What is a video API?

An Application Programming Interface — also known as an API — is an interface between different programs that enables them to share data. It provides developers with a library of functions offered by a third party they can access and deploy in their own applications.

A video API helps developers working on video applications. It comprises a set of tools that allow them to integrate a variety of video-related features including video conferencing and calling into web, mobile, or desktop platforms.

When an end user accesses the platform, the API carries their commands to the third-party video service and returns the desired result — initiating the video call within the relevant application.

What are the benefits of using video APIs?

Video API integration makes developers’ lives easier in several ways. Here are some of the key benefits it can deliver:

Speeds up development

Imagine what would happen if a programmer had to create video applications from scratch each time they were developing a new use case. That would mean writing thousands of lines of code from scratch. Every single time.

The beauty of using an API is that much of the needed code already exists. The developer can simply pick and choose which tools they need and create their own service precisely to specification.

As a result, they can deliver the end product much faster. Rather than waiting months to launch video functionality on a platform, it can be done in a fraction of the time.

Excellent security

While security isn’t a given for all video APIs, if you choose the right provider, it certainly can be a strength. Vonage, for example, has paid particular attention to security in the case of Vonage Video API.

That’s because security is a key priority in a video application. As with any communications channel, there can be sensitive information involved, which it’s essential to safeguard from prying eyes.

Most Video APIs, too, do rely on WebRTC as the underlying real-time communication technology. Unlike some VoIP or video conferencing tech, WebRTC has innate security features.

For instance, information must be encrypted with Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) in order to send data or video between peers. That helps to prevent eavesdropping, ensure privacy, and prevent the recording and distribution of audio and video without the knowledge of those peers.

When the developer integrates WebRTC-based video API into their platform, these top-tier security standards come with it. Which means your end users’ streams are automatically protected by the most up-to-date security protocols.

Less maintenance

A further strength of video APIs in general is that when you integrate them, your maintenance only needs to focus on the elements of the application your developer actually creates. Any updates or changes to the backend video services are handled by the third-party API provider.

This cuts down on the total amount of maintenance required. Instead of spending resources on maintaining a full application that you built from scratch, you only need to maintain the integration with the platform itself.

As a result, your developers don’t have to spend lots of time on iteration and other complex updates — which frees up their time to concentrate on other projects.

Increased cost-effectiveness

Using a video API helps your business cut costs in several ways. For one thing, there are direct savings in terms of lower maintenance costs and reduced capital expenditure.

But there are also indirect savings. For instance, there’s the fact you can redeploy your development teams to work on new projects sooner.

Overall, this adds up to video APIs being a much more cost-effective solution than building video applications from the ground up. Which is great news for the bottom line.

Key features to look for in your video API service provider

A recent report by Juniper Research put the size of the global telecommunications API market at $50.9 billion, forecast to increase to $159.5 billion by 2029.

Video only accounts for a subset of that, of course, but that’s still a lot of providers to choose from in a fast-growing market. How do you decide which one to choose?

Obviously, much depends on the precise nature of your business goals. But assuming you’re looking to develop a high-quality video calling application that enriches your platform and delivers excellent service to your clients, there are some features that are non-negotiable.

Here’s a quick overview of the essentials:

1. Excellent audio and image quality

We start with the most fundamental element any real-time video provider API must bring to the table — top-quality audio and image functionality. Users expect, as a minimum requirement, that their video calls will be crisp and clear. If your application doesn’t deliver that, they’ll abandon it fast.

It’s vital to use an API that enables you to build the kind of low-latency infrastructure that translates into excellent call quality. You should be able to make appropriate decisions about details like resolution, framerate, and bitrate so you can provide a service that supports any device your customers use to access the service.

For example, if you expect users to access your platform on both desktop and mobile, your application should enable different settings for each to optimize performance.

Desktops need a higher resolution because of the larger screens. However, a mid-level resolution is better for mobile devices because it will help conserve battery life and ensure a good experience.

2. Group calling

The rise of hybrid and remote working models has increased the importance of video as a communication channel in the work setting. Whereas only a few years ago, most conference calls would generally have been audio-only, that’s no longer the case.

To ensure a smooth video conferencing experience, you must be able to ensure your application can handle multiple participants. That means being able to establish connections between all the participants and manage the appearance of these participants on screen — all while ensuring the conference does not exceed reasonable bandwidth requirements and can be supported by mobile as well as desktop devices.

