Quick Start for Interactive Live Streaming in React

VideoSDK enables you to embed the video calling feature into your React application in minutes.

In this quickstart, we are going to explore interactive live streaming feature of Video SDK. We will go through step by step guide of integrating video calling with React Video SDK

This guide will get you running with the VideoSDK video & audio calling in minutes.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure that your development environment meets the following requirements:

• Video SDK Developer Account (Not having one, follow Video SDK Dashboard)
• Basic understanding of React
• React Video SDK
• Have Node and NPM installed on your device.
• The basic understanding of Hooks (useState, useRef, useEffect)
• React Context API (optional)

info

One should have a VideoSDK account to generate token. Visit VideoSDK dashboard to generate token

Getting Started with the Code!

Follow the steps to create the environment necessary to add video calls into your app.Also you can find the code sample for quickstart here.

Create new react app

Create a new React App using the below command.

$ npx create-react-app videosdk-rtc-react-app

Install Video SDK

Install the VideoSDK using the below-mentioned npm command. Make sure you are in your react app directory before you run this command.

NPM

$ npm install "@videosdk.live/react-sdk"

Yarn

$ yarn add "@videosdk.live/react-sdk"

Structure of the project

Your project structure should look like this.

Project Structure

   root
   ├── node_modules
   ├── public
   ├── src
   │    ├── API.js
   │    ├── App.js
   │    ├── index.js
   ├── package.json
   .    .

We are going to use functional components to leverage react's reusable component architecture. There will be components for users, videos and controls (mic, camera, leave) over the video.

App Architecture

App will contain a container component which includes user component with videos. Each video component will have conrols button for mic, camera , leave meeting and HLS button.

We are goting to work on these files:

• API.js: Responsible to handle API calls such as generating unique meetingId and token
• App.js: Responsible to render container and meeting join.

Architecture for Speaker

Architecture for Viewer

Step 1: Get started with API.js

Prior to moving on, we must create an API request to generate unique meetingId. You will require auth token, you can generate it using either by using videosdk-rtc-api-server-examples or generate it from the Video SDK Dashboard for developer.

API.js

//Auth token we will use to generate a meeting and connect to it
export const authToken = "<Generated-from-dashbaord>";
// API call to create meeting
export const createMeeting = async ({ token }) => {
  const res = await fetch(`https://api.videosdk.live/v2/rooms`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      authorization: `${authToken}`,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({}),
  });
  //Destructuring the roomId from the response
  const { roomId } = await res.json();
  return roomId;
};

Step 2: Wireframe App.js with all the components

To build up wireframe of App.js, we are going to use Video SDK Hooks and Context Providers. Video SDK provides MeetingProvider, MeetingConsumer, useMeeting and useParticipant hooks. Let's understand each of them.

First we will explore Context Provider and Consumer. Context is primarily used when some data needs to be accessible by many components at different nesting levels.

• MeetingProvider: It is Context Provider. It accepts value config and token as props. The Provider component accepts a value prop to be passed to consuming components that are descendants of this Provider. One Provider can be connected to many consumers. Providers can be nested to override values deeper within the tree.
• MeetingConsumer: It is Context Consumer. All consumers that are descendants of a Provider will re-render whenever the Provider’s value prop changes.
• useMeeting: It is meeting react hook API for meeting. It includes all the information related to meeting such as join, leave, enable/disable mic or webcam etc.
• useParticipant: It is participant hook API. useParticipant hook is responsible to handle all the events and props related to one particular participant such as name, webcamStream, micStream etc.

Meeting Context helps to listen on all the changes when participant joines meeting or changes mic or camera etc.

Let's get started with change couple of lines of code in App.js

App.js

import "./App.css";
import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
import {
  MeetingProvider,
  MeetingConsumer,
  useMeeting,
  useParticipant,
  Constants,
} from "@videosdk.live/react-sdk";

import { authToken, createMeeting } from "./API";
import ReactPlayer from "react-player";

function JoinScreen({ getMeetingAndToken, setMode }) {
  return null;
}

function ParticipantView(props) {
  return null;
}

function Controls() {
  return null;
}

function SpeakerView() {
  return null;
}

function ViewerView() {
  return null;
}

function Container(props) {
  return null;
}

function App() {
  const [meetingId, setMeetingId] = useState(null);

  //State to handle the mode of the participant i.e. CONFERNCE or VIEWER
  const [mode, setMode] = useState("CONFERENCE");

  //Getting MeetingId from the API we created earlier
  const getMeetingAndToken = async (id) => {
    const meetingId =
      id == null ? await createMeeting({ token: authToken }) : id;
    setMeetingId(meetingId);
  };

  const onMeetingLeave = () => {
    setMeetingId(null);
  };

  return authToken && meetingId ? (
    <MeetingProvider
      config={{
        meetingId,
        micEnabled: true,
        webcamEnabled: true,
        name: "C.V. Raman",
        //These will be the mode of the participant CONFERENCE or VIEWER
        mode: mode,
      }}
      token={authToken}
    >
      <MeetingConsumer>
        {() => (
          <Container meetingId={meetingId} onMeetingLeave={onMeetingLeave} />
        )}
      </MeetingConsumer>
    </MeetingProvider>
  ) : (
    <JoinScreen getMeetingAndToken={getMeetingAndToken} setMode={setMode} />
  );
}

export default App;

Step 3: Implement Join Screen

Join screen will work as medium to either schedule new meeting or to join existing meeting as a host or as a viewer.

