API client

Private Videos

Normal

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Artem Matinian

Product updates

NodeJS

The internet is fascinating; vast information zooms through back and forth, enabling millions of people worldwide to share their knowledge and experiences. However, it’s also a place where one must be cautious and protect oneself regarding private content and limit access to personal information, especially videos. We understand that it’s a sensitive topic for many it's difficult to implement on your own, so we created Private Videos.

## Secure & manage access to your videos

Maybe you are asking yourself: “ok, but how does *video privacy setting* help me?”. There are quite a few use cases for private videos, and we’ve discussed the hassle of securing the videos yourself. 

- On-demand videos behind a paywall
- Content Protection
- Video NFTs
- Video for internal use only
- Private video messaging
- Disposable one-time videos

And pretty much any video where you want to limit or restrict access! 🔒

### What are private videos

A private video is a video object secured by a private token and can be consumed only once. After the private token is consumed, the video is only available once you have another private token assigned to it. So, even if your user has the video URL, sharing it with anyone else is useless. 

We tried to make it as simple as possible to secure your videos:

- Create a video container with a `public: false` flag, which will make the video (surprise 🥳) private!
- Private videos will generate a new private token each time a request is made for that video id.
- Each private token is usable only once.

If you like to get into nitty gritty details, feel free to check out our docs about [Private Videos](https://docs.api.video/delivery-analytics/video-privacy-access-management).

### How to deliver private videos to your audience

After you learn how private video works and what it’s good for, we can now talk about the delivery part, which is the most important part. 

To reiterate the private video concept, here’s a visual representation of how the whole thing works:

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Knowing that now we can finally start building stuff! 

It’s that simple! (if you want the advanced stuff, scroll down to “Time to roll up our sleeves!”)

Let’s try to deliver one video in HTML with our own (amazing!) [api.video](http://api.video) player. 

Suppose you already have a cool video uploaded. Go to the dashboard and get make the video private (if it’s not already private)

Now that the video is private, we can deliver it to users. Here’s a quick snippet in HTML that you can use to play your video in the browser. Just copy the code snippet and replace the URL with your private video URL. You can find the video URLs in the Assets section of the Video Details:

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We played the video once with a browser. Now, open another browser tab in incognito mode and play the same video. You can see that it’s gone! no more video! don’t worry; even though the video still exists, the token changes once you consume it. If you refresh the video details page, you’ll notice that the private token has changed. If you paste the URL with the new private token in the `src` you will be able to play the video again in a new tab, but already with a different private token. Cool right? 🙂

### Let’s get programmable

The concept works the same for API requests. You can request the API and fetch the video by id; if it’s a private video the response will give you the URLs with the private tokens (the `XYZ` in the URLs stands for the private token):

test video

### Assets? what assets? 🏠

Notice that JSON above has a field called `assets`. We’ll refer to assets later, but it’s important to know what they are. Assets include the URLs for the video thumbnail, iframe with the [api.video](http://api.video) player for embedding directly into the HTML, and several other video formats like `mp4` and `hls`. Now you know! 💡

### How to create a sample app with private videos

Now that we know the privacy setting concepts, it’s time to write some example apps that will give us a small glimpse into what powerful tool we are dealing with here.  

Let’s assume that we want to build an app that will display all the private video thumbnails on our website and make them clickable so it will open a video once it’s clicked. Something like that:

On the backend, we will have to do some magic. While with public videos it’s pretty simple as just returning the videos, for private videos we will need to get the session first. Let’s look at the HTML code:

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Notice the `avh` parameter in the query string? The `avh` parameter is where you will pass the session token... oh wait, what's a session token?!

### Session token & session management

Session Tokens are designed to retain the same session for a user. Let’s take an example - a user opened a tab with the private video and would like to refresh the tab, or the video didn’t work with our player for whatever reason. Hence, you redirect the user to an mp4 version of that video (different asset). For these cases, we’ve created the session tokens.

There are two types of tokens for private videos:

- **Private token** (which we already discussed): generated every time you pull a private video from the API.
- **Session token**: This token is used to retain the private video session with the same private token.

