Handling Media Tracks

This guide covers how to create, manage, and manipulate media tracks including audio, video, and desktop sharing.

Track Types

lib-jitsi-meet provides two main track classes:

JitsiLocalTrack: Represents local media (your camera/microphone)
JitsiRemoteTrack: Represents remote participant media

Creating Local Tracks

Request user media

Create audio and video tracks:

JitsiMeetJS.createLocalTracks({
    devices: ['audio', 'video'],
    resolution: 720,
    cameraDeviceId: 'default',
    micDeviceId: 'default'
}).then(tracks => {
    console.log('Created tracks:', tracks);
    localTracks = tracks;
}).catch(error => {
    console.error('Failed to create tracks:', error);
});

Add tracks to conference

tracks.forEach(track => {
    conference.addTrack(track).catch(error => {
        console.error('Failed to add track:', error);
    });
});

Track Creation Options

interface ICreateLocalTracksOptions {
    // Device selection
    devices?: ('audio' | 'video' | 'desktop')[];
    cameraDeviceId?: string;
    micDeviceId?: string;
    
    // Video options
    resolution?: number | string;          // 180, 360, 720, 1080, '4K'
    minFps?: number;
    maxFps?: number;
    facingMode?: 'user' | 'environment';   // Mobile camera facing
    
    // Audio options
    disableAGC?: boolean;                  // Disable auto gain control
    disableAP?: boolean;                   // Disable audio processing
    disableHPF?: boolean;                  // Disable high-pass filter
    disableNS?: boolean;                   // Disable noise suppression
    
    // Desktop sharing
    desktopSharingSourceDevice?: string;
    desktopSharingSources?: string[];      // ['screen', 'window', 'tab']
    
    // Effects
    effects?: IStreamEffect[];
}

Track Types and Properties

Check Track Type

// Check media type
if (track.getType() === 'video') {
    console.log('This is a video track');
}

if (track.isAudioTrack()) {
    console.log('Audio track');
}

if (track.isVideoTrack()) {
    console.log('Video track');
}

// Check video type
const videoType = track.getVideoType();
if (videoType === 'camera') {
    console.log('Camera track');
} else if (videoType === 'desktop') {
    console.log('Screen sharing track');
}

// Check if local or remote
if (track.isLocal()) {
    console.log('Local track');
}

Track Properties

// Get track details
const trackId = track.getId();
const mediaType = track.getType();        // 'audio' or 'video'
const participantId = track.getParticipantId();
const isMuted = track.isMuted();
const deviceId = track.getDeviceId();

// Get resolution (video tracks)
if (track.isVideoTrack()) {
    const resolution = track.resolution;   // e.g., 720
    const width = track.getWidth();
    const height = track.getHeight();
}

// Get source name (for signaling)
const sourceName = track.getSourceName();

Managing Track State

Mute and Unmute

// Mute audio
audioTrack.mute().then(() => {
    console.log('Audio muted');
}).catch(error => {
    console.error('Failed to mute:', error);
});

// Mute video
videoTrack.mute();

Track Events

// Listen for mute changes
track.addEventListener(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.track.TRACK_MUTE_CHANGED,
    () => {
        console.log('Mute state:', track.isMuted());
    }
);

// Audio level changes (local tracks)
track.addEventListener(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.track.TRACK_AUDIO_LEVEL_CHANGED,
    (audioLevel) => {
        console.log('Audio level:', audioLevel);
    }
);

// Track stopped (user revoked permissions, device unplugged)
track.addEventListener(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.track.LOCAL_TRACK_STOPPED,
    () => {
        console.log('Track stopped');
        track.dispose();
    }
);

// No data from source
track.addEventListener(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.track.NO_DATA_FROM_SOURCE,
    () => {
        console.warn('No data received from track');
    }
);

Attaching and Detaching Tracks

Attach to DOM

// Create video element
const videoElement = document.createElement('video');
videoElement.autoplay = true;
videoElement.id = `video-${track.getId()}`;

// Attach track
track.attach(videoElement);

// Add to DOM
document.getElementById('video-container').appendChild(videoElement);

Detach from DOM

// Detach from specific element
track.detach(videoElement);

// Detach from all elements
track.detach();

// Remove element from DOM
videoElement.remove();

