Operations related to live streams. A live stream is a single, linear video broadcast. You broadcast a live stream by receiving encoded source video into the Wowza Video service and letting Wowza Video transcode the stream and deliver it to viewers. A live stream is essentially a one-stop method for creating a transcoder, output renditions, stream targets, and associated players.
Wowza Video
/- Reference
- REST API
Create a video
Wowza Video REST API Reference Documentation (v2.0)
API lifecycle phase: Current
| Want to take the API for a test run? All you'll need is a Wowza Video subscription, or free trial, for the API access token. Then, fork our collection in Postman and you'll be making calls to our REST API in minutes! See Trial the Wowza Video REST API using Postman for more information. |
This reference documentation provides details about the operations, parameters, and request and response schemas for every resource and endpoint in the Wowza Video REST API. Samples appear in the right column. Sample requests are presented in cURL (Shell) and JavaScript; some samples also include just the JSON object. Response samples are all JSON. Examples in cURL use environment variables so you can easily copy and paste them. To learn more, see Using cURL.
Reference documentation is available for every version of the API. Use the Version menu at the top of the page to access the reference doc for a different version of the API.
Note: If you haven't moved over to the new Wowza Video UI experience, you won't be able to access v2.0 of the API. We're migrating customers iteratively. See Upgrade to the Wowza Video 2.0 REST API for more information.
Download OpenAPI description
Overview
License
Languages
Servers
Mock server
https://developer-m.wowza.com/_mock/docs/wowza-video/api/video/openapi
https://api.video.wowza.com/api/v2.0
Operations related to schedules. Schedules allow you to automatically start or stop a live stream or transcoder at a predetermined date and time. You can configure a schedule to start and/or stop a live stream or transcoder just once, or you can configure it to repeat the behavior on a regular basis. See About schedules to learn more.
Operations
Operations related to Real-Time Streaming at Scale. If your audience is fewer than 300 viewers or you want to deliver a stream in near real time alongside other delivery protocols, use our WebRTC solution.
To enable and purchase capacity for Real-Time Streaming at Scale for your account and access the /real_time operations, contact 720.279.8163 or schedule a call.
Operations
- Mock serverhttps://developer-m.wowza.com/_mock/docs/wowza-video/api/video/openapi/videos
- https://api.video.wowza.com/api/v2.0/videos
- curl
- Java
- Python
- JavaScript
curl -i -X POST \
https://developer-m.wowza.com/_mock/docs/wowza-video/api/video/openapi/videos \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{
"video": {
"input": {
"method": "DIRECT"
},
"name": "My video",
"description": "A new video for my business.",
"unpublish": true,
"unpublished_at": "2025-01-01T12:33:22Z",
"published": true,
"published_at": "2024-01-01T12:33:22Z",
"tags": [
"foo",
"bar"
],
"category_id": "<The account'\''s default category>",
"ad_insertion_points": [
{
"offset_from_start_in_ms": 20000,
"description": "mid-roll"
}
],
"no_ads": true,
"ad_keywords": "special_ads",
"playback_token_behavior": "NO_TOKEN"
}
}'Response
application/json
{ "video": { "id": "2aa3343e-2fb5-42c3-8671-b52c24b7c3e2", "name": "My video", "description": "A new video for my business.", "duration_in_ms": 0, "unpublish": true, "unpublished_at": "2025-01-01T12:33:22Z", "published": true, "published_at": "2024-01-01T12:33:22Z", "tags": [ … ], "category_id": "<The account's default category>", "ad_insertion_points": [ … ], "no_ads": true, "ad_keywords": "special_ads", "created_at": "2025-01-01T12:33:22Z", "updated_at": "2024-01-01T12:33:22Z", "state": "FINISHED", "encoding_progress": 0.1, "upload_progress": 0.1, "error_message": "string", "deactivated": false, "images": [ … ], "encodings": [ … ], "drm": { … }, "shallow_copy": true, "shallow_copy_source_id": "string", "multiple_audio_tracks": true, "audio_only": true, "version": 0, "thumbnails": { … }, "animated_previews": [ … ], "playback_token_behavior": "NO_TOKEN", "upload_url": "string" } }
Query
Returns a paginated view of results from the HTTP request. Specify a positive integer to indicate which page of the results should be displayed. The default is 1.
