Brave API

Brave has a RESTful JSON API that allows you to dynamically add and remove inputs, mixers, outputs and overlays. It is designed to be fast, simple, and stateless.

(You can also configure Brave at startup using the YAML config file).

A websocket connection is also available for when your client wishes to be notified of updates (e.g. when an input ends).

Contents

• Where to find the API
• General
• Inputs
• Mixers
• Outputs
• Overlays
• Websocket

Where to find the API

The API is found at the same port as the web interface, on the /api path. It defaults to port 5000, which the example URLs below assume. Change the port either with the PORT environment variable, or by setting api_port in the config file.

General API calls

Get details on all inputs/outputs/mixers/overlays

Retrieve information on all created items (blocks). The response is a map (dictonary) with four keys for the four types (inputs, outputs, mixers, and overlays). If you only need one of these types, use the relevant call for that, e.g. /api/inputs.

• Path: /api/all
• Method: GET
• Local URL example: http://localhost:5000/api/all

Command-line curl example

curl http://localhost:5000/api/all

Example response

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "has_audio": true,
      "has_video": true,
      "uid": "input1",
      "volume": 0.8,
      "uri": "rtmp://ec2-34-249-249-218.eu-west-1.compute.amazonaws.com:8001/live/go1",
      "state": "READY",
      "id": 1,
      "type": "uri",
      "position": -1,
      "connection_speed": 0,
      "buffer_size": -1,
      "buffer_duration": 3000000000
    }
  ],
  "overlays": [],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "has_audio": true,
      "has_video": true,
      "uid": "output1",
      "width": 640,
      "height": 360,
      "state": "PLAYING",
      "id": 1,
      "type": "local",
      "source": "mixer1"
    }
  ],
  "mixers": [
    {
      "has_audio": true,
      "has_video": true,
      "uid": "mixer1",
      "width": 640,
      "height": 360,
      "pattern": 0,
      "state": "PLAYING",
      "id": 1,
      "type": "mixer",
      "sources": [
        {
          "uid": "input1",
          "id": 1,
          "block_type": "input",
          "in_mix": true
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Restart Brave

Restart Brave. This will reset all settings and connections.

• Path: /api/restart
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON, containing one key config set to either original or current. If set to original, restarts Brave with the orginal config file from when the current process started. If current, restarts Brave with the current config, so that the exact setup can be recreated.

Command-line curl example

curl -X POST -d {'config':'original'}  http://localhost:5000/api/restart

Get config as YAML

Get the current config in YAML. This can then be saved as a file which is accepted by another Brave instance on startup.

• Path: /api/config/current.yaml
• Method: GET

Command-line curl example

curl http://127.0.0.1:5000/api/config/current.yaml > /tmp/config.yaml
# Which you could then pass to Brave on another occasion, e.g.
brave.py -c /tmp/config.yaml

Inputs

Inputs allow you to source content (e.g. from an RTMP stream or a file.) There can be any number of inputs, and they can be created, updated, and deleted. Read more about input types.

Get all inputs

Get an array of all inputs.

• Path: /api/inputs
• Method: GET

Command-line curl example

curl http://localhost:5000/api/inputs

Create an input

Create a new input. There are different types of inputs. You must specify a type, and depending on the input type chosen, there may be other required or optional parameters.

• Path: /api/inputs
• Method: PUT
• Request body: JSON, containing a dictionary with the required parameters.

Command-line curl example

curl -X PUT -d '{"type": "test_video"}' http://localhost:5000/api/inputs

Example response

{
  "id": 3,
  "uid": "input3"
}

Update an input

Update an existing input. The id (integer) of the input is required in the path.

• Path: /api/inputs/<id>
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON, containing a dictionary with the changes.

Command-line curl example

# Change the state of input 1 to PAUSED
curl -X POST -d '{"state": "PAUSED"}' http://localhost:5000/api/inputs/1

Delete an input

Delete an input. The id (integer) of the input is required in the path.

• Path: /api/inputs/<id>
• Method: DELETE

Command-line curl example

# Delete input 1
curl -X DELETE http://localhost:5000/api/inputs/1

Response (if successful)

{"status": "OK"}

Mixers

Get all mixers

Get an array of all mixers.

• Path: /api/mixers
• Method: GET

Command-line curl example

curl http://localhost:5000/api/mixers

Create a mixer

Create a new mixer. Optionally, provide, width, height and pattern. See Mixers for more information on these properties.

• Path: /api/mixers
• Method: PUT
• Request body: JSON, containing a dictionary with the required parameters.

Command-line curl example

# Create a mixer with default values:
curl -X PUT -d '{}' http://localhost:5000/api/mixers

# Create a mixer, of size 1280x720, with a black background
curl -X PUT -d '{"pattern": 2, "width": 1280, "height": 720}' http://localhost:5000/api/mixers

# Create a mixer, taking input1 as a source
curl -X PUT -d '{"sources": [{"uid": "input1"}]}' http://localhost:5000/api/mixers

Example response

{
  "id": 3,
  "uid": "mixer3"
}

Update a mixer

Update an existing mixer. The id (integer) of the mixer is required in the path.