Switching Devices

Enumerate Devices

JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.enumerateDevices((devices) => {
    devices.forEach(device => {
        console.log('Device:', device.kind, device.label, device.deviceId);
    });
});

// Get specific device types
JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.getAudioInputDevices().then(devices => {
    console.log('Microphones:', devices);
});

JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.getVideoInputDevices().then(devices => {
    console.log('Cameras:', devices);
});

JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.getAudioOutputDevices().then(devices => {
    console.log('Speakers:', devices);
});

Switch Camera

async function switchCamera(newDeviceId) {
    try {
        // Create new video track
        const [newTrack] = await JitsiMeetJS.createLocalTracks({
            devices: ['video'],
            cameraDeviceId: newDeviceId
        });
        
        // Get old track
        const oldTrack = localTracks.find(t => t.getType() === 'video');
        
        // Replace track in conference
        await conference.replaceTrack(oldTrack, newTrack);
        
        // Dispose old track
        oldTrack.dispose();
        
        // Update local tracks array
        const index = localTracks.indexOf(oldTrack);
        localTracks[index] = newTrack;
        
        console.log('Camera switched successfully');
    } catch (error) {
        console.error('Failed to switch camera:', error);
    }
}

Switch Microphone

async function switchMicrophone(newDeviceId) {
    const [newTrack] = await JitsiMeetJS.createLocalTracks({
        devices: ['audio'],
        micDeviceId: newDeviceId
    });
    
    const oldTrack = localTracks.find(t => t.getType() === 'audio');
    await conference.replaceTrack(oldTrack, newTrack);
    
    oldTrack.dispose();
    
    const index = localTracks.indexOf(oldTrack);
    localTracks[index] = newTrack;
}

Change Audio Output

// Set audio output device (speakers)
JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.setAudioOutputDevice(deviceId).then(() => {
    console.log('Audio output device changed');
}).catch(error => {
    console.error('Failed to change audio output:', error);
});

// Listen for audio output changes
JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.addEventListener(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.mediaDevices.AUDIO_OUTPUT_DEVICE_CHANGED,
    (deviceId) => {
        console.log('Audio output changed to:', deviceId);
    }
);

Track Effects

Apply Effects

// Create effect
const effect = {
    isEnabled: () => true,
    startEffect: (stream) => {
        // Process stream and return modified stream
        return processedStream;
    },
    stopEffect: () => {
        // Clean up effect
    }
};

// Set effect on track
await track.setEffect(effect);

// Remove effect
await track.setEffect(undefined);

Background Blur Example

const blurEffect = {
    isEnabled: (track) => track.isVideoTrack(),
    
    startEffect: (stream) => {
        // Initialize background blur processing
        const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
        const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
        
        // Process video frames
        const video = document.createElement('video');
        video.srcObject = stream;
        video.play();
        
        function processFrame() {
            ctx.drawImage(video, 0, 0);
            // Apply blur to background
            requestAnimationFrame(processFrame);
        }
        processFrame();
        
        return canvas.captureStream();
    },
    
    stopEffect: () => {
        // Clean up resources
    }
};

await videoTrack.setEffect(blurEffect);

Remote Tracks

Receive Remote Tracks

conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.TRACK_ADDED,
    (track) => {
        if (track.isLocal()) {
            return;
        }
        
        const participantId = track.getParticipantId();
        console.log(`Remote track from ${participantId}:`, track.getType());
        
        // Create container for participant
        let container = document.getElementById(`participant-${participantId}`);
        if (!container) {
            container = document.createElement('div');
            container.id = `participant-${participantId}`;
            document.getElementById('remote-videos').appendChild(container);
        }
        
        // Create and attach media element
        const element = track.isVideoTrack() 
            ? document.createElement('video')
            : document.createElement('audio');
        
        element.autoplay = true;
        element.id = `${participantId}-${track.getType()}`;
        
        container.appendChild(element);
        track.attach(element);
    }
);

Handle Track Removal

conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.TRACK_REMOVED,
    (track) => {
        if (track.isLocal()) {
            return;
        }
        
        const participantId = track.getParticipantId();
        console.log(`Track removed from ${participantId}`);
        
        // Detach and remove element
        const element = document.getElementById(
            `${participantId}-${track.getType()}`
        );
        
        if (element) {
            track.detach(element);
            element.remove();
        }
    }
);