At a very high level, to request different assets for the same private video, more than having the private token is required; you also need to retain the session. For that, we have the session token. In the flowchart below, you can see that for each private video, we are using a session token + the private token:

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So let’s get a bit technical here. To start the session, you will need to request the `/session` endpoint, get the session token, add it to the first asset you request, and then add it to every following asset you request. In the example above, we will request the `/session` endpoint, then add the session token to the query string of the private video thumbnail → request an embedded video asset with the session token in the query string → request a private video asset in mp4 format with the session token, and so on, you got the idea 😄

In other words:

Get the session token:
`GET https://vod.api.video/vod/{videoId}/token/{private token}/session`

Response:
`{"session_token": "111-222-333"}`

Now we can request the private video thumbnail asset → embedded video → mp4:

`GET https://vod.api.video/vod/{video id}/token/{private token}/thumbnail.jpg?avh={session token}`

`GET https://embed.api.video/vod/{video id}?token={private token}&avh={session token}`

`GET https://vod.api.video/vod/{video id}/token/{private token}/mp4/source.mp4?avh={session token}`

Sample runnable code of the above app in Node.js:

Let’s do a step-by-step review of what we are doing here.

1. We are creating a server that will serve HTML on port 3000 with Node.js
2. To make it easy on ourselves, we create a wrapper that will make an HTTP request to [api.video](http://api.video) with api key already embedded in HTTP header. That’s the `apiVideoReq` function.
3. We will get a raw response from the apiVideoReq, so need to create a parser that will parse the JSON response if the request is successful (200). That’s going to be the `getJsonResponse` 
4. Then we need to create a function that will get the list of our videos. That’s pretty simple with the wrapper function we have, so let’s reuse the `apiVideoReq` and make a request to `[https://ws.api.video/videos](https://ws.api.video/videos)` endpoint. You can find more info about the `/videos` endpoint [here](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#list-all-video-objects).
The response we'll get is an array of objects of the following format:

Notice that the second object has a property `public` which is set to `false` , which means that the video is private; hence we need to get all of these videos. 

1. Extract all the private videos from the list by creating an iterator that will run through the array of objects and get each video with the flag `public` set to `false` pushing only the assets and video id into a new array.
2. If you remember, we need to get the session token by requesting the /session endpoint. The endpoint accepts the video id and private token; however, if you notice the private token is only in the URL. So let’s extract it! we can use this simple regex to extract it from the embedded URL `(?<=token=).*$` 
3. We first extract the private token from the URL and map it to the asset objects (with the video URL, video id, etc.) 
4. Then we request the /session endpoint passing in the video id and private token, and we get the session_token. Now we can also map to the same asset object.
5. We’re almost done; hang in there! now let’s get generate `<img>` tags with the src as the asset thumbnails and add the session token in the query string as an `avh` parameter, i.e: `<img src=https://vod.api.video/vod/AABBCC/token/c77d7bf3-4e2f-4a85-9e15-5c35992c11fc/thumbnail.jpg?avh={{session token}}>` .  Then in the same line generate the <a href> tag that will lead us to the actual video, and as you understood already, it too has to include the session token, i.e: `<a href=https://embed.api.video/vod/AABBCC?token=c77d7bf3-4e2f-4a85-9e15-5c35992c11fc&avh={{session token}}>`
6. And lastly, generate the HTML `<head>` and `<body>` while encapsulating the `<a href><img></a>` we’ve already created, and…. DONE!

Now you have clickable thumbnails of your private videos which you can secure behind user credentials for example 🙂

Let’s summarize what we’ve learned here:

- We’ve understood how private videos work and the purpose of private videos with real-life use cases.
- We’ve also built a small app to leverage private videos to create clickable thumbnails with minimal code.

If you have any questions or feedback about this article, do not hesitate to contact our support. You can also find the docs for private videos [here](https://docs.api.video/delivery-analytics/video-privacy-access-management).

Create, deliver, and manage private videos

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Video Access Management: How to create, deliver, and manage private videos and what are they anyway?

Delegated Upload

Video upload

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GitHub Yohann

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LinkedIn Yohann

Yohann Martzolff

Tutorials

JavaScript

React

Next.js

Uploading a video to [api.video](http://api.video) can be done in several ways: 

- **API:** make calls to get the mandatory information such as access token, create your fully customized video container, and finally upload your video file 🧑‍💻.
It’s the most secure way to upload, but it requires a backend to hide sensitive data and several API calls. Even though it’s easy, customizable, and reliable, you may need a faster way to do this.
- **TypeScript uploader:** [api.video](http://api.video) provides a [TypeScript uploader](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@api.video/video-uploader) that allows you to upload video directly to your workspace without calling the API. You can even choose between three upload methods 🤩!
Don’t forget you still have to implement a UI for your uploader if it’s not already done!
- **React upload button:** a few weeks ago, we quietly released the first version of our [React upload button on NPM.js](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@api.video/react-upload-button).
This new package allows you to display a fully customizable button in your application in less than a minute!
Today, we will see together how to get mandatory information from a Node backend to use this React component without exposing any sensitive data 🔒.

