react-record-webcam

Promise based zero dependency webcam library for React. Select video and audio input for one or multiple concurrent recordings using any mix of video and audio source.

DEMO

Note version 1.0 is a complete rewrite so you will need to make some changes if updating.

Add package

npm i react-record-webcam

Usage

// record a 3s. video

import { useRecordWebcam } from 'react-record-webcam'

...

  const {
    activeRecordings,
    createRecording,
    openCamera,
    startRecording,
    stopRecording,
  } = useRecordWebcam()

  const example = async () => {
    try {
      const recording = await createRecording();
      if (!recording) return;
      await openCamera(recording.id);
      await startRecording(recording.id);
      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 3000));
      await stopRecording(recording.id);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error({ error });
    }
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <button onClick={example}>Start</button>
      {activeRecordings.map(recording => (
        <div key={recording.id}>
          <video ref={recording.webcamRef} autoPlay muted />
          <video ref={recording.previewRef} autoPlay muted loop />
        </div>
      ))}
    </div>
  )

...

Check the CodeSandbox links for above demo and one with more features.

Passing options

Pass options either when initializing the hook or at any point in your application logic using applyOptions.

const options = { fileName: string, fileType: string, mimeType: string }
const { ... } = useRecordWebcam(options)

// or

const { applyOptions } = useRecordWebcam() // import utility
applyOptions(recording.id: string, options) // add to your application logic

Option	default value
fileName	timestamp
fileType	webm
mimeType	video/webm;codecs=vp9

If you want to use a specific video/audio codec you can pass this in the mimeType. For example:

'video/webm;codecs=vp9'
'video/webm;codecs=vp8'
'video/webm;codecs=h264'
'video/x-matroska;codecs=avc1'

Please check that the browser supports the selected codec.

Passing recorder options

Pass recorder options when initializing the hook.

const recorderOptions: { audioBitsPerSecond: number, videoBitsPerSecond: number }
const { ... } = useRecordWebcam(recorderOptions)

Link to MDN for supported MediaOptions.

Passing recording constraints

const constraints: { aspectRatio: number, height: number, width: number }
const { ... } = useRecordWebcam(constraints)

// or

const { applyConstraints } = useRecordWebcam() // import utility
applyConstraints(recording.id: string, constraints) // add to your application logic

Link to MDN for supported MediaConstraints.

Full API

Method	Description
activeRecordings	Array of currently active recordings.
applyConstraints(recordingId, constraints): Promise<Recording>	Apply constraints to a recording session. See passing recording constraints.
applyRecordingOptions(recordingId, options) Promise<Recording>	Apply options to a recording. See passing options.
cancelRecording(recordingId): Promise<void>	Cancels and deletes a specified recording session.
clearAllRecordings()	Clears all the active recordings and resets them.
clearPreview(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Clears the preview of a specific recording.
closeCamera(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Closes the camera of a specified recording session.
createRecording(videoId?, audioId?): Promise<Recording>	Creates a new recording session with specified video and audio IDs. If none are give the system defaults are used.
devicesById	Available input devices by their device ID.
devicesByType	Available input devices based on their type (audio, video).
download(recordingId): Promise<void>	Downloads the specified recording as a file.
errorMessage	Returns the last error message, if any, from the hook's operations.
muteRecording(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Toggles mute on or off for a specified recording session.
openCamera(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Opens the camera for a specified recording session, preparing it for recording.
pauseRecording(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Pauses an ongoing recording session.
resumeRecording(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Resumes a paused recording session.
startRecording(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Starts a new recording for the specified session.
stopRecording(recordingId): Promise<Recording>	Stops an ongoing recording session and finalizes the recording.

License

MIT

Credits

webcam by iconfield from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)