The OpenTok Node SDK provides methods for:

• Generating sessions and tokens for OpenTok applications
• Working with OpenTok archives
• Working with OpenTok live streaming broadcasts
• Working with OpenTok SIP interconnect
• Sending signals to clients connected to a session
• Disconnecting clients from sessions
• Forcing clients in a session to disconnect or mute published audio

If you are looking for the JavaScript Client SDK please see the @opentok/client NPM module.

This library is designed to work with the Tokbox/OpenTok platform, part of the Vonage Video API. If you are looking to use the Vonage Video API and using the Vonage Customer Dashboard, you will want to install the Vonage Server SDK for Node, which includes support for the Vonage Video API.

Not sure which exact platform you are using? Take a look at this guide.

If you are using the Tokbox platform, do not worry! The Tokbox platform is not going away, and this library will continue to be updated. While we encourage customers to check out the new Unified platform, there is no rush to switch. Both platforms run the exact same infrastructure and capabilities, with the main difference being a unified billing interface and easier access to Vonage’s other CPaaS APIs.

If you are new to the Vonage Video API, head on over to the Vonage Customer Dashboard to sign up for a developer account and check out the Vonage Server SDK for Node.

npm helps manage dependencies for node projects. Find more info here: http://npmjs.org.

Run this command to install the package and adding it to your package.json:

$ npm install opentok --save

Import the module to get a constructor function for an OpenTok object, then call it with new to instantiate an OpenTok object with your own API Key and API Secret.

const OpenTok = require("opentok");
const opentok = new OpenTok(apiKey, apiSecret);

The library currently has a 20 second timeout for requests. If you're on a slow network, and you need to increase the timeout, you can pass it (in milliseconds) when instantiating the OpenTok object.

const OpenTok = require("opentok");
const opentok = new OpenTok(apiKey, apiSecret, { timeout: 30000});

To create an OpenTok Session, use the OpenTok.createSession(properties, callback) method. The properties parameter is an optional object used to specify whether the session uses the OpenTok Media Router, to specify a location hint, and to specify whether the session will be automatically archived or not. The callback has the signature function(error, session). The session returned in the callback is an instance of Session. Session objects have a sessionId property that is useful to be saved to a persistent store (such as a database).

// Create a session that will attempt to transmit streams directly between
// clients. If clients cannot connect, the session uses the OpenTok TURN server:
opentok.createSession(function (err, session) {
  if (err) return console.log(err);

  // save the sessionId
  db.save("session", session.sessionId, done);
});

// The session will the OpenTok Media Router:
opentok.createSession({ mediaMode: "routed" }, function (err, session) {
  if (err) return console.log(err);

  // save the sessionId
  db.save("session", session.sessionId, done);
});

// A Session with a location hint
opentok.createSession({ location: "12.34.56.78" }, function (err, session) {
  if (err) return console.log(err);

  // save the sessionId
  db.save("session", session.sessionId, done);
});

// A Session with an automatic archiving
opentok.createSession({ mediaMode: "routed", archiveMode: "always" }, function (
  err,
  session
) {
  if (err) return console.log(err);

  // save the sessionId
  db.save("session", session.sessionId, done);
});

Once a Session is created, you can start generating Tokens for clients to use when connecting to it. You can generate a token by calling the OpenTok.generateToken(sessionId, options) method. Another way is to call the generateToken(options) method of a Session object. The options parameter is an optional object used to set the role, expire time, and connection data of the Token. For layout control in archives and broadcasts, the initial layout class list of streams published from connections using this token can be set as well.

// Generate a Token from just a sessionId (fetched from a database)
token = opentok.generateToken(sessionId);

// Generate a Token from a session object (returned from createSession)
token = session.generateToken();

// Set some options in a Token
token = session.generateToken({
  role: "moderator",
  expireTime: new Date().getTime() / 1000 + 7 * 24 * 60 * 60, // in one week
  data: "name=Johnny",
  initialLayoutClassList: ["focus"],
});

You can start the recording of an OpenTok Session using the OpenTok.startArchive(sessionId, options, callback) method. The options parameter is an optional object used to set the name of the Archive. The callback has the signature function(err, archive). The archive returned in the callback is an instance of Archive. Note that you can only start an archive on a Session with connected clients.