Default 1
For use with the page parameter. Indicates how many records should be included in a page of results. A valid value is any positive integer. The default and maximum value is 1000.
Default 20
Filter the response based on an asset's timespan. The filter can be specified in following formats:
| Spec | Description |
|---|---|
YYYY-MM-DD'T'HH:mm:ss | Returns all assets with created_at after the specified date |
Example: created_at=2024-01-01T00:00:00+0000,2024-02-01T00:00:00+0000
Filter the response based on an asset's timespan. The filter can be specified in following formats:
| Spec | Description |
|---|---|
YYYY-MM-DD'T'HH:mm:ss | Returns all assets with updated_at after the specified date |
Example: updated_at=2024-01-01T00:00:00+0000,2024-02-01T00:00:00+0000
Filter the response based on an asset's timespan. The filter can be specified in following formats:
| Spec | Description |
|---|---|
YYYY-MM-DD'T'HH:mm:ss | Returns all assets with published_at after the specified date |
Example: published_at=2024-01-01T00:00:00+0000,2024-02-01T00:00:00+0000
The current state of the video. The state reflects the current status of the video files for the video asset. Possible states listed below:
| State | Description |
|---|---|
| UPLOADING | The source file is currently being uploaded or waiting to be downloaded by our API. |
| WAITING_FOR_ENCODER | The source file was successfully downloaded by the platform and is in queue to be encoded. |
| PROCESSING | Source file for the asset is encoding. The current encoding progress can be found on encoding_progress property. |
| FINISHED | The encoding is done and the encoded files can be fetched. In this state it's possible to embed the video. |
| ERROR | If the platform, for some reason, could not download the source file or failed during the encoding process. error_messsage property can give more information about why it errored. |
| DELETED | The video files have been deleted. Usually the video asset have been deleted when this state is reached and because of that it's very uncommon to see assets with this state. |
Example: state=FINISHED
Search multiple text fields in a search that is case insensitive and does not require full matches. URL encode the value of the query to ensure that it can be processed. There are free URL encoders online.
It searches name, description, tags searches all your custom fields for matching terms. You can search specific fields by specifying them after a colon (:); if you have multiple search terms you can use pipe (|) to separate the search terms.
Some examples:
| Query | Description |
|---|---|
query=foo | Searches all fields for foo. |
Example: query=foo:name,custom_fields
The unique alphanumeric string that identifies the live stream or the real-time stream from which the video originated.
Returns all the videos associated with the same ID.
Example: origin_id=edfg8k34
Filters videos by specific categories. Provide one or more category ID(s) to retrieve only the videos that belong to those categories. To enter multiple category IDs, enter the IDs as a comma-separated list. You can specify up to four category IDs.
Note: To get the ID of a category, call the GET /categories endpoint and choose the category ID you need.
Example: categories=cb65a918-ad7d-406a-80d8-09c9c8d0dbb
- Mock serverhttps://developer-m.wowza.com/_mock/docs/wowza-video/api/video/openapi/videos
- https://api.video.wowza.com/api/v2.0/videos
- curl
- Java
- Python
- JavaScript
curl -i -X GET \
'https://developer-m.wowza.com/_mock/docs/wowza-video/api/video/openapi/videos?page=1&per_page=20&created_at=2024-01-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B0000%2C2024-02-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B0000&updated_at=2024-01-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B0000%2C2024-02-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B0000&published_at=2024-01-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B0000%2C2024-02-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B0000&state=FINISHED&query=foo%3Aname%2Ccustom_fields&sort_column=created_at&sort_direction=desc&origin_id=edfg8k34&categories=cb65a918-ad7d-406a-80d8-09c9c8d0dbb'Response
application/json
{ "videos": [ { … } ], "pagination": { "payload_version": 0.1, "total_records": 100, "page": 1, "per_page": 10, "total_pages": 2, "page_first_index": 10, "page_last_index": 10 } }
- Mock serverhttps://developer-m.wowza.com/_mock/docs/wowza-video/api/video/openapi/videos/{id}
- https://api.video.wowza.com/api/v2.0/videos/{id}
- curl
- Java
- Python
- JavaScript
curl -i -X GET \
https://developer-m.wowza.com/_mock/docs/wowza-video/api/video/openapi/videos/51cd5c07-1583-4f5e-bd81-f1aa11510ea9Response
application/json
