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livekit/README.md
2026-03-08 23:47:54 -07:00

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# LiveKit: Real-time video, audio and data for developers
[LiveKit](https://livekit.io) is an open source project that provides scalable, multi-user conferencing based on WebRTC.
It's designed to provide everything you need to build real-time video audio data capabilities in your applications.
LiveKit's server is written in Go, using the awesome [Pion WebRTC](https://github.com/pion/webrtc) implementation.
[![GitHub stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/livekit/livekit?style=social&label=Star&maxAge=2592000)](https://github.com/livekit/livekit/stargazers/)
[![Slack community](https://img.shields.io/endpoint?url=https%3A%2F%2Flivekit.io%2Fbadges%2Fslack)](https://livekit.io/join-slack)
[![Twitter Follow](https://img.shields.io/twitter/follow/livekit)](https://twitter.com/livekit)
[![Ask DeepWiki](https://deepwiki.com/badge.svg)](https://deepwiki.com/livekit/livekit)
[![GitHub release (latest SemVer)](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/livekit/livekit)](https://github.com/livekit/livekit/releases/latest)
[![GitHub Workflow Status](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/livekit/livekit/buildtest.yaml?branch=master)](https://github.com/livekit/livekit/actions/workflows/buildtest.yaml)
[![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/livekit/livekit)](https://github.com/livekit/livekit/blob/master/LICENSE)
## Features
- Scalable, distributed WebRTC SFU (Selective Forwarding Unit)
- Modern, full-featured client SDKs
- Built for production, supports JWT authentication
- Robust networking and connectivity, UDP/TCP/TURN
- Easy to deploy: single binary, Docker or Kubernetes
- Advanced features including:
- [speaker detection](https://docs.livekit.io/home/client/tracks/subscribe/#speaker-detection)
- [simulcast](https://docs.livekit.io/home/client/tracks/publish/#video-simulcast)
- [end-to-end optimizations](https://blog.livekit.io/livekit-one-dot-zero/)
- [selective subscription](https://docs.livekit.io/home/client/tracks/subscribe/#selective-subscription)
- [moderation APIs](https://docs.livekit.io/home/server/managing-participants/)
- end-to-end encryption
- SVC codecs (VP9, AV1)
- [webhooks](https://docs.livekit.io/home/server/webhooks/)
- [distributed and multi-region](https://docs.livekit.io/home/self-hosting/distributed/)
## Documentation & Guides
https://docs.livekit.io
## Live Demos
- [LiveKit Meet](https://meet.livekit.io) ([source](https://github.com/livekit-examples/meet))
- [Spatial Audio](https://spatial-audio-demo.livekit.io/) ([source](https://github.com/livekit-examples/spatial-audio))
- Livestreaming from OBS Studio ([source](https://github.com/livekit-examples/livestream))
- [AI voice assistant using ChatGPT](https://livekit.io/kitt) ([source](https://github.com/livekit-examples/kitt))
## Ecosystem
- [Agents](https://github.com/livekit/agents): build real-time multimodal AI applications with programmable backend participants
- [Egress](https://github.com/livekit/egress): record or multi-stream rooms and export individual tracks
- [Ingress](https://github.com/livekit/ingress): ingest streams from external sources like RTMP, WHIP, HLS, or OBS Studio
## SDKs & Tools
### Client SDKs
Client SDKs enable your frontend to include interactive, multi-user experiences.
