Install an SDK

Every Livqeno app installs two packages: a server SDK on your backend, which holds the API key and mints tokens, and a client SDK in your app, which uses a token to join a call, a chat, or a live stream.

Quick start

1. Install the server SDK in your backend project.
2. Install the client SDK in your app project.
3. Set LIVQENO_API_KEY and LIVQENO_API_URL where your backend runs.

In your backend project:

$ pnpm add @livqeno/server

$ npm install @livqeno/server

$ yarn add @livqeno/server

$ bun add @livqeno/server

In your app project:

$ pnpm add @livqeno/rtc

$ npm install @livqeno/rtc

$ yarn add @livqeno/rtc

$ bun add @livqeno/rtc

That is the whole install for a web video call. The rest of this page covers the other platforms, the system requirements, and how to check your setup. Already installed? Go straight to the Quickstart.

System requirements

Before you begin, make sure your environment meets these minimums:

Livqeno is hosted, so there are no servers, media relays, or databases to install. Your backend only needs outbound HTTPS to https://api.livqeno.com.

Supported browsers

The browser packages (@livqeno/rtc, @livqeno/chat, @livqeno/live, @livqeno/react) need three browser features: RTCPeerConnection, navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia, and WebSocket. Chat needs only WebSocket.

Check support at runtime with isBrowserSupported() before you show a call screen. Learn more in Browser support.

Install with the CLI

The quickest way to set up a JavaScript project is the Livqeno CLI. It links the folder to your project, detects your package manager from the lockfile (pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, bun.lock, or package-lock.json), and installs @livqeno/rtc with it.

npm install -g @livqeno/cli
livqeno config set apiUrl https://api.livqeno.com   # once: the CLI defaults to localhost
livqeno login                                       # opens your browser
livqeno init                                        # link this folder to a project
livqeno sdk install                                 # install @livqeno/rtc

livqeno init asks you to pick a project and writes a swalvo.json file in the current folder, so everyone who runs livqeno there uses the same project. Commit it: it holds only the project id, never a secret.

To see the install command without running it:

livqeno sdk install --dry-run

Manual installation

Install the server SDK

Run this in your backend project. Pick your server's language. Not on TypeScript, Python, Go, Java or PHP? Call the REST API directly from any language.

$ pnpm add @livqeno/server

$ npm install @livqeno/server

$ yarn add @livqeno/server

$ bun add @livqeno/server

pip install livqeno   # you import it as `livqeno`

go get github.com/atulsinghhhh/swalvo-sdks/sdks/go/livqeno

<dependency>
  <groupId>com.livqeno</groupId>
  <artifactId>livqeno-server</artifactId>
  <version>0.1.0</version>
</dependency>

composer require livqeno/livqeno-php

Install the client SDK

Run this in your app project. Pick the platform your users are on.

$ pnpm add @livqeno/rtc

$ npm install @livqeno/rtc

$ yarn add @livqeno/rtc

$ bun add @livqeno/rtc

$ pnpm add @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

$ npm install @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

$ yarn add @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

$ bun add @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

$ pnpm add @livqeno/react-native @livqeno/rtc react-native-webrtc react-native-incall-manager

$ npm install @livqeno/react-native @livqeno/rtc react-native-webrtc react-native-incall-manager

$ yarn add @livqeno/react-native @livqeno/rtc react-native-webrtc react-native-incall-manager

$ bun add @livqeno/react-native @livqeno/rtc react-native-webrtc react-native-incall-manager

cd ios && pod install

dependencies:
  livqeno_rtc: ^0.2.2     # video calls
  livqeno_chat: ^0.1.1    # chat
  livqeno_live: ^0.2.0    # live streaming

Set up environment variables

Your backend needs two values. Store them in your environment or secrets manager, never in source control:

LIVQENO_API_KEY=rvk_dev_...                 # from the dashboard or `livqeno keys create`
LIVQENO_API_URL=https://api.livqeno.com

The server SDKs don't read environment variables on their own. Pass both values in yourself when you create the client, once at startup:

import { Livqeno } from '@livqeno/server';
 
export const livqeno = new Livqeno({
  apiKey: process.env.LIVQENO_API_KEY!,
  baseUrl: process.env.LIVQENO_API_URL!,
});

import os
from livqeno import Livqeno
 
livqeno = Livqeno(
    api_key=os.environ["LIVQENO_API_KEY"],
    base_url=os.environ["LIVQENO_API_URL"],
)

client := livqeno.New(
	os.Getenv("LIVQENO_API_KEY"),
	livqeno.WithBaseURL(os.Getenv("LIVQENO_API_URL")),
)

import com.livqeno.server.Livqeno;
 
Livqeno livqeno = Livqeno.builder()
        .apiKey(System.getenv("LIVQENO_API_KEY"))
        .baseUrl(System.getenv("LIVQENO_API_URL"))
        .build();

$client = new \Livqeno\Client(
    apiKey: getenv('LIVQENO_API_KEY'),
    baseUrl: getenv('LIVQENO_API_URL'),
);

Set up TypeScript

Every JavaScript package ships its own type declarations. There is nothing extra to install, and no @types/* package to add.