opentok.startArchive(sessionId, { name: "Important Presentation" }, function (
  err,
  archive
) {
  if (err) {
    return console.log(err);
  } else {
    // The id property is useful to save off into a database
    console.log("new archive:" + archive.id);
  }
});

You can also disable audio or video recording by setting the hasAudio or hasVideo property of the options parameter to false:

var archiveOptions = {
  name: "Important Presentation",
  hasVideo: false, // Record audio only
};
opentok.startArchive(sessionId, archiveOptions, function (err, archive) {
  if (err) {
    return console.log(err);
  } else {
    // The id property is useful to save to a database
    console.log("new archive:" + archive.id);
  }
});

By default, all streams are recorded to a single (composed) file. You can record the different streams in the session to individual files (instead of a single composed file) by setting the outputMode option to 'individual' when you call the OpenTok.startArchive() method:

var archiveOptions = {
  name: "Important Presentation",
  outputMode: "individual",
};
opentok.startArchive(sessionId, archiveOptions, function (err, archive) {
  if (err) {
    return console.log(err);
  } else {
    // The id property is useful to save off into a database
    console.log("new archive:" + archive.id);
  }
});

You can stop the recording of a started Archive using the OpenTok.stopArchive(archiveId, callback) method. You can also do this using the Archive.stop(callback) method an Archive instance. The callback has a signature function(err, archive). The archive returned in the callback is an instance of Archive.

opentok.stopArchive(archiveId, function (err, archive) {
  if (err) return console.log(err);

  console.log("Stopped archive:" + archive.id);
});

archive.stop(function (err, archive) {
  if (err) return console.log(err);
});

To get an Archive instance (and all the information about it) from an archiveId, use the OpenTok.getArchive(archiveId, callback) method. The callback has a function signature function(err, archive). You can inspect the properties of the archive for more details.

opentok.getArchive(archiveId, function (err, archive) {
  if (err) return console.log(err);

  console.log(archive);
});

To delete an Archive, you can call the OpenTok.deleteArchive(archiveId, callback) method or the delete(callback) method of an Archive instance. The callback has a signature function(err).

// Delete an Archive from an archiveId (fetched from database)
opentok.deleteArchive(archiveId, function (err) {
  if (err) console.log(err);
});

// Delete an Archive from an Archive instance, returned from the OpenTok.startArchive(),
// OpenTok.getArchive(), or OpenTok.listArchives() methods
archive.delete(function (err) {
  if (err) console.log(err);
});

You can also get a list of all the Archives you've created (up to 1000) with your API Key. This is done using the OpenTok.listArchives(options, callback) method. The parameter options is an optional object used to specify an offset and count to help you paginate through the results. The callback has a signature function(err, archives, totalCount). The archives returned from the callback is an array of Archive instances. The totalCount returned from the callback is the total number of archives your API Key has generated.

opentok.listArchives({ offset: 100, count: 50 }, function (
  error,
  archives,
  totalCount
) {
  if (error) return console.log("error:", error);

  console.log(totalCount + " archives");
  for (var i = 0; i < archives.length; i++) {
    console.log(archives[i].id);
  }
});

Note that you can also create an automatically archived session, by passing in 'always' as the archiveMode option when you call the OpenTok.createSession() method (see "Creating Sessions," above).

For composed archives, you can set change the layout dynamically, using the OpenTok.setArchiveLayout(archiveId, type, stylesheet, screenshareType, callback) method:

opentok.setArchiveLayout(archiveId, type, null, null, function (err) {
  if (err) return console.log("error:", error);
});

You can set the initial layout class for a client's streams by setting the layout option when you create the token for the client, using the OpenTok.generateToken() method. And you can change the layout classes for streams in a session by calling the OpenTok.setStreamClassLists(sessionId, classListArray, callback) method.

Setting the layout of composed archives is optional. By default, composed archives use the "best fit" layout (see Customizing the video layout for composed archives).

For more information on archiving, see the OpenTok archiving developer guide.

Important: Only routed OpenTok sessions support live streaming broadcasts.