<table>
<tr>
<th>Language</th>
<th>Repo</th>
<th>
<a href="https://docs.livekit.io/home/client/events/#declarative-ui" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Declarative UI</a>
</th>
<th>Links</th>
</tr>
<!-- BEGIN Template
<tr>
<td>Language</td>
<td>
<a href="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
END -->
<!-- JavaScript -->
<tr>
<td>JavaScript (TypeScript)</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-js" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">client-sdk-js</a>
</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/livekit-react" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">React</a>
</td>
<td>
<a href="https://docs.livekit.io/client-sdk-js/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">docs</a>
|
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-js/tree/main/example" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">JS example</a>
|
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-js/tree/main/example" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">React example</a>
</td>
</tr>
<!-- Swift -->
<tr>
<td>Swift (iOS / MacOS)</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">client-sdk-swift</a>
</td>
<td>Swift UI</td>
<td>
<a href="https://docs.livekit.io/client-sdk-swift/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">docs</a>
|
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-example-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">example</a>
</td>
</tr>
<!-- Kotlin -->
<tr>
<td>Kotlin (Android)</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-android" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">client-sdk-android</a>
</td>
<td>Compose</td>
<td>
<a href="https://docs.livekit.io/client-sdk-android/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">docs</a>
|
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-android/tree/main/sample-app/src/main/java/io/livekit/android/sample" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">example</a>
|
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-android/tree/main/sample-app-compose/src/main/java/io/livekit/android/composesample" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Compose example</a>
</td>
</tr>
<!-- Flutter -->
<tr>
<td>Flutter (all platforms)</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-flutter" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">client-sdk-flutter</a>
</td>
<td>native</td>
<td>
<a href="https://docs.livekit.io/client-sdk-flutter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">docs</a>
|
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-flutter/tree/main/example" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">example</a>
</td>
</tr>
<!-- Unity -->
<tr>
<td>Unity WebGL</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-unity-web" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">client-sdk-unity-web</a>
</td>
<td></td>
<td>
<a href="https://livekit.github.io/client-sdk-unity-web/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">docs</a>
</td>
</tr>
<!-- React Native -->
<tr>
<td>React Native (beta)</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-react-native" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">client-sdk-react-native</a>
</td>
<td>native</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<!-- Rust -->
<tr>
<td>Rust</td>
<td>
<a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-rust" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">client-sdk-rust</a>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</table>
### Server SDKs
Server SDKs enable your backend to generate [access tokens](https://docs.livekit.io/home/get-started/authentication/),
call [server APIs](https://docs.livekit.io/reference/server/server-apis/), and
receive [webhooks](https://docs.livekit.io/home/server/webhooks/). In addition, the Go SDK includes client capabilities,
enabling you to build automations that behave like end-users.
| Language | Repo | Docs |
| :---------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Go | [server-sdk-go](https://github.com/livekit/server-sdk-go) | [docs](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/livekit/server-sdk-go) |
| JavaScript (TypeScript) | [server-sdk-js](https://github.com/livekit/server-sdk-js) | [docs](https://docs.livekit.io/server-sdk-js/) |
| Ruby | [server-sdk-ruby](https://github.com/livekit/server-sdk-ruby) | |
| Java (Kotlin) | [server-sdk-kotlin](https://github.com/livekit/server-sdk-kotlin) | |
| Python (community) | [python-sdks](https://github.com/livekit/python-sdks) | |
| PHP (community) | [agence104/livekit-server-sdk-php](https://github.com/agence104/livekit-server-sdk-php) | |
### Tools
- [CLI](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli) - command line interface & load tester
- [Docker image](https://hub.docker.com/r/livekit/livekit-server)
- [Helm charts](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-helm)
## Install
> [!TIP]
> We recommend installing [LiveKit CLI](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli) along with the server. It lets you access
> server APIs, create tokens, and generate test traffic.
The following will install LiveKit's media server:
### MacOS
```shell
brew install livekit
```
### Linux
```shell
curl -sSL https://get.livekit.io | bash
```
### Windows
Download the [latest release here](https://github.com/livekit/livekit/releases/latest)
## Getting Started
### Starting LiveKit
Start LiveKit in development mode by running `livekit-server --dev`. It'll use a placeholder API key/secret pair.
