WebRTC Technology¶
Understanding WebRTC¶
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is an open-source project that enables real-time communication capabilities directly in web browsers.
Core Components¶
Media Stack¶
- Audio/Video capture
- Codec handling (VP8, VP9, H.264, Opus)
- Echo cancellation and noise suppression
- Bandwidth adaptation
Network Components¶
- ICE (Interactive Connectivity Establishment)
- STUN/TURN servers
- NAT traversal
- Peer-to-peer connectivity
JavaScript APIs¶
getUserMedia()- Access camera/microphoneRTCPeerConnection- Establish connectionsRTCDataChannel- Transfer data
Implementation Patterns¶
Mesh Architecture¶
Direct peer-to-peer connections between all participants.
SFU (Selective Forwarding Unit)¶
Server forwards streams selectively to participants.
MCU (Multipoint Control Unit)¶
Server mixes media streams before distribution.
Security Features¶
- Mandatory encryption (DTLS-SRTP)
- Permission-based media access
- Secure signaling requirements