How we can use nodejs <video> streaming using WebRTC?

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1

I’m thinking about using WebRTC for video streaming in the context of a project I’m working on. However, I’m looking for advice on whether that’s a good decision and how to go about putting it into practise. Can someone provide guidance on utilising WebRTC for streaming video, including real-world tips and how-tos?

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Setting up a signaling server, creating a WebRTC connection, and managing media streams are required for WebRTC video streaming in a Node.js application.
WebRTC enables audio, video, and data transfer capabilities for real-time communication between browsers and applications.

Here is the step-by-step tutorial to follow:

1. Start a new Project

Run the following command to create a new directory for your project and install Node.js inside of it.

mkdir webrtc_project
cd webrtc-video-streaming
npm init -y

2. Install Requirements

Now, let us install the required dependencies, such as WebRTC, Socket.IO, and Express.

npm install express socket.io webrtc

3. Making a server code

Create a server.js file and configure the fundamental server using Express and Socket.IO.

const express = require('express');
const http = require('http');
const socketIo = require('socket.io');

const app = express();
const server = http.createServer(app);
const io = socketIo(server);

app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public'));

server.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is listening on port 3000');
});

// Socket.IO logic
io.on('connection', socket => {
  console.log('User connected:', socket.id);
  
  socket.on('disconnect', () => {
    console.log('User disconnected:', socket.id);
  });
});

4. Creation of HTML and JavaScript files

Create an index.html file and a client.js file, then place them both inside the public folder you created in your project directory.
Insert the following code in public/index.html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>WebRTC Video Streaming</title>
</head>
<body>
  <video id="localVideo" autoplay></video>
  <video id="remoteVideo" autoplay></video>
  
  <script src="/socket.io/socket.io.js"></script>
  <script src="client.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

public/client.js

const socket = io();

const localVideo = document.getElementById('localVideo');
const remoteVideo = document.getElementById('remoteVideo');

// Get user media (video and audio)
navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({ video: true, audio: false })
  .then(stream => {
    localVideo.srcObject = stream;
    
    // Send user media stream to the server
    socket.emit('stream', stream);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.error('Error accessing media devices:', error);
  });

// Receive remote stream from the server
socket.on('remoteStream', remoteStream => {
  remoteVideo.srcObject = remoteStream;
});

5. Update WebRTC server logic

To deal with WebRTC connections and stream sharing, change the server’s source code.

io.on('connection', socket => {
  console.log('User connected:', socket.id);
  
  socket.on('disconnect', () => {
    console.log('User disconnected:', socket.id);
  });

  socket.on('stream', stream => {
    // Broadcast the received stream to all other clients
    socket.broadcast.emit('remoteStream', stream);
  });
});

6. Launching the Server

Run your server by issuing the command node server.js

7. Access the program

Go to http://localhost:3000 in your browser once it is open. On the left side should be your local video stream, and on the right side should be remote video streams from other clients.

The basic configuration for WebRTC video streaming in a Node.js application is shown in this example.

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