Video-Call-App-NodeJS - Enhance Multi-Participant Conference Calls with WebRTC and Node.js

Introduction to the Video-Call-App-NodeJS Project

The Video-Call-App-NodeJS project is a demonstration of a conference call application that utilizes WebRTC, Socket.io, and Node.js to provide an interactive and collaborative communication platform. It is designed as a lightweight solution ideal for small group video calls, supporting up to four devices simultaneously. This project serves as an excellent foundation for anyone looking to understand or build upon real-time web communication tools.

Getting Started

To get the application running, users must follow a straightforward setup process:

Run the command npm ci to install the project's dependencies.
Change the directory to src by navigating into it.
Start the application by executing node app.js or simply npm start.

This setup will ready the application for testing and usage on a local machine.

Features

The Video-Call-App-NodeJS project offers a variety of features designed to enhance the conferencing experience through intuitive user interactions:

Multi-Participant Support: Enables multiple users to join and interact within a single call, limited to four devices for the best performance.
Video and Audio Management: Participants can toggle their video and audio streams on or off, easily muting or unmuting themselves as needed.
Screen Sharing: Share your screen with other participants, making it easier to collaborate or present information.
Text Chat: In-call messaging feature that allows text communication alongside the video and audio streams.
Individual Mute: Facilitators can mute individual participants to manage call order and prevent distractions.
Stream Expansion: View participants' streams in a larger format for better visibility.
Screen and Video Recording: Capture important discussions with built-in screen and video recording capabilities for later review.

Demo

For those interested in seeing the application in action, a live demo is available at this link. This demo allows users to experience the features firsthand and understand the user experience crafted within the application.

Note on ICE Server

For configuring the connectivity within WebRTC, users have the option to create a free account with xirsys and utilize their ICE server. The current demo's ICE server details can be changed to your own by updating the code in the src/assets/js/helpers.js file within the getIceServer() function. It's important to note that the demo is contingent upon the ICE server's functionality, and the developer's account might have been deactivated due to high usage. Therefore, configuring a personal or alternative ICE server might be necessary.

Alternative Solutions

For those who prefer PHP over Node.js, the project provides an alternative implementation using PHP WebSockets with Ratchet. This version demonstrates similar functionality and can be explored through this link.

In summary, the Video-Call-App-NodeJS project provides an insightful look into the development of real-time conferencing tools using contemporary web technologies. By delivering a robust set of features focused on connectivity and communication, it offers a valuable resource for developers seeking to implement or extend such capabilities in their own applications.