Quickstart

A two-person video call, end to end. You will create a project, stand up a token endpoint on your server, and join a channel from your app.

Create a project and get your keys

In the console, create a project. You get an App ID and a key pair.

App ID — identifies the project. Safe to ship in your app.
API key (ak_…) — identifies the key pair. Server-side.
API secret (as_…) — shown once. Server-side only.

The secret is shown once

Store it in your server's environment before you close the dialog. If you lose it, rotate the key — you cannot read it back.

Add a token endpoint to your server

Your app asks this endpoint for a token. This is where you decide who is allowed in, under what identity, and with which role.

server.js

import express from 'express';
import { AppServerClient } from '@applooma/server-sdk';

const app = express();
const applooma = new AppServerClient({
  apiKey: process.env.APPLOOMA_API_KEY,
  apiSecret: process.env.APPLOOMA_API_SECRET,
});

app.post('/api/rtc-token', async (req, res) => {
  // Authenticate YOUR user first — this endpoint is the gate.
  const user = await authenticate(req);
  if (!user) return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Sign in first' });

  const { token, wsUrl } = await applooma.createToken({
    roomName: req.body.channel,
    identity: user.id,          // must be unique per participant
    role: 'host',               // 'host' | 'cohost' | 'audience'
    metadata: { name: user.displayName },
  });

  res.json({ token, wsUrl });
});

app.listen(3001);

Join from your app

Install the SDK for your platform, fetch a token from the endpoint you just built, and join.

npm install @applooma/rtc-web

import AppEngine from '@applooma/rtc-web';

const engine = AppEngine.create({ appId: 'YOUR_APP_ID' });

// Show remote video as it arrives
engine.on('track-subscribed', (track, user) => {
  const el = track.attach();
  el.id = `peer-${user.uid}`;
  document.getElementById('remote').append(el);
});

engine.on('user-left', (user) => {
  document.getElementById(`peer-${user.uid}`)?.remove();
});

// Token comes from YOUR server
const res = await fetch('/api/rtc-token', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({ channel: 'lobby' }),
});
const { token, wsUrl } = await res.json();

await engine.joinChannel(token, wsUrl, { role: 'host', camera: true });

// Local preview
engine.attachLocalVideo(document.getElementById('local'));

Open it twice

Join the same channel from two browser tabs, or a browser and a phone. You should see and hear the other participant within a second or two.

Nothing appears?

Check that both sides used the same channel name and different identities. Two participants sharing one identity are treated as the same person, and the second connection replaces the first.

Where to go next#

Roles and permissions

Let people watch without publishing, and promote them when they speak.

Live streaming

One host and a large audience, plus RTMP in and out.

Webhooks

Get told when people join and leave, server to server.

Going to production

The checklist worth reading before real users arrive.