How to Build Your Own LiveKit
Replace LiveKit with a custom build. Open source WebRTC infrastructure for real-time audio, video, and data
Build Difficulty: 5/5
Build a working replacement in a weekend with AI tools
Estimated Timeline
Based on 41 features at Weekend Project difficulty, expect about One weekend with AI-assisted development.
Recommended Tech Stack
Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components
PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions
Utility-first styling for rapid UI development
Real-time messaging and live updates
Key Features to Replicate
Top features across 8 categories. See all 41 features
Audio(4 features)
Stream crystal-clear audio with noise suppression and echo cancellation.
High-quality Opus codec with automatic bandwidth adaptation.
3D audio positioning for immersive multi-user experiences.
Automatic detection of active speakers for UI updates and tracking.
Video(4 features)
Support for VP8, VP9, H.264, and AV1 video codecs.
Generate synthetic video tracks from images or rendered content.
Publish high-quality video streams with adaptive bitrate and codec selection.
Send multiple quality streams simultaneously for adaptive bitrate playback.
Administration(3 features)
Set maximum participant counts and bandwidth limits per room.
Create, manage, and configure rooms with granular permission controls.
Pre-configured room settings for common use cases.
Data Management(3 features)
Optional database integration for storing room and participant history.
Store and sync custom metadata for participants across connections.
Persist and manage custom data associated with each room.
Integration(3 features)
Ingest external media sources like RTMP streams into rooms.
Export room streams to external services like YouTube, RTMP, or files.
Real-time event notifications for room and participant state changes.
Recording(3 features)
Define custom video layouts for room egress and composition.
Record sessions in multiple formats with automatic transcoding and storage.
Webhooks for recording start, stop, and completion events.
Security(3 features)
JWT-based authentication and fine-grained access control per room.
Control publish, subscribe, and can-publish-data permissions per user.
End-to-end encryption support with TLS and optional DTLS.
AI Features(2 features)
Build AI-powered agents that participate in live sessions.
Real-time speech-to-text transcription powered by AI models.
Cost Calculator
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Total Cost Comparison
DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 41 features at very easy complexity.