{ "video": { "id": "2aa3343e-2fb5-42c3-8671-b52c24b7c3e2", "name": "My video", "description": "A new video for my business.", "duration_in_ms": 0, "unpublish": true, "unpublished_at": "2025-01-01T12:33:22Z", "published": true, "published_at": "2024-01-01T12:33:22Z", "tags": [ … ], "category_id": "<The account's default category>", "ad_insertion_points": [ … ], "no_ads": true, "ad_keywords": "special_ads", "created_at": "2024-01-01T12:33:22Z", "updated_at": "2024-01-01T12:33:22Z", "state": "FINISHED", "encoding_progress": 0.1, "upload_progress": 0.1, "error_message": "string", "deactivated": false, "images": [ … ], "encodings": [ … ], "drm": { … }, "shallow_copy": true, "shallow_copy_source_id": "string", "multiple_audio_tracks": true, "audio_only": true, "version": 0, "thumbnails": { … }, "animated_previews": [ … ], "playback_token_behavior": "NO_TOKEN", "origin": { … } } }
Operations related to using advanced token authentication, known in Wowza Video as a default playback token behavior option, with videos.
Use token authentication when distributing valuable or sensitive video content to audiences to ensure that only authorized users can access the content within the intended application. This allows for protection of intellectual property, compliance with regulations, and the ability to maintain control over content distribution. The token is embedded in the videos' embed URLs.
Through the UI or Wowza Video API, you can choose one of the following options for token authentication of a video:
NO_TOKEN - Video files are accessible and can be downloaded and played by anyone at any time. This is the default.
BASIC_TOKEN - The platform automatically creates tokenized video URLs. This setting makes it hard for a viewer to extract the video URL and store it for usage in unintended applications over time since the embed URL, which has the token as part of the URL, will only be playable for 48 hours. The token auto renews after 48 hours when used in the intended application.
ADVANCED_TOKEN - You add the stream's JS embed code (Share Stream) and a token to your site to provide tokenization. The protections are similar to those for the Basic Token option except you customize the time limit, geographical limits, etc. during token creation.
FOLLOW_DEFAULT: - The token behavior is based on the Default Playback Token Behavior setting you selected for your Wowza account. See the Org Settings page in Wowza Video article for where to set this configuration.
Note: You'll use the /videos endpoints to update and review the token authentication enums bulleted above.
Before selecting to use the ADVANCED_TOKEN, you must, first, either:
- Generate a key id via the Wowza Video API, then customize and generate a token via the Wowza Video 2.0 API to add to your site. You'll need the key id to create and sign the token.
- Generate a key id and key via the Wowza Video 2.0 API, then customize and generate a standard common access token (CAT) through the means you usually use to create tokens to add to your site. You'll need the key id and key to create and sign the token.
After you have your playback token, you add the video JS-embed and the playback token to your site if you're going to use the ADVANCED_TOKEN option. The JS-embed code automatically adds the player and related video to your site. See the section on <a href="how to embed the player and video".
Operations
The player operations are deprecated in 2.0. Create and update player configurations in the user interface. Any values you send using the player operations will be ignored.
Operations related to players, which are created through the /live_streams resource. Players created through Wowza Video live streams can be embedded into your own web page or played through a web page hosted by Wowza Video.
Operations
The recordings operations are deprecated in 2.0. Use the /videos endpoints instead.
Operations related to recordings, which are created through the /live_streams or /transcoders resources. The Wowza Video service can create MP4 recordings of your live streams and transcoded output. Recordings can be downloaded and saved locally. They're based on the highest-bitrate output rendition that Wowza Video generates from your video source. See About recordings to learn more.
Operations
The VOD stream operations are deprecated in 2.0. Use the /videos endpoints instead.
Operations related to video on demand (VOD) streams, which are created through the /live_streams or /transcoders resources. A VOD stream is a recording of a live stream that viewers can replay at a later date. After the broadcast is over and the live stream or transcoder is stopped, Wowza Video creates the VOD stream and generates a playback URL. See About VOD Streams to learn more.
Operations