Without going into the technical reasons why, it’s fair to say that the higher the number of participants, the more likely the call is to drop in quality — so it’s a question of balance. That said, you should be choosing an API that allows you enough leeway to meet your platform’s needs.

3. Screen sharing

In a video meeting, there are times when simply chatting face-to-face isn’t enough to explain a point. Sharing your screen while you talk is the video conferencing equivalent of standing in front of a room full of people giving a presentation with the help of a slide deck.

Therefore, any modern video application must come with a screen sharing function as standard.

If the use cases of your application are going to include larger-scale presentations and events with large screens, you’ll also want to aim for higher resolutions, such as HD and possibly full HD.

For use cases where recording of a presentation or event is desirable, meanwhile, you need to pay special attention to how any screen sharing or other interactive elements — such as chat and reactions — are supported in the recordings. We’ll discuss this a little more later on.

Even if your application isn’t targeting work-based users, screen sharing has become so commonplace in video applications now that it’s expected.

In essence, screen sharing is a way of communicating more effectively. That makes it a core factor when it comes to fostering effective collaboration between users. So, if you want your application to be a hit with your customers, make sure you select a video API that lets you incorporate this function easily.

4. Messaging functionality

Any video application that involves two-way communication should have comprehensive and flexible messaging functionality. This includes the possibility to message one-on-one or to selected groups of participants.

After all, there will be occasions when someone wants to ask a question but without interrupting the flow of the main conversation. Alternatively, a speaker might want to share files, links, or other resources to back up their point.

The simplest way of letting users do this is by enabling a messaging function. This is generally a fairly straightforward element to introduce, so most video APIs should allow you to do it.

5. Session recording

Although session recording isn’t critical in every scenario, it’s important to offer it as an option. The platform has to be able to provide users with the opportunity to record video calls, for a number of reasons.

For example, it can ensure that all stakeholders have critical business information whether they were able to attend a video meeting or not. Or, in many settings, recording video calls is crucial to training. What’s more, if you’re holding a live event like a webinar, recording helps you create on-demand content for post-event viewing.

There are a range of important considerations when evaluating a video API’s recording capabilities, which differ with the specific use cases of your application.

For instance, does your desired use case require a higher resolution recording to ensure adequate viewing experience? Will the recording be viewed on large screens? Or does the video being recorded include fine textures (as in retail and beauty use cases) or action (as a performance or an athletic event)?

As touched upon earlier, you also need to think about other elements of the live event or presentation, such as screen sharing or participant reactions. Are they captured in the recording?

At the very least, ensure any API offers layout templates that properly support screen sharing as well as the participant audio and video. If you want to have the exact presentation interface preserved for future viewing, complete with participants comments and reactions, you’ll need a little more.

In that case, you need a video API with a screen recording capability. Screen recording will capture your full application interface and create a recording of all its elements, from video itself to participants, chat, reactions, and any branding elements. They’ll all be captured exactly as they appear in the live session.      

6. Cross-platform capability

Long gone are the days when desktops accounted for the majority of video session participants. But even though it’s a mobile-first world now, desktops and laptops haven’t gone away, especially when it comes to business applications and more complex UI needs. It’s likely that whatever video application you create, your users will connect with it via a variety of devices.

Make sure your video API works well on the mobile devices your application users are likely to use to connect. The convenience value this will deliver for users makes it much more likely they’ll keep using your application and recommend it to their peers.

The best way to ensure this cross-platform capability is two-fold. First, you should have a robust web SDK capable of performing with the lower CPUs of mobile browsers.

Additionally, you need the mobile SDKs for the most common mobile platforms. These provide mobile app developers access to native device capabilities, but you'll want to ensure your video api provider keeps their mobile SDKs up to date and actually surfaces their API capabilities in their mobile SDKs.

Making the right choice for your video API needs

No matter what kind of video application you’re building, a top-tier video API can help you deliver a better product in a fraction of the time it takes to create from scratch.

With Vonage API services, you’ll have access to a flexible and fully customizable solution that allows you to integrate live interactive video directly into your web, mobile, and desktop applications.

Want to know more? Simply reach out to one of our Vonage experts today to learn how you can create truly engaging video experiences for your clients.