Registry / communication / livekit-server-sdk

livekit-server-sdk

library2.15.1jsnpmunverified

The LiveKit Server SDK, currently at version 2.15.1, provides a comprehensive set of APIs for managing LiveKit rooms, generating access tokens, and processing webhooks from a server-side JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, Deno, or Bun environment. This SDK is actively maintained with frequent patch releases, as evidenced by recent updates addressing memory leaks and adding new features like `ringingTimeout` for SIP participants. A key differentiator of this SDK is its multi-runtime compatibility, supporting Node.js (>=18), Deno, and Bun, a significant evolution from its v1 predecessor which was primarily Node.js focused. It allows developers to programmatically control aspects of LiveKit sessions, such as listing, creating, and deleting rooms, and assigning granular permissions to participants joining rooms. The library ships with TypeScript types, facilitating robust development. While it theoretically runs in browsers, the documentation strongly advises against it due to security implications of exposing API secrets.

communication auth-security type-stubs

npm install livekit-server-sdk

github ↗package ↗homepage ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · LIVEKIT-SERVER-SDK

livekit-server-sdk

communicationjavascriptv2.15.1

Install

—

Import

—

Disk

—

Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

AccessToken

✓ import { AccessToken } from 'livekit-server-sdk';

✗ const AccessToken = require('livekit-server-sdk').AccessToken;

The v2 SDK is primarily designed for ESM usage. While CJS might work via transpilation, direct require() is not the recommended or native way for Node.js >=18.

RoomServiceClient

✓ import { RoomServiceClient } from 'livekit-server-sdk';

✗ const { RoomServiceClient } = require('livekit-server-sdk');

Used for managing LiveKit rooms (list, create, delete) and participants. Requires API key and secret.

WebhookReceiver

✓ import { WebhookReceiver } from 'livekit-server-sdk';

✗ import WebhookReceiver from 'livekit-server-sdk';

This is a named export, not a default export. Used for decoding and verifying LiveKit webhook callbacks.

Demonstrates how to generate an access token for a LiveKit participant to join a specified room, including setting basic permissions and token expiration.

import { AccessToken } from 'livekit-server-sdk'; // Load API keys from environment variables for security. // NEVER hardcode secrets in production code. const LIVEKIT_API_KEY = process.env.LIVEKIT_API_KEY ?? ''; const LIVEKIT_API_SECRET = process.env.LIVEKIT_API_SECRET ?? ''; const roomName = 'my-dynamic-room-' + Math.random().toString(36).substring(7); const participantIdentity = 'user-' + Math.random().toString(36).substring(7); async function generateLiveKitToken() { if (!LIVEKIT_API_KEY || !LIVEKIT_API_SECRET) { console.error('LIVEKIT_API_KEY and LIVEKIT_API_SECRET must be set as environment variables or provided directly.'); return; } const at = new AccessToken(LIVEKIT_API_KEY, LIVEKIT_API_SECRET, { identity: participantIdentity, name: `User ${participantIdentity.substring(5)}`, ttl: '1h', // Token expires in 1 hour }); at.addGrant({ roomJoin: true, room: roomName, canPublish: true, // Participant can publish audio/video canSubscribe: true, // Participant can subscribe to others' tracks canUpdateOwnMetadata: true, // Additional permissions like canPublishSources, canUpdateRoom, etc., can be added here }); const token = await at.toJwt(); console.log(`Generated LiveKit Access Token for participant '${participantIdentity}' in room '${roomName}':`); console.log(token); console.log('\nThis token can be used by a LiveKit client SDK to join the room.'); } generateLiveKitToken().catch(console.error);

Debug

Known issues

breakingThe SDK underwent a major rewrite from v1.x to v2.x, introducing breaking changes in API structure and package exports. Users migrating from v1 will need to review the dedicated migration guide.

fix

Consult the official LiveKit Server SDK v2 migration guide for detailed instructions on updating your codebase.

affects: >=2.0.0

gotchaExposing LiveKit API keys and secrets in client-side code (e.g., browsers) is a severe security risk. This SDK should ONLY be used in secure server-side environments.

fix

Ensure that the `livekit-server-sdk` is only used on your backend, and that API keys/secrets are managed securely (e.g., environment variables, secret management services) and never transmitted to the client.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaWhen integrating webhooks, ensure your HTTP server is configured to correctly parse `application/webhook+json` content type. Standard JSON parsers (e.g., `express.json()`) may not work.

fix

For Express.js, use `app.use(express.raw({type: 'application/webhook+json'}));` before your webhook route handler to get the raw body string required by `WebhookReceiver` for verification.

affects: >=1.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Error: signature verification failed

Incorrect LiveKit API Key or API Secret provided to the AccessToken constructor or when creating a WebhookReceiver.

fix

Double-check your `LIVEKIT_API_KEY` and `LIVEKIT_API_SECRET` environment variables or constructor arguments. Ensure they match the credentials from your LiveKit Cloud project or self-hosted instance.

TypeError: app.use() requires callback functions but got a [object Undefined]

Often seen in Express.js applications when trying to use middleware like `express.raw()` without importing it correctly or if Express.js is not initialized properly, specifically when handling webhook bodies.

fix

Ensure `express` is imported and `express.raw()` is correctly configured for the webhook endpoint: `import express from 'express'; const app = express(); app.use(express.raw({type: 'application/webhook+json'}));`

ERR_REQUIRE_ESM: require() of ES Module <...>/livekit-server-sdk.js from <your-file>.js not supported

Attempting to use CommonJS `require()` syntax with `livekit-server-sdk` v2+ in a Node.js project that is configured for ES Modules, or vice-versa with a mixed configuration.

fix

If your project is ESM-first (e.g., `"type": "module"` in `package.json`), use `import { ... } from 'livekit-server-sdk';`. If your project is CJS, you might need to ensure your transpilation setup is correct or check if an older CJS-compatible version is available (though v2 is primarily ESM).

Upgrade

Version history

2.15.1latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

34 hits · last 30 days

node

OpenAI (training)

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/livekit/node-sdks ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/livekit-server-sdk ↗

homepagehttps://livekit.io ↗