An application programming interface (API) is provided for use with a modeling software. The API allows users at several devices operating on a network to collaboratively develop a model of an object or a group of objects. The API receives an indication that a selected component has been modified by the modeling software in accordance user commands, generates component data indicative of the modifications of the selected component, and causes an update indication to be transmitted to a collaboration server via a communication network to synchronize the selected component between the first computing device and a second computing device. The update indication may include a component identifier, such that the component identifier uniquely identifies the selected component in the model.