```
API Key: devkey
API Secret: secret
```
To customize your setup for production, refer to our [deployment docs](https://docs.livekit.io/deploy/)
### Creating access token
A user connecting to a LiveKit room requires an [access token](https://docs.livekit.io/home/get-started/authentication/#creating-a-token). Access
tokens (JWT) encode the user's identity and the room permissions they've been granted. You can generate a token with our
CLI:
```shell
lk token create \
--api-key devkey --api-secret secret \
--join --room my-first-room --identity user1 \
--valid-for 24h
```
### Test with example app
Head over to our [example app](https://example.livekit.io) and enter a generated token to connect to your LiveKit
server. This app is built with our [React SDK](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-react).
Once connected, your video and audio are now being published to your new LiveKit instance!
### Simulating a test publisher
```shell
lk room join \
--url ws://localhost:7880 \
--api-key devkey --api-secret secret \
--identity bot-user1 \
--publish-demo \
my-first-room
```
This command publishes a looped demo video to a room. Due to how the video clip was encoded (keyframes every 3s),
there's a slight delay before the browser has sufficient data to begin rendering frames. This is an artifact of the
simulation.
## Deployment
### Use LiveKit Cloud
LiveKit Cloud is the fastest and most reliable way to run LiveKit. Every project gets free monthly bandwidth and
transcoding credits.
Sign up for [LiveKit Cloud](https://cloud.livekit.io/).
### Self-host
Read our [deployment docs](https://docs.livekit.io/transport/self-hosting/) for more information.
## Building from source
Pre-requisites:
- Go 1.23+ is installed
- GOPATH/bin is in your PATH
Then run
```shell
git clone https://github.com/livekit/livekit
cd livekit
./bootstrap.sh
mage
```
## Contributing
We welcome your contributions toward improving LiveKit! Please join us
[on Slack](http://livekit.io/join-slack) to discuss your ideas and/or PRs.
## License
LiveKit server is licensed under Apache License v2.0.
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<br/><table>
<thead><tr><th colspan="2">LiveKit Ecosystem</th></tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Agents SDKs</td><td><a href="https://github.com/livekit/agents">Python</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/agents-js">Node.js</a></td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td>LiveKit SDKs</td><td><a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-js">Browser</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-swift">Swift</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-android">Android</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-flutter">Flutter</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-react-native">React Native</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/rust-sdks">Rust</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/node-sdks">Node.js</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/python-sdks">Python</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-unity">Unity</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-unity-web">Unity (WebGL)</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-esp32">ESP32</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-cpp">C++</a></td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td>Starter Apps</td><td><a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-python">Python Agent</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-node">TypeScript Agent</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-react">React App</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-swift">SwiftUI App</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-android">Android App</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-flutter">Flutter App</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-react-native">React Native App</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-embed">Web Embed</a></td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td>UI Components</td><td><a href="https://github.com/livekit/components-js">React</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/components-android">Android Compose</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/components-swift">SwiftUI</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/components-flutter">Flutter</a></td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td>Server APIs</td><td><a href="https://github.com/livekit/node-sdks">Node.js</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/server-sdk-go">Golang</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/server-sdk-ruby">Ruby</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/server-sdk-kotlin">Java/Kotlin</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/python-sdks">Python</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/rust-sdks">Rust</a> · <a href="https://github.com/agence104/livekit-server-sdk-php">PHP (community)</a> · <a href="https://github.com/pabloFuente/livekit-server-sdk-dotnet">.NET (community)</a></td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td>Resources</td><td><a href="https://docs.livekit.io">Docs</a> · <a href="https://docs.livekit.io/mcp">Docs MCP Server</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli">CLI</a> · <a href="https://cloud.livekit.io">LiveKit Cloud</a></td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td>LiveKit Server OSS</td><td><b>LiveKit server</b> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/egress">Egress</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/ingress">Ingress</a> · <a href="https://github.com/livekit/sip">SIP</a></td></tr><tr></tr>
<tr><td>Community</td><td><a href="https://community.livekit.io">Developer Community</a> · <a href="https://livekit.io/join-slack">Slack</a> · <a href="https://x.com/livekit">X</a> · <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@livekit_io">YouTube</a></td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!--END_REPO_NAV-->