These will have 3 buttons:

1. Join as Host: When this button is clicked, the person will join the entered meetingId as HOST.

2. Join as Viewer: When this button is clicked, the person will join the entered meetingId as VIEWER.

3. Create Meeting: When this button is clicked, the person will join a new meeting as HOST.

JoinScreen Component

function JoinScreen({ getMeetingAndToken, setMode }) {
  const [meetingId, setMeetingId] = useState(null);
  //Set the mode of joining participant and set the meeting id or generate new one
  const onClick = async (mode) => {
    setMode(mode);
    await getMeetingAndToken(meetingId);
  };
  return (
    <div className="container">
      <button onClick={() => onClick("CONFERENCE")}>Create Meeting</button>
      <br />
      <br />
      {" or "}
      <br />
      <br />
      <input
        type="text"
        placeholder="Enter Meeting Id"
        onChange={(e) => {
          setMeetingId(e.target.value);
        }}
      />
      <br />
      <br />
      <button onClick={() => onClick("CONFERENCE")}>Join as Host</button>
      {" | "}
      <button onClick={() => onClick("VIEWER")}>Join as Viewer</button>
    </div>
  );
}

Output

Step 4: Implement Container Component

Next step is to create a container to manage features such as join, leave, mute and unmute, start and stop hls for the HOST and to show a HLS Player for the viewer.

We will check the mode of the localParticipant, if its CONFERENCE we will show SpeakerView else we will show ViewerView.

Container Component

function Container(props) {
  const [joined, setJoined] = useState(null);
  //Get the method which will be used to join the meeting.
  const { join } = useMeeting();
  const mMeeting = useMeeting({
    //callback for when meeting is joined successfully
    onMeetingJoined: () => {
      setJoined("JOINED");
    },
    //callback for when meeting is left
    onMeetingLeft: () => {
      props.onMeetingLeave();
    },
    //callback for when there is error in meeting
    onError: (error) => {
      alert(error.message);
    },
  });
  const joinMeeting = () => {
    setJoined("JOINING");
    join();
  };

  return (
    <div className="container">
      <h3>Meeting Id: {props.meetingId}</h3>
      {joined && joined == "JOINED" ? (
        mMeeting.localParticipant.mode == Constants.modes.CONFERENCE ? (
          <SpeakerView />
        ) : mMeeting.localParticipant.mode == Constants.modes.VIEWER ? (
          <ViewerView />
        ) : null
      ) : joined && joined == "JOINING" ? (
        <p>Joining the meeting...</p>
      ) : (
        <button onClick={joinMeeting}>Join</button>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Step 5: Implement SpeakerView

Next step is to create SpeakerView and Controls componenets to manage features such as join, leave, mute and unmute.

1. We will get all the participants from useMeeting hook and filter them for the mode set to CONFERENCE so only Speakers are shown on the screen.

SpeakerView

function SpeakerView() {
  //Get the participants and hlsState from useMeeting
  const { participants, hlsState } = useMeeting();

  //Filtering the host/speakers from all the participants
  const speakers = useMemo(() => {
    const speakerParticipants = [...participants.values()].filter(
      (participant) => {
        return participant.mode == Constants.modes.CONFERENCE;
      }
    );
    return speakerParticipants;
  }, [participants]);
  return (
    <div>
      <p>Current HLS State: {hlsState}</p>
      {/* Controls for the meeting */}
      <Controls />

      {/* Rendring all the HOST participants */}
      {speakers.map((participant) => (
        <ParticipantView participantId={participant.id} key={participant.id} />
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

function Container(){
  ...

  const mMeeting = useMeeting({
    onMeetingJoined: () => {
      //we will pin the local participant if he joins in CONFERENCE mode
      if (mMeetingRef.current.localParticipant.mode == "CONFERENCE") {
        mMeetingRef.current.localParticipant.pin();
      }
      setJoined("JOINED");
    },
    ...
  });