## **Prerequisites**

- [React](https://reactjs.org/docs/getting-started.html) and [NodeJS](https://nodejs.org/en/) knowledge
- For the simplicity of this example, we’ll use [Next.js](https://nextjs.org/), a React framework that provides an already implemented Node server. Basic knowledge of it can help you go through this tutorial.

Remember that any Node backend will work to get information, as seen in this article.

## Get started

You need an [api.video](http://api.video) account to work with our API and our packages.

[**Create a free one or log into yours just here.**](https://dashboard.api.video/login)

## 1. Create a new Next.js application

From your command line, run one of the below commands:

Once completed, open your new Next.js application in your favorite IDE and run it:

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## 2. Get the required packages

To complete this tutorial, we’ll need two [api.video](http://api.video) packages 🛠️

- **NodeJS client package:** to access the API with ease
- **React upload button:** to upload our videos

From your application root, run this command:

## 3. Create a .env.development file

Create a `.env.development` file at the root of your application and store two environment variables in it:

- The **Next.js public API host:** to access the implemented Node.js API from Next
- Your **API key value:** to instantiate the Node.js client from api.video

You can find your API key in the **[API keys section of the api.video dashboard](https://dashboard.api.video/apikeys)**.

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⚠️ You need to **restart your application** each time you’ve made changes in your .env.development. Otherwise, you cannot access new environment values.

## 4. Create your API endpoint

In this part, we want to create **one API endpoint** that allows us to make **two actions**:

- **Retrieve** our upload tokens list
- **Create** one if needed

To do this, we will differentiate the calls to this endpoint by HTTP methods:

- **GET** to retrieve our upload tokens list
- **POST** to create one upload token

Create a new file under the `/pages/api` directory in your application and name it `uploadTokens.ts`

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### Retrieve your upload tokens list

In your brand new `uploadTokens.ts` file, create your endpoint and the method to retrieve your upload tokens list. Copy and paste the code below:

*[Find the official documentation for the upload tokens list method here.](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-nodejs-client/blob/main/doc/api/UploadTokensApi.md#list---list-all-active-upload-tokens)*

### Create a new upload token

We may need to generate a new upload token if we don’t have any available.
Add the creation method in your `uploadTokens.ts` file:

*[Find the official documentation for the upload token createToken method here.](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-nodejs-client/blob/main/doc/api/UploadTokensApi.md#createtoken---generate-an-upload-token)*

## 5. Call your API

Now we can **retrieve our upload tokens list** and **generate a new one** on demand. We’ll see how to make it happens from the **front end.**

Let’s clean our Home component 🧹
Go to your `pages/index.tsx` file and modify it:

Now our app is nice and clean, let’s implement our logic in 2 steps:

- We want to check if we have any available upload tokens from our upload tokens list.
- If we do not have any upload token, we want to create one.

### Set your upload token

Create a new method that calls your API endpoint `uploadTokens` to retrieve your list, and create one if the list is empty. You should call it in a useEffect inside your Home component:

Call the method in a useEffect inside your Home component:

## 6. Click. It’s magic! 🧚

Already? 😱

Everything should work well now. Click on the displayed button in your application and choose a file to upload to your [api.video](http://api.video) workspace.

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## 7. Customize your upload button 💅

You can customize multiple things to make your upload button unique:

- CSS: make it looks the way you want
- Progress event: trigger a callback on upload progress
- Success event: trigger a callback on upload success
- Error event: trigger a callback on upload error

**[Check our complete list of examples for inspiration](https://codesandbox.io/s/great-shtern-0ck5eo?file=/src/App.tsx)** 🧘

How to upload a video with React and NodeJS

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live - create

React Native

In this tutorial, you will learn how to build our own live streaming broadcast application with React Native and api.video.
We're also going to use TypeScript, but you can choose either TypeScript or JavaScript. Both work well with api.video's clients. For further details, check out our [official repository](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-reactnative-live-stream).

Congratulations! The live streaming app is done!

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## Getting started

First, follow the development setup steps from [React Native's official documentation](https://reactnative.dev/docs/environment-setup).

If you're new to React Native, you may also need to [learn the basics](https://reactnative.dev/docs/tutorial).

Make sure that you have the latest Node stable version installed.

*Quick reminder: iOS development is only enabled for macOS users. If you're on Windows or Linux, you can develop for Android.*

The official React Native documentation states, "you can follow the **Expo CLI Quickstart** to learn how to build your iOS app using Expo instead."


## Create a new React Native app

Open a new terminal. Go to the folder of your choice and run the following command to create a new React Native application with TypeScript:

### Launch the application

Inside your new project start Metro to bundle your application:

Once Metro is connected and ready, open another terminal. Go to your project folder, and launch your application.