To start a live streaming broadcast of an OpenTok session, call the OpenTok.startBroadcast() method. Pass in three parameters: the session ID for the session, options for the broadcast, and a callback function:

var broadcastOptions = {
  outputs: {
    hls: {},
    rtmp: [
      {
        id: "foo",
        serverUrl: "rtmp://myfooserver/myfooapp",
        streamName: "myfoostream",
      },
      {
        id: "bar",
        serverUrl: "rtmp://mybarserver/mybarapp",
        streamName: "mybarstream",
      },
    ],
  },
  maxDuration: 5400,
  resolution: "640x480",
  layout: {
    type: "verticalPresentation",
  },
};
opentok.startBroadcast(sessionId, broadcastOptions, function (
  error,
  broadcast
) {
  if (error) {
    return console.log(error);
  }
  return console.log("Broadcast started: ", broadcast.id);
});

See the API reference for details on the options parameter.

On success, a Broadcast object is passed into the callback function as the second parameter. The Broadcast object has properties that define the broadcast, including a broadcastUrls property, which has URLs for the broadcast streams. See the API reference for details.

Call the OpenTok.stopBroadcast() method to stop a live streaming broadcast pass in the broadcast ID (the id property of the Broadcast object) as the first parameter. The second parameter is the callback function:

opentok.stopBroadcast(broadcastId, function (error, broadcast) {
  if (error) {
    return console.log(error);
  }
  return console.log("Broadcast stopped: ", broadcast.id);
});

You can also call the stop() method of the Broadcast object to stop a broadcast.

Call the Opentok.getBroadcast() method, passing in a broadcast ID, to get a Broadcast object.

You can also get a list of all the Broadcasts you've created (up to 1000) with your API Key. This is done using the OpenTok.listBroadcasts(options, callback) method. The parameter options is an optional object used to specify an offset, count, and sessionId to help you paginate through the results. The callback has a signature function(err, broadcasts, totalCount). The broadcasts returned from the callback is an array of Broadcast instances. The totalCount returned from the callback is the total number of broadcasts your API Key has generated.

opentok.listBroadcasts({ offset: 100, count: 50 }, function (
  error,
  broadcasts,
  totalCount
) {
  if (error) return console.log("error:", error);

  console.log(totalCount + " broadcasts");
  for (var i = 0; i < broadcasts.length; i++) {
    console.log(broadcasts[i].id);
  }
});

To change the broadcast layout, call the OpenTok.setBroadcastLayout() method, passing in the broadcast ID and the layout type.

You can set the initial layout class for a client's streams by setting the layout option when you create the token for the client, using the OpenTok.generateToken() method. And you can change the layout classes for streams in a session by calling the OpenTok.setStreamClassLists(sessionId, classListArray, callback) method.

Setting the layout of a live streaming broadcast is optional. By default, live streaming broadcasts use the "best fit" layout.

You can send a signal to all participants in an OpenTok Session by calling the OpenTok.signal(sessionId, connectionId, payload, callback) method and setting the connectionId parameter to null:

var sessionId =
  "2_MX2xMDB-flR1ZSBOb3YgMTkgMTE6MDk6NTggUFNUIDIwMTN-MC2zNzQxNzIxNX2";
opentok.signal(sessionId, null, { type: "chat", data: "Hello!" }, function (
  error
) {
  if (error) return console.log("error:", error);
});

Or send a signal to a specific participant in the session by calling the OpenTok.signal(sessionId, connectionId, payload, callback) method and setting all paramters, including connectionId:

var sessionId =
  "2_MX2xMDB-flR1ZSBOb3YgMTkgMTE6MDk6NTggUFNUIDIwMTN-MC2zNzQxNzIxNX2";
var connectionId = "02e80876-02ab-47cd-8084-6ddc8887afbc";
opentok.signal(
  sessionId,
  connectionId,
  { type: "chat", data: "Hello!" },
  function (error) {
    if (error) return console.log("error:", error);
  }
);

This is the server-side equivalent to the signal() method in the OpenTok client SDKs. See OpenTok signaling developer guide .

You can disconnect participants from an OpenTok Session using the OpenTok.forceDisconnect(sessionId, connectionId, callback) method.

opentok.forceDisconnect(sessionId, connectionId, function (error) {
  if (error) return console.log("error:", error);
});

This is the server-side equivalent to the forceDisconnect() method in OpenTok.js: https://www.tokbox.com/developer/guides/moderation/js/#force_disconnect.

