A video streaming API handles the complexity of video so you don't have to. Instead of building encoding pipelines, managing CDN configurations, and debugging player compatibility issues, you make API calls and get back playback URLs.
This guide covers how video streaming APIs work, what to look for when choosing one, and how to integrate live and on-demand video into your application. Whether you're building a fitness streaming platform, an e-learning site, or a user-generated content app, the fundamentals are the same.
What a video streaming API actually does
When you upload a video or start a live stream, a lot happens behind the scenes:
Ingest: The API accepts your video—either a file upload for VOD or an RTMP/SRT stream for live. For live streaming, this means maintaining always-on ingest endpoints that can receive broadcasts from OBS, mobile apps, or hardware encoders.
Encode: The raw video gets transcoded into multiple resolutions and bitrates (the "adaptive bitrate ladder"). A 1080p source becomes 1080p, 720p, 540p, 360p variants, etc. Each variant split into small segments for streaming.
Store: For VOD, the encoded files are stored in cloud storage. For live, segments are cached temporarily and optionally archived for later playback.
Deliver: A global CDN caches video segments close to viewers, reducing latency and ensuring smooth playback regardless of location.
Analyze: The API tracks playback metrics—startup time, rebuffering, errors, engagement—so you can monitor quality of experience.
A good video streaming API abstracts all of this into simple REST endpoints: POST a video, GET a playback URL, receive webhooks when things happen.
The workflow: from upload to playback with Mux
Here's what the end-to-end workflow looks like using Mux as an example:
1. Upload a video (VOD)
curl https://api.mux.com/video/v1/assets \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-X POST \
-d '{ "input": "https://example.com/my-video.mp4", "playback_policy": ["public"] }' \
-u ${MUX_TOKEN_ID}:${MUX_TOKEN_SECRET}2. Receive the asset response
{
"data": {
"id": "asset-id-123",
"status": "preparing",
"playback_ids": [{ "id": "playback-id-abc", "policy": "public" }]
}
}3. Wait for the video.asset.ready webhook
{
"type": "video.asset.ready",
"data": { "id": "asset-id-123", "status": "ready" }
}4. Stream via the playback URL
https://stream.mux.com/playback-id-abc.m3u8
The playback URL works in any HLS-compatible player—Video.js, HLS.js, Mux Player, AVPlayer, ExoPlayer, you name it.
Creating a live stream with Mux
Live streaming follows a similar pattern, but instead of uploading a file, you push an RTMP or SRT stream to Mux's ingest servers:
1. Create a live stream
curl https://api.mux.com/video/v1/live-streams \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-X POST \
-d '{
"playback_policy": ["public"],
"new_asset_settings": { "playback_policy": ["public"] }
}' \
-u ${MUX_TOKEN_ID}:${MUX_TOKEN_SECRET}2. Get the stream key and playback ID
{
"data": {
"stream_key": "your-secret-stream-key",
"playback_ids": [{ "id": "live-playback-id", "policy": "public" }],
"status": "idle"
}
}3. Configure your encoder
Point OBS, Streamlabs, or your mobile app to:
- Server URL: rtmp://global-live.mux.com:5222/app
- Stream Key: your-secret-stream-key
4. Start broadcasting
When the encoder connects, Mux transcodes the stream into adaptive HLS and delivers it globally. Viewers can immediately play back the stream directly at https://stream.mux.com/live-playback-id.m3u8 or by embedding the stream into a player.
5. Automatic VOD creation
When the broadcast ends, Mux automatically creates a VOD asset from the recording. No additional API calls are needed—the new_asset_settings parameter handles any setting you'd want applied to these assets.
Comparing video streaming API providers
Several APIs compete in this space. Here's how they differ:
Mux: Developer-focused with excellent documentation, per-title encoding, built-in analytics (Mux Data), a dedicated player, and player-agnostic delivery. Pricing is usage-based per minute of video encoded, stored, and delivered. Best for developers who want full control over the playback experience.
api.video: Simple integration with global reach. Good for getting started quickly with basic VOD and live streaming needs.
Cloudflare Stream: Integrated with Cloudflare's CDN and security products. Usage-based pricing with storage and delivery components.
AWS MediaConvert + CloudFront: Maximum flexibility but requires assembling multiple services. Best for enterprises with existing AWS infrastructure and dedicated video engineering teams.
Brightcove/JW Player: Full-stack platforms with built-in players and CMS. Better suited for media companies than developer-focused products.
