Getting Started with WebRTC

Rob Manson

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781782166306
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Application Development
• Index: Computer Science

In Detail

WebRTC delivers web-based real-time communication and is set to revolutionize our view of what the Web really is. Streaming audio and video from browser to browser, as well as opening raw access to the camera and microphone, is already creating a whole new dynamic web. WebRTC also introduces real-time data channels that will allow interaction with dynamic data feeds from sensors and other devices. This really is a great time to be a web developer!

Getting Started with WebRTC provides all of the practical information you need to quickly understand what WebRTC is, how it works, and how you can add it to your own web applications. It includes clear working examples designed to help you get started building your own WebRTC-enabled applications right away.

Getting Started with WebRTC will guide you through the process of creating your own WebRTC application that can be applied in a number of different real-world situations, using well documented and clearly explained code examples.

You will learn how to quickly and easily create a practical peer-to-peer video chat application, an audio only call option, and how a Web-Socket-based signaling server can also be used to enable real-time text-based chat. You will also be shown how this same server and application structure can easily be extended to include simple drag-and-drop file sharing with transfer updates and thumbnail previews.

Approach

The book will follow a step-by-step tutorial approach to construct an application that allows video conferencing and calls between two browsers and a system for sharing files among a group.

Who this book is for

This book is ideal for developers new to the WebRTC standards who are interested in adding sensor-driven, real-time, peer-to-peer communication to their web applications. You will only need basic experience with HTML and JavaScript.

Getting Started with WebRTC

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Table of Contents

Getting Started with WebRTC

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

www.PacktPub.com

Support files, eBooks, discount offers and more

Why Subscribe?

Free Access for Packt account holders

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the example code

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. An Introduction to Web-based Real-Time Communication

Introducing WebRTC

Uses for WebRTC

Try WebRTC yourself right now!

Browser compatibility

Chrome and Firefox on the PC

Chrome and Firefox on Android

Opera

Microsoft

Apple

Staying up-to-date

Summary

2. A More Technical Introduction to Web-based Real-Time Communication

Setting up communication

The general flow

Connect users

Start signals

Find candidates

Negotiate media sessions

Start RTCPeerConnection streams

Using WebSockets

Other signaling options

MediaStream API

RTCPeerConnection API

The caller's flow

Register the onicecandidate handler

Register the onaddstream handler

Register the message handler

Use getUserMedia to access the local camera

The JSEP offer/answer process

The callee's flow

Register the onicecandidate handler

Register the onaddstream handler

Register the message handler

Use getUserMedia to access the local camera

The JSEP offer/answer process

Where does RTCPeerConnection sit?

RTCDataChannel API

Summary

3. Creating a Real-time Video Call

Setting up a simple WebRTC video call

Using a web server to connect two users

Setting up a signaling server

Creating an offer in the caller's browser

Creating an answer in the callee's browser

Previewing the local video streams

Establishing peer-to-peer streams

Stream processing options

Extending this example into a Chatroulette app

Summary

4. Creating an Audio Only Call

Setting up a simple WebRTC audio only call

The HTML user interface for audio only calls

Adding an audio only flow to the signaling server

Audio stream processing options

Summary

5. Adding Text-based Chat

Adding text-based chat to our video chat app

The HTML user interface for text-based chat

Adding JavaScript functions to enable chatting

Handling text-based chat signals on the server

Other text message processing options

Summary

6. Adding File Sharing

Adding file sharing to our video chat app

The HTML user interface for file sharing

Adding JavaScript for enabling file sharing

Adding files using the <input> element

Adding support for drag-and-drop

Adding JavaScript for transferring files via WebSockets

Handling the file-sharing signals on the server

Sending a thumbnail preview before the entire file

Providing progress updates

Establishing an RTCDataChannel connection

Transfering files via an RTCDataChannel connection

Other file-sharing options

Summary

7. Example Application 1 – Education and E-learning

Applying WebRTC for education and e-learning

Overall application architecture

Educators

Students

WebRTC capable browser

Existing or new web application

Signaling server

TURN server

Archive server

Potential issues that may be faced

Privacy

Copyright and intellectual property

Restrictive networks

Restrictive SOEs

Outdated student browsers

Interoperability

Benefits that can be delivered

The opportunity for educators

Summary

8. Example Application 2 – Team Communication

Applying WebRTC for team communication

Overall application architecture

Managers

Team members

WebRTC capable browser

New and existing web applications

Signaling server

TURN server

Messaging server

Potential issues that may be faced

Privacy

Data security

Restrictive networks

Restrictive SOEs

Interoperability

Timezones

Benefits that can be delivered

The opportunity for managers

Summary

Index

Getting Started with WebRTC

Copyright © 2013 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: September 2013

Production Reference: 1180913

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

35 Livery Street

Birmingham B3 2PB, UK..

ISBN 978-1-78216-630-6

www.packtpub.com

Cover Image by Suresh Mogre (<[email protected]>)

Credits

Author

Rob Manson

Reviewers

Todd Hunter

Alexandra Young

Acquisition Editor

Akram Hussain

Commissioning Editor

Shaon Basu

Technical Editors

Pratik More

Anusri Ramchandran

Project Coordinator

Akash Poojary

Proofreader

Clyde Jenkins

Indexers

Hemangini Bari

Mariammal Chettiyar

Graphics

Ronak Dhruv

Production Coordinator

Prachali Bhiwandkar

Cover Work

Prachali Bhiwandkar

About the Author

Rob Manson is the CEO and co-founder of buildAR.com, the world's leading Augmented Reality Content Management System. Rob is the Chairman of the W3C Augmented Web Community Group, and an Invited Expert with the ISO, W3C, and the Khronos Group. He is one of the co-founders of ARStandards.org and is an active evangelist within the global AR and standards communities. He is regularly invited to speak on the topics of the Augmented Web, Augmented Reality, WebRTC, and multi-device platforms.

I'd like to thank Alex, my wife and business partner—yes that's as crazy as it sounds! She's a great inspiration and always happy to put up with my creative ideas for using new technologies. She makes both my ideas and me as a person better in every way. I'd also like to thank Maggie and Todd for providing feedback and working with me on all our Multi-Device, WebRTC, and Augmented Web projects. I'm constantly amazed by just how much our team can achieve and you guys are the backbone that make this happen. I'm proud to say I work with you both.

About the Reviewers

Todd Hunter is a software developer with over 10 years experience of developing applications in a variety of industries. He is crazy enough to find his niche building interesting things with Perl, but with an eye for building things with the latest technologies. He has spent time in a wide range of companies, from the big multinationals to the smallest startups in industries ranging from large software companies, ...

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• Getting Started with WebRTC