You can force the publisher of a specific stream to stop publishing audio using the Opentok.forceMuteStream(sessionId)method.

You can force the publisher of all streams in a session (except for an optional list of streams) to stop publishing audio using the Opentok.forceMuteAll() method. You can then disable the mute state of the session by calling the Opentok.disableForceMute() method.

You can add an audio-only stream from an external third-party SIP gateway using the SIP Interconnect feature. This requires a SIP URI, the session ID you wish to add the audio-only stream to, and a token to connect to that session ID.

var options = {
  from: "15551115555",
  secure: true,
};
opentok.dial(sessionId, token, sipUri, options, function (error, sipCall) {
  if (error) return console.log("error: ", error);

  console.log(
    "SIP audio stream Id: " +
      sipCall.streamId +
      " added to session ID: " +
      sipCall.sessionId
  );
});

For more information, see the OpenTok SIP Interconnect developer guide.

You can get information on an active stream in an OpenTok session:

var sessionId =
  "2_MX6xMDB-fjE1MzE3NjQ0MTM2NzZ-cHVTcUIra3JUa0kxUlhsVU55cTBYL0Y1flB";
var streamId = "2a84cd30-3a33-917f-9150-49e454e01572";
opentok.getStream(sessionId, streamId, function (error, streamInfo) {
  if (error) {
    console.log(error.message);
  } else {
    console.log(stream.id); // '2a84cd30-3a33-917f-9150-49e454e01572'
    console.log(stream.videoType); // 'camera'
    console.log(stream.name); // 'Bob'
    console.log(stream.layoutClassList); // ['main']
  }
});

Pass a session ID, stream ID, and callback function to the OpenTok.getStream() method. The callback function is called when the operation completes. It takes two parameters: error (in the case of an error) or stream. On sucessful completion, the stream object is set, containing properties of the stream.

To get information on all active streams in a session, call the OpenTok.listStreams() method, passing in a session ID and a callback function. Upon sucess, the callback function is invoked with an array of Stream objects passed into the second parameter:

opentok.listStreams(sessionId, function(error, streams) {
  if (error) {
    console.log(error.message);
  } else {
    streams.map(function(stream) {
      console.log(stream.id); // '2a84cd30-3a33-917f-9150-49e454e01572'
      console.log(stream.videoType); // 'camera'
      console.log(stream.name); // 'Bob'
      console.log(stream.layoutClassList); // ['main']
    }));
  }
});

There are sample applications included in this repository. To get going as fast as possible, clone the whole repository and read the README in each of the sample directories:

• HelloWorld
• Archiving
• SipInterconnect

Reference documentation is available at https://tokbox.com/developer/sdks/node/reference/index.html.

You need an OpenTok API key and API secret, which you can obtain by logging into your TokBox account.

The OpenTok Node SDK requires Node.js 14 or higher. It may work on older versions but they are no longer tested.

See the Releases page for details about each release.

Changes in v2.2.3:

The default setting for the createSession() method is to create a session with the media mode set to relayed. In previous versions of the SDK, the default setting was to use the OpenTok Media Router (media mode set to routed). In a relayed session, clients will attempt to send streams directly between each other (peer-to-peer); if clients cannot connect due to firewall restrictions, the session uses the OpenTok TURN server to relay audio-video streams.

Changes in v2.2.0:

This version of the SDK includes support for working with OpenTok archives.

The createSession() method has changed to take one parameter: an options object that has location and mediaMode properties. The mediaMode property replaces the properties.p2p.preference parameter in the previous version of the SDK.

The generateToken() has changed to take two parameters: the session ID and an options object that has role, expireTime and data properties.

See the reference documentation http://www.tokbox.com/opentok/libraries/server/node/reference/index.html and in the docs directory of the SDK.

Interested in contributing? We ❤️ pull requests! See the Development and Contribution guidelines.

We love to hear from you so if you have questions, comments or find a bug in the project, let us know! You can either:

• Open an issue on this repository
• See https://support.tokbox.com/ for support options
• Tweet at us! We're @VonageDev on Twitter
• Or join the Vonage Developer Community Slack