Video Conferencing Application 🎥

A robust real-time video conferencing platform built with Django, Django Channels (WebSockets), and the Agora SDK. This application facilitates stable audio/video communication and persistent real-time chat with low latency.

📖 Overview

This project integrates WebRTC via the Agora SDK for high-quality video streaming and utilizes Django Channels to handle WebSocket connections for a seamless chat experience. It is designed to handle concurrent users efficiently with a focus on minimal latency and secure session management.

✨ Key Features

• Real-Time Video/Audio: Leverages Agora SDK to ensure stable communication with adaptive bitrate streaming.
• Persistent Chat: WebSocket-based chat system implemented using Django Channels.
  • Performance: Tested with ~20–30 concurrent users per room.
  • Speed: Average message delivery latency reduced to <200ms via persistent connections.
• Secure Rooms: Token-based authentication and secure session handling to prevent unauthorized access to meeting rooms.
• Low Latency: Optimized architecture ensures synchronization between video streams and chat messages.

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Backend Framework: Django
• Real-time Protocol: Django Channels (Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface - ASGI)
• Video/Audio Engine: Agora RTC SDK (WebRTC)
• Database: SQLite (Development) / PostgreSQL (Production recommended)
• Message Broker: Redis (for Channel Layers)
• Frontend: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript

⚙️ Prerequisites

Before running the project, ensure you have the following installed:

• Python 3.8+
• Redis (Required for Django Channels)
• An Agora.io Developer Account (for App ID)

🚀 Installation & Setup

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone [https://github.com/yourusername/your-repo-name.git](https://github.com/yourusername/your-repo-name.git)
   cd your-repo-name

2. Create and Activate Virtual Environment

   python -m venv venv
   # Windows
   venv\Scripts\activate
   # Mac/Linux
   source venv/bin/activate

3. Install Dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure Environment Variables Create a .env file in the root directory and add your Agora credentials:

   SECRET_KEY=your_django_secret_key
   DEBUG=True
   AGORA_APP_ID=your_agora_app_id
   AGORA_APP_CERTIFICATE=your_agora_certificate

5. Start Redis Server Ensure Redis is running on port 6379.

   redis-server

6. Run Migrations

   python manage.py makemigrations
   python manage.py migrate

7. Start the Application Since we are using Django Channels, you might need to run via daphne or the standard command if asgi.py is configured correctly.

   python manage.py runserver

📸 Architecture

1. User Joins Room: The Django backend validates the session ID.
2. Video Stream: The frontend initializes the Agora Client, connecting directly to Agora's SD-RTN (Software Defined Real-time Network).
3. Chat Stream: The frontend opens a WebSocket connection (ws://) to the Django Channels consumer.
4. Broadcasting: Redis acts as the channel layer, distributing chat messages to all connected clients in the room instantly.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome!

1. Fork the project.
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature).
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature').
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature).
5. Open a Pull Request.