Embodiments described herein are directed to methods and systems for allowing real-time editing of posting lists encoded using variable-width byte encoding of document identifier deltas while maintaining scanning performance of a posting list. For example, embodiments are directed at determining a posting list associated with a query term and scanning the posting list for encoded document identifiers associated with the term. Embodiments may identify an interrupt indicator in the encoded document identifier and obtain modified document identifier information from an interrupt table. The modified document identifier information includes at least one encoded document identifier associated with a modified document associated with the query term. A set of decoded document identifiers including the term may be determined and search results including at least a subset of documents associated with the set of decoded document identifiers may be provided.