This command line can take several minutes to finish, stay calm and grab a coffee ☕

If everything is set up correctly, you should see your new app running in your iOS / Android emulator like this

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## Add the live stream client to your app

Congratulations! 🎉 You've just created a React Native application!
Now, it's time to install the [api.video RTMP live stream client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-reactnative-live-stream) into it to live stream directly from your mobile device for free.


### Installation

At this time, the `npx react-native init` command creates a React Native application with `yarn`.

Yarn is a package manager, like NPM. Don't worry if you've not worked with it before; it's easy to use and similar to NPM.


To install the api.video RTMP live stream client, open a terminal. Go to your project folder and run this command:

For iOS usage, you will need to complete two more steps:
1. Install the native dependencies with [Cocoapods](https://cocoapods.org/):

2. This project contains Swift code. If it's your first dependency with swift code, you’ll need to create an empty Swift file in your project (with the bridging header) from Xcode. [You can find instructions here](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-reactnative-live-stream/#ios).


### Permissions

⚠️ Both iOS and Android need permission to broadcast from your device's camera and record audio.

You will also need to ask for internet permission for Android.

#### Android

From your project folder, open the `AndroidManifest.xml` file. It’s located in the `LiveStreamApp/android/app/src/main` directory.
Add the following content just under the opening `<manifest>` tag to enable internet, audio recording, and the camera for your application:

#### iOS

From your project folder, open the `Info.plist` file. It’s located in the `LiveStreamApp/ios/LiveStreamApp` directory.
Add the following content just under the opening `<dict>` tag to enable the camera and microphone:

Don't forget to add the app description, as shown above, if you want to deploy your application in stores.

#### Sign your iOS application (optional)

You may need to [sign your iOS application](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-reactnative-live-stream#ios). I recommend doing it now to avoid issues later. 

### Usage

#### Component

Change your `App.tsx` file with the following code:

⚠️ You may need to relaunch your Metro after this.

A black screen with a round button at the bottom should appear in your emulator: it's your live stream view.

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#### Launch your first live stream

If you want to test to live stream from an actual device (iOS in our case), open Xcode. Click on “Open a project or file,” select the `LiveStreamApp/ios` folder, and open it.
Connect your device to your iMac/Macbook and run your application.
For Android, you can check the [official documentation](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/device).

You will need to change `YOUR_STREAM_KEY` to a real one. You can find yours in the [api.video dashboard](https://dashboard.api.video/). If you don't have an account yet, create one, it's free.
Then, create a livestream from the overview or the “Live streams” page.

Find this action card and click on "Start live stream"

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A modal will appear with several pieces of information in it, including the shareable link and stream key. Save the shareable link to access your live stream later.

This modal should appear once you click on "Start live stream"

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💡 You can also use the [api.video](https://api.video/) API to create a live stream and retrieve your stream key dynamically. [Find how to do this right here](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Live-Streams#create-live-stream).

Paste your stream key in place of `YOUR_STREAM_KEY`.

Click on the button in your application; it should turn red. Them, go to the shareable link you just saved. There you go! You can see what your mobile is streaming in real-time! If it's not the case, wait a few seconds and check your stream key value.


## Make it dynamic

Our application is working; we can now do an actual live stream directly from our smartphone. 
But api.video RTMP live stream client allows us to customize our live stream the way we want. 
In this section, we will see how to customize our live stream parameters and make our application UI better.

Check the [official README](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-reactnative-live-stream/tree/v1.0.0) for exhaustive information about the `@api.video/react-native-livestream` package.

Some properties can be updated during the live stream:

- Camera: front or back
- Audio: muted or not

We can leave these properties on the live stream view. This way, we can update them during our live stream.


### Add icons

We will need icons in our application.
Install the corresponding dependency before going further.

1. Stop your application
2. Delete the pods (only for iOS usage.)

3. Add the [react-native-vector-icons](https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-native-vector-icons) NPM package:

4. Go into `/ios` and install your pods (only for iOS usage.)

5. To display an icon, import it and use it as a component

⚠️ An import error could be displayed in Visual Studio Code, but it should work anyway.


### Live stream view

Right now, we only have a single button at the bottom of our live stream view, contained in the `App.tsx` file.

We can customize this component a little bit to make it more obvious.

#### Streaming button

Let's add text if our live stream is not running and an icon when it is.
Replace the above code by this one:

Don't forget to update your style to display the streaming button conditionally:

#### Camera button

To change the camera input (front or back), we need to add a button we can access during our live stream.