Most types you need come from the package you call. For example, the grant your backend returns and the room your app joins are both typed:

import { createRTCClient } from '@livqeno/rtc';
 
const grant = await fetch('/join-room', { method: 'POST' }).then((r) => r.json());
const client = createRTCClient(grant);
const room = await client.join(grant.roomName); // typed Room

Errors are typed too: every SDK throws an error with message, code and requestId, never a raw DOMException or HTTP body. On the server, narrow with isLivqenoError:

import { isLivqenoError } from '@livqeno/server';
 
try {
  await livqeno.rooms.list();
} catch (error) {
  if (isLivqenoError(error)) console.error(error.code, error.requestId);
  throw error;
}

Use with Next.js

A Next.js app holds both halves, so it installs both packages:

$ pnpm add @livqeno/server @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

$ npm install @livqeno/server @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

$ yarn add @livqeno/server @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

$ bun add @livqeno/server @livqeno/rtc @livqeno/react

Keep each package on its side of the boundary:

app/
├── api/
│   └── join-room/
│       └── route.ts      ← @livqeno/server and your API key (server only)
└── call/
    ├── page.tsx          ← Server Component, renders the client component
    └── call-client.tsx   ← 'use client' — @livqeno/rtc / @livqeno/react
lib/
└── livqeno.ts             ← the one shared Livqeno instance

• A Route Handler is server code, so it's the right place for @livqeno/server and LIVQENO_API_KEY.
• @livqeno/rtc, @livqeno/chat, and every @livqeno/react hook run only in the browser. Use them in a file marked 'use client', and never call createRTCClient() during server rendering.

The full walkthrough is in Next.js. See also React.

Check your setup

With the CLI

From a folder linked with livqeno init, run:

livqeno dev

It checks that the folder is linked to a project, the API is reachable, the media servers are up, and @livqeno/rtc is in your package.json:

Livqeno project:
my-video-app
Project ID:
16281d1e-5b0c-4f3e-9a51-7d2c8e4b9a10
 
API:
✓ Connected
 
RTC:
✓ Available
 
SDK:
✓ @livqeno/rtc installed
 
Environment:
development
 
Ready for development.

From your backend

Make one authenticated call with your key. If it returns, the key, the URL and the network path are all correct:

import { Livqeno } from '@livqeno/server';
 
const livqeno = new Livqeno({
  apiKey: process.env.LIVQENO_API_KEY!,
  baseUrl: process.env.LIVQENO_API_URL!,
});
 
const rooms = await livqeno.rooms.list();
console.log(`Connected. ${rooms.length} room(s) in this environment.`);

import os
from livqeno import Livqeno
 
livqeno = Livqeno(
    api_key=os.environ["LIVQENO_API_KEY"],
    base_url=os.environ["LIVQENO_API_URL"],
)
 
rooms = livqeno.rooms.list()
print(f"Connected. {len(rooms)} room(s) in this environment.")

client := livqeno.New(os.Getenv("LIVQENO_API_KEY"), livqeno.WithBaseURL(os.Getenv("LIVQENO_API_URL")))
 
rooms, err := client.Rooms.List(context.Background())
if err != nil {
	log.Fatal(err)
}
fmt.Printf("Connected. %d room(s) in this environment.\n", len(rooms))

Livqeno livqeno = Livqeno.builder()
        .apiKey(System.getenv("LIVQENO_API_KEY"))
        .baseUrl(System.getenv("LIVQENO_API_URL"))
        .build();
 
List<Room> rooms = livqeno.rooms().list();
System.out.println("Connected. " + rooms.size() + " room(s) in this environment.");

$client = new \Livqeno\Client(apiKey: getenv('LIVQENO_API_KEY'), baseUrl: getenv('LIVQENO_API_URL'));
 
$rooms = $client->rooms->list();
echo 'Connected. ' . count($rooms) . " room(s) in this environment.\n";

curl "$LIVQENO_API_URL/v1/rooms" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LIVQENO_API_KEY"

A RAVEN_AUTH_ERROR (401) means the key is wrong or revoked. A connection error usually means LIVQENO_API_URL is unset and the SDK is calling localhost.

Which package do I need?

Upgrade your SDKs

Every SDK is before version 1.0, so a minor release can change an API. Read the Changelog before you upgrade, and upgrade the server and client packages together.

$ pnpm add @livqeno/server@latest @livqeno/rtc@latest

$ npm install @livqeno/server@latest @livqeno/rtc@latest

$ yarn add @livqeno/server@latest @livqeno/rtc@latest

$ bun add @livqeno/server@latest @livqeno/rtc@latest

pip install --upgrade livqeno

go get -u github.com/atulsinghhhh/swalvo-sdks/sdks/go/livqeno

composer update livqeno/livqeno-php

flutter pub upgrade livqeno_rtc livqeno_chat livqeno_live

Next steps