For developer experience—clean APIs, fast time-to-production, and quality analytics—Mux consistently ranks highest. The tradeoff is that it's infrastructure focused: you bring your own and application logic and management tools.
Key features to evaluate
When comparing video streaming APIs, these features matter most:
Ingest protocols
- RTMP: The most widely supported protocol for live ingest. Works with OBS, mobile SDKs, and hardware encoders.
- SRT: More reliable than RTMP over unstable networks. Gaining adoption for professional broadcasts.
Mux supports RTMP, RTMPS (secure), and SRT for live streaming, plus URL-based and direct upload for VOD.
Adaptive bitrate streaming
Look for automatic per-title encoding that optimizes the bitrate ladder for each video's content. A static ladder wastes bandwidth on simple videos and under-serves complex ones.
Mux uses AI-powered per-title encoding that analyzes each video and generates an optimal ladder automatically.
Latency options
Standard HLS latency is 20-30 seconds. For interactive use cases (sports betting, auctions, live commerce), look for:
- Reduced latency: 10-15 seconds
- Low latency: 3-5 seconds
- Real-time: Sub-second (requires WebRTC, not HLS)
Mux offers standard, reduced, and low-latency modes configurable per live stream.
Security
- Signed URLs: Token-based access control with expiration
- Geo-restrictions: Limit playback to specific countries/regions
- DRM: Content protection for premium media
Mux supports signed playback URLs with JWT tokens, referrer validation, industry level DRM, and playback restrictions by geography.
Analytics
Built-in quality of experience metrics: startup time, rebuffering, errors, engagement. Essential for debugging issues and understanding viewer behavior.
Mux Data is included with Mux Video delivery of live streams, tracking QoE metrics automatically.
Auto-generated captions
AI-powered transcription and captioning makes content accessible and searchable.
Mux offers free auto-generated captions for VOD in 20+ languages.
Integrating with your application
React integration
import MuxPlayer from '@mux/mux-player-react';
function VideoPlayer({ playbackId }) {
return (
<MuxPlayer
playbackId={playbackId}
streamType="on-demand"
metadata={{
video_title: 'Product Demo',
viewer_user_id: 'user-123',
}}
/>
);
}Video.js integration
Mux works with any HLS player. For Video.js, use videojs-mux-kit:
<video id="player" class="video-js" controls>
<source src="{PLAYBACK_ID}" type="video/mux" />
</video>
<script>
const player = videojs('player', {
plugins: {
mux: {
data: { env_key: 'YOUR_ENV_KEY', video_title: 'My Video' }
}
}
});
</script>Webhooks for application logic
Mux sends webhooks for lifecycle events. Configure your endpoint in the dashboard, then handle events:
app.post('/webhooks/mux', (req, res) => {
const event = req.body;
switch (event.type) {
case 'video.asset.ready':
// Video is ready for playback
updateVideoStatus(event.data.id, 'ready');
break;
case 'video.live_stream.active':
// Live stream started
notifyViewers(event.data.id);
break;
case 'video.live_stream.idle':
// Live stream ended
createVodFromStream(event.data.id);
break;
}
res.sendStatus(200);
});Scaling from thousands to millions of viewers
Video streaming APIs handle scaling automatically—that's the point of using one. But there are patterns that help:
Use CDN-delivered HLS: Every request hits the CDN edge, not your origin. The API handles this automatically.
Monitor with real-time analytics: When concurrent viewers spike, watch for increased rebuffering or errors. Mux Data provides real-time monitoring dashboards.
Control costs with resolution tiers: Not every use case needs 4K. Use max_resolution parameters to cap quality where appropriate.
<mux-player playback-id="..." max-resolution="720p"></mux-player>
Leverage simulcasting for multi-platform: For live events, stream once to the API and simulcast to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch simultaneously.
Cost models and pricing
Video streaming APIs typically charge for:
- Encoding/transcoding: Per minute of video processed
- Storage: Per minute (or GB) of video stored
- Delivery: Per minute (or GB) of video streamed
Mux uses per-minute pricing across all components, which is more predictable than bandwidth-based pricing. Resolution-based tiers offer lower prices for 720p and below.
For planning:
- VOD: Encoding is one-time; storage and delivery are ongoing
- Live: Encoding happens in real-time; delivery scales with concurrent viewers
- Consider cold storage for infrequently accessed archives
Advanced workflows
Live-to-VOD with searchable captions
Configure the live stream to create a VOD asset with captions:
const liveStream = await mux.video.liveStreams.create({
playback_policy: ['public'],
new_asset_settings: {
playback_policy: ['public'],
auto_generated_captions: [{ language: 'en' }],
},
});When the stream ends, you get a searchable VOD with transcription.