• Path: /api/mixers/<id>
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON, containing a dictionary with the changes.

Command-line curl example

# Change mixer 1 to have a snow background
curl -X POST -d '{"pattern": 1}' http://localhost:5000/api/mixers/1

Cut to a different source

To switch (cut) a mixer to a different source. A source can be an input or another mixer. Any other source(s) currently shown on the mixer will be removed.

• Path: /api/mixers/<id>/cut_to_source
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON containing a source value with the uid of the input/mixer to cut to. For example:

{"source": "input1"}

Command-line curl example

# Change mixer 1 to that it's showing input 1
curl -X POST -d '{"source": "input1"}' http://localhost:5000/api/mixers/1/cut_to_source

Overlay source

Like cut_to_source above, but overlays a source into a mix without removing any other sources.

• Path: /api/mixers/<id>/overlay_source
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON containing a source value with the uid of the input/mixer to overlay.

Command-line curl example

# Change mixer 2 to that it's showing input 3
curl -X POST -d '{"source": "input3"}' http://localhost:5000/api/mixers/2/overlay_source

Remove source

Removes a source from a mix.

• Path: /api/mixers/<id>/remove_source
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON containing a source value with the uid of the input/mixer to overlay.

Command-line curl example

# Remove mixer2 from being a source of mixer 1
curl -X POST -d '{"source": "mixer2"}' http://localhost:5000/api/mixers/1/remove_source

Delete a mixer

Delete a mixer. The id (integer) of the mixer is required in the path.

• Path: /api/mixers/<id>
• Method: DELETE

Command-line curl example

# Delete mixer 1
curl -X DELETE http://localhost:5000/api/mixers/1

Response (if successful)

{"status": "OK"}

Outputs

There are different types of output, which can be created, updated and deleted. Read about output types.

Get all outputs

Get an array of all outputs.

• Path: /api/outputs
• Method: GET

Command-line curl example

curl http://localhost:5000/api/outputs

Create an output

Create a new output. There are different types of outputs. You must specify a type, and depending on the output type chosen, there may be other required or optional parameters.

• Path: /api/outputs
• Method: PUT
• Request body: JSON, containing a dictionary with the required parameters.

Command-line curl example

# Create a file output, that takes the output of mixer1, and writes it to an MP4 file:
curl -X PUT -d '{"type": "file", "source": "mixer1", "location": "/tmp/file.mp4"}' http://localhost:5000/api/outputs

Example response

{
  "id": 3,
  "uid": "output3"
}

Update an output

Update an existing output. The id (integer) of the output is required in the path.

• Path: /api/outputs/<id>
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON containing the changes

Command-line curl example

# Change the state of output 1 to READY
curl -X POST -d '{"state": "READY"}' http://localhost:5000/api/outputs/1

# Change the source of output 1 to input 2
curl -X POST -d '{"source": "input2"}' http://localhost:5000/api/outputs/1

Delete an output

Delete an output. The id (integer) of the output is required in the path.

• Path: /api/outputs/<id>
• Method: DELETE

Command-line curl example

# Delete output 1
curl -X DELETE http://localhost:5000/api/outputs/1

Response (if successful)

{"status": "OK"}

Overlays

Overlays can be applied to inputs and mixers. Read about overlay types.

Get all overlays

Get an array of all overlays.

• Path: /api/overlays
• Method: GET

Command-line curl example

curl http://localhost:5000/api/overlays

Create an overlay

Create a new overlay. There are different types of overlays. You must specify a type, and depending on the overlay type chosen, there may be other required or optional parameters.

• Path: /api/overlays
• Method: PUT
• Request body: JSON, containing a dictionary with the required parameters.

Command-line curl example

# Create a text overlay, and overlay it on mixer1
curl -X PUT -d '{"type": "text", "source": "mixer1", "text": "What a nice overlay"}' http://localhost:5000/api/overlays

Example response

{
  "id": 2,
  "uid": "overlay2"
}

Update an overlay

Update an existing overlay. The id (integer) of the overlay is required in the path.

• Path: /api/overlays/<id>
• Method: POST
• Request body: JSON, containing a dictionary with the changes.

Command-line curl example

# Make an overlay visible
curl -X POST -d '{"visible": true}' http://localhost:5000/api/overlays/1

Delete an overlay

Delete an overlay. The id (integer) of the overlay is required in the path.

• Path: /api/overlays/<id>
• Method: DELETE

Command-line curl example

# Delete overlay 1
curl -X DELETE http://localhost:5000/api/overlays/1

Response (if successful)

{"status": "OK"}

Websocket

A websocket allows clients to be notified of certain events. It is also required to initiate WebRTC as an input or output.

The websocket can be found at the /socket path.

WARNING The websocket is especially likely to change! As such this documentation is currently limited.

Each websocket message has a msg_type key describing the content.

msg_type value	Description
update	A block (input/output/overlay/mixer) has been updated.
delete	A block (input/output/overlay/mixer) has been deleted.
webrtc-initialising	Confirms the user's request to instantiate a WebRTC connection.
volume	Data about the volume of a block