What is video.js?
Video.js is a web video player built from the ground up for an HTML5 world. It supports HTML5 video and modern streaming formats, as well as YouTube, Vimeo, and even Flash (through plugins). It provides a consistent look and feel across different browsers and devices.
What are video.js's main functionalities?
Basic Video Player
This code sets up a basic video player using Video.js. It includes the necessary CSS and JavaScript files from a CDN and initializes a video element with controls.
<html>
<head>
<link href="https://vjs.zencdn.net/7.11.4/video-js.css" rel="stylesheet" />
</head>
<body>
<video id="my-video" class="video-js" controls preload="auto" width="640" height="264" data-setup='{}'>
<source src="MY_VIDEO.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
<p class="vjs-no-js">
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
<a href="https://videojs.com/html5-video-support/" target="_blank">supports HTML5 video</a>
</p>
</video>
<script src="https://vjs.zencdn.net/7.11.4/video.min.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Customizing the Player
This example demonstrates how to customize the player by applying a theme. The 'vjs-theme-city' class is added to the video element to change its appearance.
<html>
<head>
<link href="https://vjs.zencdn.net/7.11.4/video-js.css" rel="stylesheet" />
</head>
<body>
<video id="my-video" class="video-js vjs-theme-city" controls preload="auto" width="640" height="264" data-setup='{}'>
<source src="MY_VIDEO.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
<p class="vjs-no-js">
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
<a href="https://videojs.com/html5-video-support/" target="_blank">supports HTML5 video</a>
</p>
</video>
<script src="https://vjs.zencdn.net/7.11.4/video.min.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Plugins and Extensions
This example shows how to use the videojs-contrib-ads plugin to add advertisements to your video. The plugin is included via a CDN, and the player is configured to show a pre-roll ad.
<html>
<head>
<link href="https://vjs.zencdn.net/7.11.4/video-js.css" rel="stylesheet" />
</head>
<body>
<video id="my-video" class="video-js" controls preload="auto" width="640" height="264" data-setup='{}'>
<source src="MY_VIDEO.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
<p class="vjs-no-js">
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
<a href="https://videojs.com/html5-video-support/" target="_blank">supports HTML5 video</a>
</p>
</video>
<script src="https://vjs.zencdn.net/7.11.4/video.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/videojs-contrib-ads@6.6.4/dist/videojs.ads.min.js"></script>
<script>
var player = videojs('my-video');
player.ads();
player.on('readyforpreroll', function() {
player.ads.startLinearAdMode();
player.src('AD_VIDEO.mp4');
player.one('adended', function() {
player.ads.endLinearAdMode();
});
});
</script>
</body>
</html>
Other packages similar to video.js
plyr
Plyr is a simple, accessible, and customizable HTML5 media player. It supports modern streaming formats and provides a clean and minimalistic design. Compared to Video.js, Plyr is more lightweight and easier to customize but may lack some advanced features and plugin support.
mediaelement
MediaElement.js is a JavaScript library that provides a consistent HTML5 video and audio player across all browsers. It supports a wide range of media formats and offers a variety of plugins. MediaElement.js is similar to Video.js in terms of functionality but focuses more on providing a unified experience across different media types.
clappr
Clappr is an extensible media player for the web. It supports a wide range of media formats and streaming protocols. Clappr is highly customizable and offers a plugin architecture similar to Video.js. However, it is more focused on providing a flexible and modular framework for building custom media players.