  //We will create a ref to meeting object so that when used inside the
  //Callback functions, meeting state is maintained
  const mMeetingRef = useRef(mMeeting);
  useEffect(() => {
    mMeetingRef.current = mMeeting;
  }, [mMeeting]);

  return <>...</>;
}

2. We will add the Controls componenet which will allow the participant to toggle media.

Controls Component

function Controls() {
  const { leave, toggleMic, toggleWebcam, startHls, stopHls } = useMeeting();
  return (
    <div>
      <button onClick={() => leave()}>Leave</button>
      &emsp;|&emsp;
      <button onClick={() => toggleMic()}>toggleMic</button>
      <button onClick={() => toggleWebcam()}>toggleWebcam</button>
      &emsp;|&emsp;
      <button
        onClick={() => {
          //We will start the HLS in SPOTLIGHT mode and PIN as
          //priority so only speakers are visible in the HLS stream
          startHls({
            layout: {
              type: "SPOTLIGHT",
              priority: "PIN",
              gridSize: "20",
            },
            theme: "LIGHT",
            mode: "video-and-audio",
            quality: "high",
            orientation: "landscape",
          });
        }}
      >
        Start HLS
      </button>
      <button onClick={() => stopHls()}>Stop HLS</button>
    </div>
  );
}

3. We will be creating the ParticipantView to show the participants name and media. For which, will be using the webcamStream and micStream from the useParticipant hook to play the media of the participant.

ParticipantView

function ParticipantView(props) {
  const micRef = useRef(null);
  const { webcamStream, micStream, webcamOn, micOn, isLocal, displayName } =
    useParticipant(props.participantId);

  const videoStream = useMemo(() => {
    if (webcamOn && webcamStream) {
      const mediaStream = new MediaStream();
      mediaStream.addTrack(webcamStream.track);
      return mediaStream;
    }
  }, [webcamStream, webcamOn]);

  //Playing the audio in the <audio>
  useEffect(() => {
    if (micRef.current) {
      if (micOn && micStream) {
        const mediaStream = new MediaStream();
        mediaStream.addTrack(micStream.track);

        micRef.current.srcObject = mediaStream;
        micRef.current
          .play()
          .catch((error) =>
            console.error("videoElem.current.play() failed", error)
          );
      } else {
        micRef.current.srcObject = null;
      }
    }
  }, [micStream, micOn]);

  return (
    <div>
      <p>
        Participant: {displayName} | Webcam: {webcamOn ? "ON" : "OFF"} | Mic:{" "}
        {micOn ? "ON" : "OFF"}
      </p>
      <audio ref={micRef} autoPlay playsInline muted={isLocal} />
      {webcamOn && (
        <ReactPlayer
          //
          playsinline // very very imp prop
          pip={false}
          light={false}
          controls={false}
          muted={true}
          playing={true}
          //
          url={videoStream}
          //
          height={"300px"}
          width={"300px"}
          onError={(err) => {
            console.log(err, "participant video error");
          }}
        />
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Output Of SpeakerView Component

Step 6: Implement ViewerView

When host start the live streaming, viewer will be able to see the live streaming.

To implement player view, we are going to use hls.js. It will be helpful to play hls stream.

Let's first add this package.

NPM

$ npm install hls.js

Yarn

$ yarn add hls.js

With hls.js installed, we will get the hlsUrls from the useMeeting hook which will be used to play the HLS in the player.

//highligh-start
//importing hls.js
import Hls from "hls.js";
//highligh-end

function ViewerView() {
  // States to store downstream url and current HLS state
  const playerRef = useRef(null);
  //Getting the hlsUrls
  const { hlsUrls, hlsState } = useMeeting();

  //Playing the HLS stream when the downstreamUrl is present and it is playable
  useEffect(() => {
    if (hlsUrls.downstreamUrl && hlsState == "HLS_PLAYABLE") {
      if (Hls.isSupported()) {
        const hls = new Hls({
          capLevelToPlayerSize: true,
          maxLoadingDelay: 4,
          minAutoBitrate: 0,
          autoStartLoad: true,
          defaultAudioCodec: "mp4a.40.2",
        });

        let player = document.querySelector("#hlsPlayer");

        hls.loadSource(hlsUrls.downstreamUrl);
        hls.attachMedia(player);
      } else {
        if (typeof playerRef.current?.play === "function") {
          playerRef.current.src = hlsUrls.downstreamUrl;
          playerRef.current.play();
        }
      }
    }
  }, [hlsUrls, hlsState, playerRef.current]);

  return (
    <div>
      {/* Showing message if HLS is not started or is stopped by HOST */}
      {hlsState != "HLS_PLAYABLE" ? (
        <div>
          <p>HLS has not started yet or is stopped</p>
        </div>
      ) : (
        hlsState == "HLS_PLAYABLE" && (
          <div>
            <video
              ref={playerRef}
              id="hlsPlayer"
              autoPlay={true}
              controls
              style={{ width: "100%", height: "100%" }}
              playsinline
              playsInline
              muted={true}
              playing
              onError={(err) => {
                console.log(err, "hls video error");
              }}
            ></video>
          </div>
        )
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Output of ViewerView

Final Output

We are done with implementation of customised video calling app in ReactJS using Video SDK. To explore more features go through Basic and Advanced features.

tip

You can checkout the complete quick start example here.