Signed playback tokens for secure content
For multi-tenant SaaS or premium content:
const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
function createPlaybackToken(playbackId) {
const claims = {
sub: playbackId,
exp: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + 3600,
aud: 'v',
kid: process.env.MUX_SIGNING_KEY_ID,
};
return jwt.sign(claims, privateKey, { algorithm: 'RS256' });
}
// Use in player
const token = createPlaybackToken(playbackId);
const url = `https://stream.mux.com/${playbackId}.m3u8?token=${token}`;CMS integration (Contentful, Sanity, WordPress)
Store the Mux playback ID in your CMS. When publishing:
- Webhook from CMS triggers your API
- Your API generates a signed playback token (if using private videos)
- Return the playback URL and embed code
For Vercel-hosted sites, the Mux Vercel Marketplace integration simplifies this further.
Mobile SDK integration
iOS with AVPlayer
import AVKit
let playbackId = "your-playback-id"
let url = URL(string: "https://stream.mux.com/\(playbackId).m3u8")!
let player = AVPlayer(url: url)
let playerViewController = AVPlayerViewController()
playerViewController.player = player
present(playerViewController, animated: true) {
player.play()
}Android with ExoPlayer
val playbackId = "your-playback-id"
val mediaItem = MediaItem.fromUri("https://stream.mux.com/$playbackId.m3u8")
val player = ExoPlayer.Builder(context).build()
player.setMediaItem(mediaItem)
player.prepare()
player.play()Both platforms support HLS natively. Add the Mux Data SDK for analytics.
FAQ
What's the easiest way to get started with a video API for live and on-demand streaming?
Sign up for Mux, create an API token, and POST a video URL to /video/v1/assets. You'll have a playable HLS stream in minutes. For live, POST to /video/v1/live-streams to get a stream key, then point any RTMP encoder at rtmp://global-live.mux.com:5222/app.
Which video API handles RTMP ingest, HLS transcoding, and global CDN delivery in one REST call?
Mux handles all three. POST to create a live stream, push RTMP to the provided stream key, and viewers immediately get adaptive HLS from global CDN edges. No separate CDN configuration required.
How do video APIs handle automatic VOD from live streams?
When creating a live stream, include new_asset_settings with your desired playback policy. When the broadcast ends, Mux automatically creates a VOD asset with the same encoding quality. A webhook notifies you when it's ready.
What features should I look for in a video API with sub-3-second latency?
Low-latency HLS (LL-HLS) support with configurable latency modes. Mux offers low-latency live streaming with latency in the 3-5 second range. For sub-second, you'll need WebRTC (different protocol entirely).
How do I integrate video streaming into a Vercel-hosted site?
Use the Mux Vercel Marketplace integration. It provisions a Mux environment connected to your Vercel project, with environment variables automatically configured.
What's the best API workflow for transcoding and delivering VOD to iOS and Android?
Upload via the assets API, wait for the video.asset.ready webhook, then use the playback ID in AVPlayer (iOS) or ExoPlayer (Android). Both support HLS natively. Include Mux Data SDK for analytics.
Can I use Video.js with a cloud video API and still get analytics?
Yes. Mux delivers player-agnostic HLS that works with Video.js. Use videojs-mux-kit or mux-embed to integrate Mux Data for quality analytics.
How do I batch-upload thousands of videos with auto-generated thumbnails and captions?
Use the assets API with auto_generated_captions enabled. Thumbnails are generated automatically and available at https://image.mux.com/{PLAYBACK_ID}/thumbnail.png. Process uploads in parallel with rate limiting.
Which APIs support both audio-only and video content?
Mux supports audio-only assets. Upload audio files the same way as video—they're encoded for streaming and playable via the same HLS infrastructure.
How do video APIs handle traffic spikes during product launches?
CDN-based delivery scales automatically. The API backend handles encoding; the CDN handles delivery. Monitor with real-time analytics to catch any issues. No pre-provisioning required.
What's the best approach for a multi-tenant SaaS that needs signed URLs and analytics?
Use Mux with signed playback policies. Generate JWT tokens server-side with viewer-specific claims. Mux Data automatically tracks per-video and per-viewer analytics that you can filter by custom metadata dimensions.
How fast can I go from signup to first live broadcast?
With Mux: minutes. Sign up, create an API token, POST to create a live stream, configure OBS with the returned stream key, and you're live. No infrastructure setup, no CDN configuration, no encoding pipeline to build.