Track Streaming Status

// Monitor track playback status
track.addEventListener(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.track.TRACK_STREAMING_STATUS_CHANGED,
    (streamingStatus) => {
        // streamingStatus: 'active', 'inactive', 'interrupted', 'restoring'
        console.log('Streaming status:', streamingStatus);
        
        if (streamingStatus === 'interrupted') {
            // Show loading indicator
        } else if (streamingStatus === 'active') {
            // Hide loading indicator
        }
    }
);

Advanced Track Operations

Get Underlying MediaStream

// Get WebRTC MediaStream
const stream = track.getOriginalStream();
const mediaStreamTrack = track.track;

// Get stream settings
const settings = mediaStreamTrack.getSettings();
console.log('Track settings:', settings);

// Get constraints
const constraints = mediaStreamTrack.getConstraints();
console.log('Track constraints:', constraints);

Apply Constraints

// Apply new constraints to video track
const constraints = {
    width: { ideal: 1280 },
    height: { ideal: 720 },
    frameRate: { ideal: 30 }
};

track.track.applyConstraints(constraints).then(() => {
    console.log('Constraints applied');
}).catch(error => {
    console.error('Failed to apply constraints:', error);
});

Dispose Tracks

// Properly dispose of a track
track.dispose().then(() => {
    console.log('Track disposed');
});

// Dispose all local tracks
localTracks.forEach(track => {
    track.dispose();
});
localTracks = [];

Best Practices

Always dispose tracks when done

// Clean up on conference leave
conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.CONFERENCE_LEFT,
    () => {
        localTracks.forEach(track => {
            track.dispose();
        });
        localTracks = [];
    }
);

Handle device changes gracefully

// Listen for device changes
JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.addEventListener(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.mediaDevices.DEVICE_LIST_CHANGED,
    (devices) => {
        console.log('Devices changed:', devices);
        // Update device list in UI
    }
);

Check for track support

// Check if browser supports video
if (JitsiMeetJS.mediaDevices.isDevicePermissionGranted('video')) {
    // Create video track
}

// Check for specific features
if (JitsiMeetJS.isDesktopSharingEnabled()) {
    // Enable screen sharing button
}

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Advanced

Track Types

Creating Local Tracks

Track Creation Options

Track Types and Properties

Check Track Type

Track Properties

Managing Track State

Mute and Unmute

Track Events

Attaching and Detaching Tracks

Attach to DOM

Detach from DOM

Switching Devices

Enumerate Devices

Switch Camera

Switch Microphone

Change Audio Output

Track Effects

Apply Effects

Background Blur Example

Remote Tracks

Receive Remote Tracks

Handle Track Removal

Track Streaming Status

Advanced Track Operations

Get Underlying MediaStream

Apply Constraints

Dispose Tracks

Best Practices

Next Steps

Screen Sharing

Audio/Video Quality

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Advanced

​Track Types

​Creating Local Tracks

​Track Creation Options

​Track Types and Properties

​Check Track Type

​Track Properties

​Managing Track State

​Mute and Unmute

​Track Events

​Attaching and Detaching Tracks

​Attach to DOM

​Detach from DOM

​Switching Devices

​Enumerate Devices

​Switch Camera

​Switch Microphone

​Change Audio Output

​Track Effects

​Apply Effects

​Background Blur Example

​Remote Tracks

​Receive Remote Tracks

​Handle Track Removal

​Track Streaming Status

​Advanced Track Operations

​Get Underlying MediaStream

​Apply Constraints

​Dispose Tracks

​Best Practices

​Next Steps

Screen Sharing

Audio/Video Quality

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Track Types

Creating Local Tracks

Track Creation Options

Track Types and Properties

Check Track Type

Track Properties

Managing Track State

Mute and Unmute

Track Events

Attaching and Detaching Tracks

Attach to DOM

Detach from DOM

Switching Devices

Enumerate Devices

Switch Camera

Switch Microphone

Change Audio Output

Track Effects

Apply Effects

Background Blur Example

Remote Tracks

Receive Remote Tracks

Handle Track Removal

Track Streaming Status

Advanced Track Operations

Get Underlying MediaStream

Apply Constraints

Dispose Tracks

Best Practices

Next Steps