LiveKit

intermediate

Real-time video, audio and data SDK.

Overview

LiveKit is an open-source, production-grade platform that provides real-time video, audio, and data communication capabilities through WebRTC technology. Originally developed to democratize access to video conferencing infrastructure, LiveKit serves as a compelling alternative to proprietary solutions like Twilio Video, Zoom SDK, or Agora, offering developers complete control over their real-time communication stack without vendor lock-in or per-minute pricing models. This Docker deployment creates a self-hosted LiveKit server that handles WebRTC signaling, media routing, and room management through a single containerized service. The LiveKit server acts as a Selective Forwarding Unit (SFU) that efficiently distributes media streams between participants while providing APIs for room creation, participant management, and real-time data channels, making it possible to build sophisticated video applications with minimal infrastructure overhead. This configuration is ideal for startups building video-first applications, enterprises requiring on-premises communication solutions, or developers creating custom conferencing tools who need predictable costs and full data sovereignty. The setup provides production-ready video infrastructure that can scale from small team meetings to large-scale broadcast scenarios with thousands of concurrent participants.

Key Features

WebRTC-based Selective Forwarding Unit (SFU) for efficient multi-participant video distribution
Real-time room management with dynamic participant joining and track subscription controls
Adaptive bitrate streaming with automatic quality adjustment based on network conditions
Server-side recording and egress capabilities for archiving sessions or streaming to external platforms
Built-in data channels for real-time messaging and custom signaling alongside media streams
Multi-track audio and video support with screen sharing and device switching capabilities
JWT-based authentication with granular permissions for room access and publishing rights
Load balancing support for horizontal scaling across multiple server instances

Common Use Cases

1Building custom video conferencing applications for remote teams and distributed organizations
2Creating online education platforms with interactive classrooms and student engagement tools
3Developing telehealth solutions requiring HIPAA-compliant video consultations
4Implementing live streaming platforms with audience interaction and real-time chat
5Building collaborative design tools with screen sharing and real-time communication
6Creating gaming platforms that require voice chat and real-time coordination features
7Developing customer support systems with video calling and screen sharing capabilities

Prerequisites

Minimum 2GB RAM and 2 CPU cores for handling moderate concurrent sessions
Network environment with properly configured firewall allowing UDP traffic on ports 7881-7882
Valid SSL certificate and domain name for production WebRTC connectivity
Basic understanding of WebRTC concepts and JWT token generation for authentication
Client-side SDK integration knowledge for your target platforms (React, Swift, Android, etc.)
Understanding of media server scaling concepts for high-availability deployments

For development & testing. Review security settings, change default credentials, and test thoroughly before production use. See Terms

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  livekit: 
3    image: livekit/livekit-server:latest
4    container_name: livekit
5    restart: unless-stopped
6    command: --config /etc/livekit.yaml
7    environment: 
8      LIVEKIT_KEYS: "${API_KEY}: ${API_SECRET}"
9    volumes: 
10      - ./livekit.yaml:/etc/livekit.yaml
11    ports: 
12      - "7880:7880"
13      - "7881:7881/udp"
14      - "7882:7882/udp"

.env Template

.env

1API_KEY=devkey
2API_SECRET=secret

Usage Notes

1Docs: https://docs.livekit.io/
2API/WebSocket on port 7880, UDP media on 7881-7882
3Create livekit.yaml: port: 7880, keys: {api-key: secret}
4SDKs for React, JS, Swift, Android, Flutter, Unity
5Features: rooms, tracks, data channels, recording, egress
6Open-source Zoom/Twilio alternative for video conferencing

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  livekit:
5    image: livekit/livekit-server:latest
6    container_name: livekit
7    restart: unless-stopped
8    command: --config /etc/livekit.yaml
9    environment:
10      LIVEKIT_KEYS: "${API_KEY}: ${API_SECRET}"
11    volumes:
12      - ./livekit.yaml:/etc/livekit.yaml
13    ports:
14      - "7880:7880"
15      - "7881:7881/udp"
16      - "7882:7882/udp"
17EOF
18
19# 2. Create the .env file
20cat > .env << 'EOF'
21API_KEY=devkey
22API_SECRET=secret
23EOF
24
25# 3. Start the services
26docker compose up -d
27
28# 4. View logs
29docker compose logs -f

One-Liner

Run this command to download and set up the recipe in one step:

terminal

1curl -fsSL https://docker.recipes/api/recipes/livekit/run | bash

Troubleshooting

WebRTC connection failures in production: Ensure proper TURN server configuration and SSL certificates are properly configured for secure contexts
Participants cannot see or hear each other: Verify UDP ports 7881-7882 are open and accessible, check firewall rules blocking media traffic
High CPU usage during video calls: Implement proper video resolution limits and enable hardware acceleration if available on the host system
JWT authentication errors when joining rooms: Verify API_KEY and API_SECRET environment variables match your token generation code
Audio echo or feedback issues: Configure proper echo cancellation settings in client SDKs and ensure participants use headphones
Container fails to start with config errors: Ensure livekit.yaml file exists with proper port and keys configuration matching environment variables

Community Notes

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