To do this, a local state is needed, like the `streaming` one:

1. Add it in your `App` component and replace your static string for the camera props:

2. Handle the change of camera with this handler. Place it in your `App` component:

3. Add this code under your streaming button. It’s our camera icon component:

When you press the camera icon, displayed in the bottom right corner, you should switch from the back camera to the front and vice versa.

#### Muted button

We may want to mute our stream at a specific time. For this, we also need a local state and a button.

1. Add a new local state under the other ones and replace your static boolean for the `isMuted` props:

2. Handle the change of `muted` state with this handler. Place it in your `App` component:

3. Add this code under your camera button. It’s our mute icon component:

When you press the mute icon, displayed in the bottom left corner, you should switch from muted to unmuted.

And voilà! You can now launch a live stream directly from your device, choose which camera you want to use, and allow sound recording or not.

## And now what?

Congratulations! You just created a fully functional live streaming broadcast application. You can go further and implement the logic to modify all other settings provided by [api.video](https://api.video).
You can check the [React Native live streaming sample application](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-reactnative-live-stream/tree/main/example) to get an idea of the potential of this tool (product?).

api.video provides two development environments. The sandbox allows you to live stream directly from your computer or mobile, but a watermark will be applied to your video and there is a 30 minute limit for live streams. 

To avoid these limitations, try one of the plans found [here](https://api.video/pricing) and go into production mode 🚀

How to build a live streaming app in 3 steps

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Thibault Beyou

Swift

[api.video](https://api.video) removes the complexity from streaming video. Our simple to use APIs allow you to focus on creating your content -- leave the video streaming details to us.

Few months ago, we announced our [Android API client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-android-client), we are now happy to announce the release of our [Swift API client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client) for iOS, macOS and tvOS. We are replacing the iOS SDK to simplify api.video usages and deployment of the new version. It also provides support for [api.video progressive upload](https://api.video/progressive-upload). We will focus on the progressive upload part in another blog articles.

The [Swift API client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client) comes with:
* [documentation](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client#documentation
* [sample code](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client/tree/main/Example).

This article is a walkthrough to upload a file with [Swift API client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client).

## Installation
### Cocoapods

1.  Add the following entry to your `Podfile`:

2. Then run `pod install`

3. Import ApiVideoClient in every file you’d like to use [Swift API client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client).

### Carthage

1.  Add the following entry to your `Cartfile`:

2. Then run `carthage update`

3. Import ApiVideoClient in every file you’d like to use [Swift API client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client).

## Swift API configuration

To use the Swift API client, you first have to import the `ApiVideoClient`.

`ApiVideoClient` class provides static fields and methods to configure the Swift API client. You can set your API key, your environment (sandbox or production), chunk size,...

Set your API key with:


If you want to target the sandbox environment:

## Create a video file

If you haven't create a video on api.video, you have to create a video entry on api.video platform with:

Description of the fields of `VideoCreationPayload` is provided [here](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client/blob/main/docs/VideoCreationPayload.md).

## Upload a video file

To upload a file, you will have to get the `URL` of your file. You can get it from the image picker component. Have a look at our a [sample code](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client/tree/main/Example).


If you want to draw a progress bar that displays the upload progress, there is a `onProgressReady: ((Progress) -> Void)` parameter to the `upload` method.

## Swift API client capabilities

The [Swift API client](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client) provides methods to perform every possible actions on the [api.video](https://api.video) API such as list videos (with filters), delete video, add/remove captions,...
If you are not familiar with [api.video](https://api.video) API, you should have a look on [api.video documentation documentation](https://docs.api.video/reference). You will find the same concepts in the [Swift API client documentation](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-client#documentation). 

## Swift video uploader

If you want to develop an application that only uploads video files. You should have a look at the [Swift video uploader](https://github.com/apivideo/api.video-swift-uploader).

Don't hesitate to share your feedback on [our community](https://community.api.video/). Happy building!

New Swift API client for iOS, macOS and tvOS

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codec

video create

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Cédric Montet

At api.video, our goal is for video to be easy and affordable for anyone to build, be it individuals or organizations. We understand that achieving this goal means reducing costs at some stage of the video streaming process. That’s why, we now offer adaptive bitrate encoding for your videos at zero cost. 

&nbsp;

Yes, you heard me right. 

&nbsp;

**Encoding videos will be absolutely free for all video qualities (1080p or 4K) at [api.video](https://api.video/) - no hidden calculations, footer notes or tricks.**

(Check out this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouosgLbW7Ts) for more details) 


## A step towards making video streaming affordable

Video encoding is crucial as it makes it possible for videos to be shared and played smoothly on the internet. It is why we are easily able to consume various types of video media, whether it’s a YouTube video, our favorite shows on Netflix, or even catching up with friends across the globe on Zoom. Video encoding basically makes the world go around in regards to anything related to video and video content.

