action === 'update' && keyChange.oldValue === 1)
+  users[0].transact(() => {
+    map0.set('a', 3)
+    map0.set('a', 4)
+  })
+  keyChange = changes.keys.get('a')
+  t.assert(changes !== null && keyChange.action === 'update' && keyChange.oldValue === 2)
+  users[0].transact(() => {
+    map0.set('b', 1)
+    map0.set('b', 2)
+  })
+  keyChange = changes.keys.get('b')
+  t.assert(changes !== null && keyChange.action === 'add' && keyChange.oldValue === undefined)
+  users[0].transact(() => {
+    map0.set('c', 1)
+    map0.delete('c')
+  })
+  t.assert(changes !== null && changes.keys.size === 0)
+  users[0].transact(() => {
+    map0.set('d', 1)
+    map0.set('d', 2)
+  })
+  keyChange = changes.keys.get('d')
+  t.assert(changes !== null && keyChange.action === 'add' && keyChange.oldValue === undefined)
+  compare(users)
+}
+
 /**
  * @param {t.TestCase} tc
  */
diff --git a/tests/y-text.tests.js b/tests/y-text.tests.js
index 1c9b0a85..f422ed45 100644
--- a/tests/y-text.tests.js
+++ b/tests/y-text.tests.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export const testSnapshot = tc => {
   text0.applyDelta([{
     insert: 'abcd'
   }])
-  const snapshot1 = Y.createSnapshotFromDoc(doc0)
+  const snapshot1 = Y.snapshot(doc0)
   text0.applyDelta([{
     retain: 1
   }, {
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ export const testSnapshot = tc => {
   }, {
     delete: 1
   }])
-  const snapshot2 = Y.createSnapshotFromDoc(doc0)
+  const snapshot2 = Y.snapshot(doc0)
   text0.applyDelta([{
     retain: 2
   }, {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ export const testSnapshotDeleteAfter = tc => {
   text0.applyDelta([{
     insert: 'abcd'
   }])
-  const snapshot1 = Y.createSnapshotFromDoc(doc0)
+  const snapshot1 = Y.snapshot(doc0)
   text0.applyDelta([{
     retain: 4
   }, {