&nbsp;

We at api.video recognize that. From [increasing the transcoding and playback speed ](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/2021-in-review/)to building [specialized hardware like ASICs](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/the-comeback-of-specialized-hardware/) cards to increase our transcoding capacities, we've been working to make video streaming easier for you every day. And after dedicating ample time to engaging with our customers and learning about their concerns, free encoding seemed to be the next step in this direction. 

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So, we worked tirelessly behind the scenes to give you what no one else will - free encoding for all video qualities, be it 360p or 4K. 

## How does free video encoding benefit you as a customer

The benefit is straightforward: you save a LOT of money!

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- With free video encoding, you will have one less thing to worry about. As you know, you pay for three things for streaming videos — encoding, hosting, and delivery – out of which encoding is the most expensive, especially if you have a lot of videos. Free video encoding will allow you to focus your attention and resources to what is most important.

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- As the video needs of your app users grow, you might need to scale up your encoding capacity. Free video encoding services will give you the power to scale without any additional costs, meaning your users can handle more videos without increasing your expenses.

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- You can [migrate from your previous provider to api.video](https://api.video/compare/azure-media-services/) without paying an ‘entry tax’ to us. With free video encoding, you no longer need to spend money on encoding videos with a new provider when you have already paid for encoding with an older one.

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Now with all the saved cost, you can allocate your resources and money to a place where it is actually important – building your product and delighting your users. 

## How to get started

To use the free video encoding benefit, getting started is easy. 

&nbsp;

- If you’re a new user, [sign-up](https://dashboard.api.video/register) for a free sandbox account and start uploading your videos
- If you are looking to migrate from another vendor, [import](https://import.api.video/) your videos from your current vendor
- If you have any questions, [talk to us](https://meetings.hubspot.com/diego398/cc-talk-to-us?__hstc=54467703.754940701eda85e3c99a902d8ab0b988.1687266643206.1694417789132.1694427271479.149&__hssc=54467703.3.1694427271479&__hsfp=3654297906) by booking a slot in our calendar

&nbsp;

To know more about our[ features](https://api.video/features/), [pricing](https://api.video/pricing/) or ask any other questions, [talk to our team ](https://meetings.hubspot.com/diego398/cc-talk-to-us?__hstc=54467703.754940701eda85e3c99a902d8ab0b988.1687266643206.1694162373815.1694167498585.144&__hssc=54467703.1.1694167498585&__hsfp=3654297906)and we will help you out. 

&nbsp;

Or, you can straightaway [sign-up](https://dashboard.api.video/register) for a free sandbox account and check our product out for yourself. 


Huge pricing update: Introducing video encoding at no cost

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api.video

Video trends

Modern technology has been helpful for an increasingly fast and simple method of consuming various types of video media, whether it’s a YouTube video, our favorite shows on Netflix, or even catching up with friends across the globe on Zoom. Despite the relative ease of doing anything related to video, a few complex processes take place behind the scenes, away from public view. One such process is video encoding.

Video encoding basically makes the world go around in regards to anything related to video and video content. Thanks to the technologies behind the video encoding process, it has become much easier for people and companies to share video content on the internet. But what exactly is video encoding, and what happens during the process? We’ll take a closer look at this and much more in this handy guide to video encoding.

## What is video encoding?

In a nutshell, video encoding occurs when you take raw video footage, either from a digital camera or an analog film camera, and digitally compress it to make it a more manageable file size. Video encoding happens daily in both professional and personal capacities, and many people don’t realize it.

But, without encoding, services like Netflix and YouTube would not exist – or, at least, not in the same way that it does today. Without it, we couldn’t send videos of our beloved pets to our friends and family as easily as we can today.

## Why is video encoding used?

There are a variety of reasons why video encoding is used, but all factors point to the single function of video encoding – **compression**.

This is done to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with a selected suite of software and hardware, be it for DVD/Blu-ray playback, mobile viewing, online video streaming, or general video editing. A file's video and audio information undergo transformation and compression during the encoding process, all in accordance with the requirements of the selected encoding standard.

On a professional level, the ability to compress raw video into more manageable sizes makes it easier to transmit video content such as training, promotion, presentation, and so on over the internet. 

On a personal level, video encoding makes it much easier to send videos taken from your phone directly to friends and family. Most modern-day personal devices have built-in video encoding capabilities to allow for this to happen without a second thought.

To put things in perspective, uncompressed or unencoded video can have a data rate that’s as low as 3,000 Mbps and as high as 12,000 Mbps, depending on the length and quality of the video recorded. 

**Without encoding, it would take up to days for anyone to not just transmit video, but to be able to consume it, too.**

## Differences between video encoding and video transcoding

You need to be familiar with two more [essential terms related to video encoding](https://api.video/what-is/) – transcoding and codecs.

Transcoding relates to the conversion from one digital encoding format to another. It takes the already encoded video file, decompresses it, and then alters it before re-encoding or compressing it into a different codec. Codecs are what allow encoding to occur in the first place. They are software or hardware that gives us the ability to compress video to make them more easily stored and delivered tightly.

While you may hear “encoding” and “transcoding” used interchangeably, the two terms actually mean different things. Putting it succinctly, encoding is the initial process of compressing a video from a source – such as a camera – into a codec, while transcoding takes an already encoded video file to convert it into a different codec.

## Examples of video codecs

In order to understand video encoding, you must first be familiar with two interrelated terms: [video codecs and video formats](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/every-video-format-codec-and-container-explained/). These also tend to be used interchangeably, but much like the terms encoding and transcoding, they refer to two different things.

Video formats are the type of files in which the compressed video/audio is stored. Also known as a “container”, you can tell what a video format is by looking at the file’s extension — the three to four characters that sit after a period in a file name. Here are some of the most common video formats used today:

* MP4
* FLV
* MOV
* MKV
* LXF
* MXF
* AVI
* WebM
* QT

On the other hand, **the codec is short for “Coder / Decoder” (compression / decompression)** and relates to the video compression algorithms that allow encoding to happen. Over the years, codecs have gone through multiple iterations as it coincides with the increasing sophistication and rise in the quality of filmmaking. 

If you’re a content creator, you might be aware of some of the video codecs that exist today:

- **H.264 – also known as AVC, this is the most widely-used video codec available on every platform and mobile device.**
- H.265 – also known as HEVC, stands for High-Efficiency Video Coding, and it’s slowly overtaking H.264 as the standard. This codec can compress video much more efficiently than its predecessor.
- **VP9 – is an open-source, royalty-free codec developed by Google and is considered the direct competitor of H.265. The video compression codec VP9 was created to reduce file sizes, making streaming videos simpler.**
- **AV1 – is another royalty-free, open-source codec released in 2019 by the non-profit Alliance for Open Media. It was developed to become the successor to Google’s VP9 and contend with HEVC more directly.**

## How do different technologies handle video encoding

As you may have suspected, there are a majority of ways that different technologies handle the video encoding process. Let’s take a look at the most common technologies that use video and how video encoding works on each of them:

### Video editing software

When it comes to video content creation, a majority of people will use one of two video editing software — Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple’s Final Cut Pro. Both of these video editing software handle video encoding in very similar ways: when exporting the finished video.

Depending on which device the video content is recorded on, it will already be encoded and formatted according to the settings of the device. For those using iPhones recording 1080p video at 25 frames per second (FPS), for example, the iPhone will automatically encode the video using H.264 and contain it in a .mov file format. The video editing software will “open up” the container to get to the encoded, compressed video file within so the editing process can begin.

After editing the footage is complete, it will need to be exported, which typically concerns video encoding. The edited raw media taken from a recording device such as a camera will be encoded via the codec of the person’s choosing before being put into a .mp4 container once they’ve hit “export”. As we’ve mentioned before, the most common codec used in video content creation is H.264 for HD videos, with 4K videos using H.265. 

### Websites

Different websites utilize different techniques to handle video encoding – with a majority of the major sites like YouTube, Netflix, and so on using their own technologies to handle the process. A majority of social media websites allow you to upload video files directly onto the site to share, although most of them require the files to be saved in specific containers. 

These websites will take your video file and transcode it before using their own systems and serves to re-encode it to match multiple display resolutions. This process will happen regardless of your video file's original codec and settings. Different websites have different processes, but companies that don’t have the capacity to build their own video encoding systems can use a third-party application programming interface (or API) to handle this process. These APIs act as [dedicated video encoder](https://api.video/encoding/) that allows companies to add on-demand videos to their websites more efficiently.

Using [api.video](http://api.video) as an example, all of the videos submitted to the platform will be transformed into H.264 codec in an MP4 container. This may be done using transmuxing and/or transcoding.

We expect the video bitrate to be lower than 16 Mbps for up to 1080p resolution and 50 Mbps for up to 4K resolution. We accept any bitrates, however, we will scale them down to the limits mentioned because anything above is usually challenging for most viewers’ connection to watch.

### API

The ability to generate, store, and distribute video is made possible via a video API. [api.video](http://api.video)’s solution can be tailored to suit any specific need. 

The backend process of video on demand (VOD) is exceptionally complex, even if you’re a software programmer specializing in video. It is necessary to encode, package, and typically transcode the data before sending it to any of several possible destinations. All of these things, and more, may be done with minimal fuss using api.video.

Our API basically keeps the complexities of streaming media hidden from view, so you can rapidly develop apps with as much control as you need. This saves time and effort so developers can concentrate on making the product.

## Conclusion

As you can see through this video encoding guide, a lot of work goes into making the video you watch and the video you share possible. Without video encoding compressing raw video footage, it could take days to upload and transmit video content over the internet and perhaps even longer to be able to download and enjoy them. 

The best part about encoding at api.video is that is offered at ZERO cost. You will only be charged for delivery and hosting of your videos, and the encoding will be free. Now integrate your videos in minutes with api.video or [contact us](https://api.video/contact) for more information.

A Guide to Video Encoding & Video Codecs

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Erikka Innes

Encoding and transcoding are often used interchangeably but they have slightly different definitions. **Encoding is the initial process of converting raw video files into a specific digital format or codec.** It involves compressing and packaging the video data, often to reduce file size while maintaining acceptable quality. Encoding prepares the video for storage, transmission, or playback.

&nbsp;

**Transcoding, on the other hand, involves converting a video from one digital format or codec to another.** This is typically done to optimize the video for different devices or platforms, adapt to varying network conditions, or ensure compatibility with specific playback requirements. Transcoding occurs after encoding and often involves changing resolution, bitrates, or formats without altering the content itself.

## What goes on behind encoding a video?

It's easy to say that encoding is when you go from an _uncompressed source_ to a _compressed source_, but you may ask, what exactly do compressed and uncompressed sources mean?

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Uncompressed sources are video files that contain data that comes directly from a camera sensor vs. encoded video. In the digital space, it's SDI (Serial Digital Interface) or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface). Both of them are popular standards. You'll find HDMI in places like your GoPro camera, or a mini camcorder. These days, you might also find HDMI in professional settings, but SDI is more common due to its reliability. Another example of an uncompressed source would be something analog, for instance, VHS tapes.

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A compressed sources, on the other hand, are video files that have undergone compression during the encoding process. Compression involves reducing the file size by removing unnecessary information or encoding the data in a more efficient format. This process results in a smaller file size, making it more manageable for storage, transmission, and playback.


## What are the types of transcoding methods?

There are three types of transcoding, depending on what you are trying to do to get a video to suit a particular browser, player, or platform:

* **Lossless-to-lossless** - This type of transcoding maintains the quality of your video across formats but allows you to take advantage of better hardware or compression algorithms. 
* **Lossless-to-lossy** - This type of transcoding will decrease your video in quality, but it will benefit you in ways such as – you will get a smaller and/or faster playing file, or a file that is compatible with the requirements of a particular platform, player, or browser.
* **Lossy-to-lossless** - Sometimes people think this means they are regaining quality. This isn't the case in this type of transcoding. If you transcode from a lossy format to a lossless format, all that it means is that you will not lose additional quality in the conversion process. You will not regain data you already lost through compression.

## Codecs for encoding and transcoding

For both encoding and transcoding, you will need to make use of codecs. A codec's job is to compress and decompress video files. It's right there in the name -  **co**mpress **dec**ompress or encode decode. So basically, codec is an algorithm that takes the video and shrinks it or changes it into a format that makes it compatible with the requirements of wherever you want the video to play. There are many codecs because there are many ways to compress a video or livestream for playback.



## What is transmuxing?

Now that you know the difference between encoding and transcoding, let's throw one more term in there - transmuxing. Transmuxing is when you change the container for a video instead of the format. It's a way of repackaging a video to make it compatible somewhere without changing what's in the file. 

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This process is faster than encoding or transcoding and takes less computing power because you only change the container, not the file. It's great when you need to quickly make something available, but the downside is that it doesn't handle things like making multiple video resolutions available. If you choose a container type that's incompatible with your video file, you may also cause compatibility issues, resulting in not being able to play the video.

## In closing

* **Encoding** - Encoding happens when you compress a raw data file from a video camera sensor or an analog source like a VHS tape. 
* **Transcoding** - Transcoding happens when you take an already compressed video file and change it to another format.
* **Transmuxing** - Transmuxing happens when you change the container of a video file but leave the video file untouched. 

We hope that explains the difference between encoding and transcoding clearly. 

_If you are looking for an affordable video API solution that does not burn a hole in your pocket for transcoding and encoding videos, check out our offerings on our [homepage](https://api.video/) or [sign-up for a free account here](https://dashboard.api.video/register)!_

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Huge pricing update! Introducing video encoding at zero cost