Red5 Android SDK — Native WebRTC Streaming for Android

The Red5 Android SDK enables native Android applications to publish and subscribe to live streams over WebRTC with sub-second latency. Built on the WHIP/WHEP protocol stack, the SDK handles ICE negotiation, camera and microphone capture, and license validation. It works with both Red5 Cloud (Stream Manager) deployments and standalone Red5 Pro servers, and supports conferencing, PubNub chat, real-time stats collection, and Picture-in-Picture mode.

Requirements

A valid Red5 Pro SDK license key
Camera and microphone permissions for publishing
Internet permission for both publishing and subscribing
Android API level compatible with the WebRTC dependency

Installation

Download the Android Archive (.aar) from red5-cloud-sdk.cachefly.net and place it in your app/libs folder. Add the following dependencies to your app’s build.gradle:

// Red5 SDK
implementation fileTree(include: ['*.aar'], dir: 'libs')
implementation 'androidx.annotation:annotation:1.9.1'
implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.13.2'
implementation 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:5.1.0'
implementation 'io.github.webrtc-sdk:android:137.7151.03'
implementation 'com.pubnub:pubnub-gson:11.0.0'

Permissions

Add the following to your AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />

Minimal publish

Add a Red5Renderer to your layout

Red5Renderer extends WebRTC’s SurfaceViewRenderer and displays the local camera preview.

<net.red5.android.core.Red5Renderer
    android:id="@+id/surface_view"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_centerInParent="true" />

In your Activity:

private Red5Renderer surfaceView;
surfaceView = findViewById(R.id.surface_view);

Request camera and microphone permissions

private static final String[] REQUIRED_PERMISSIONS = {
    Manifest.permission.CAMERA,
    Manifest.permission.RECORD_AUDIO
};

private void checkPermissions() {
    if (hasAllPermissions()) {
        createWebrtcClient();
    } else {
        ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this, REQUIRED_PERMISSIONS, PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE);
    }
}

Build the client

Use IRed5WebrtcClient.builder() and chain your configuration. Use setStreamManagerHost() for Red5 Cloud or setServerIp() for a standalone server.

Java
Kotlin

IRed5WebrtcClient webrtcClient = IRed5WebrtcClient.builder()
    .setActivity(this)
    .setLicenseKey(YOUR_SDK_LICENSE_KEY)
    .setStreamManagerHost("userid-xxx.cloud.red5.net") // Red5 Cloud
    // .setServerIp("192.168.1.100")                  // Standalone
    .setVideoEnabled(true)
    .setAudioEnabled(true)
    .setVideoWidth(1280)
    .setVideoHeight(720)
    .setVideoFps(30)
    .setVideoBitrate(1500)
    .setVideoSource(IRed5WebrtcClient.StreamSource.FRONT_CAMERA)
    .setVideoRenderer(surfaceView)
    .setEventListener(this)
    .build();

val webrtcClient: IRed5WebrtcClient? = IRed5WebrtcClient.builder()
    .setActivity(this.requireActivity())
    .setLicenseKey(YOUR_SDK_LICENSE_KEY)
    .setStreamManagerHost("userid-xxx.cloud.red5.net") // Red5 Cloud
    // .setServerIp("192.168.1.100")                  // Standalone
    .setVideoEnabled(true)
    .setAudioEnabled(true)
    .setVideoWidth(1280)
    .setVideoHeight(720)
    .setVideoFps(30)
    .setVideoBitrate(1500)
    .setVideoSource(IRed5WebrtcClient.StreamSource.FRONT_CAMERA)
    .setVideoRenderer(surfaceView)
    .setEventListener(this)
    .build()

Start preview after license validates

@Override
public void onLicenseValidated(boolean validated, String message) {
    if (validated) {
        webrtcClient.startPreview();
    } else {
        Toast.makeText(this, "License check failed: " + message, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
}

Publish

webrtcClient.publish("myStreamName");

IRed5WebrtcClient webrtcClient = IRed5WebrtcClient.builder()
    .setActivity(this)
    .setLicenseKey(YOUR_SDK_LICENSE_KEY)
    .setStreamManagerHost("userid-xxx.cloud.red5.net")
    .setVideoRenderer(surfaceView)
    .setEventListener(this)
    .build();

webrtcClient.subscribe("myStreamName");

Camera controls

Call these methods on the IRed5WebrtcClient instance at any time after the client is built.

// Switch between front and rear camera
webrtcClient.switchCamera();

// Mute/unmute video during an active session
webrtcClient.toggleSendVideo(false); // mute
webrtcClient.toggleSendVideo(true);  // unmute

// Mute/unmute audio during an active session
webrtcClient.toggleSendAudio(false); // mute
webrtcClient.toggleSendAudio(true);  // unmute

Picture-in-Picture mode

The SDK supports Android’s native PiP mode for both publishing and subscribing. Auto-enter PiP when the user navigates away:

@Override
protected void onUserLeaveHint() {
    super.onUserLeaveHint();
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O
            && isPublishing
            && !isInPictureInPictureMode()) {
        enterPictureInPictureMode();
    }
}

Manually enter PiP:

@TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.O)
public void enterPip() {
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
        Rational aspectRatio = new Rational(surfaceView.getWidth(), surfaceView.getHeight());
        PictureInPictureParams params = new PictureInPictureParams.Builder()
            .setAspectRatio(aspectRatio)
            .build();
        enterPictureInPictureMode(params);
    }
}

Real-time stats collection

Enable the stats collector to receive WebRTC metrics every 2 seconds (configurable).

IRed5WebrtcClient webrtcClient = IRed5WebrtcClient.builder()
    // ... other config ...
    .setStatsCollectorEnabled(true)
    .setStatsPollingIntervalMs(2000)
    .build();

Implement onRtcStats() in your Red5EventListener:

@Override
public void onRtcStats(RTCStats stats) {
    Log.d(TAG, "TX Bitrate: " + stats.txKBitRate + " kbps");
    Log.d(TAG, "RX Bitrate: " + stats.rxKBitRate + " kbps");
    Log.d(TAG, "Packet Loss: " + stats.rxPacketLossRate + "%");

    // Local mic level (0.0 = silence, 1.0 = maximum)
    if (stats.localAudioLevel > 0.05) {
        showMicrophoneActivity();
    }
}

Conferencing

The SDK provides multi-party conferencing via Red5 Cloud.

Conferencing requires a Red5 Cloud (Stream Manager) deployment. It does not work with standalone servers.

Set a ConferenceListener and build the client

IRed5WebrtcClient.ConferenceListener conferenceListener =
    new IRed5WebrtcClient.ConferenceListener() {
        @Override
        public void onJoinRoomSuccess(String roomId, ArrayList participants) {
            Log.d(TAG, "Joined room: " + roomId);
        }

        @Override
        public void onParticipantJoined(String uid, String role, String metaData,
                                        boolean videoEnabled, boolean audioEnabled,
                                        Red5Renderer renderer) {
            if (renderer != null) {
                runOnUiThread(() -> participantContainer.addView(renderer));
            }
        }

        @Override
        public void onParticipantLeft(String uid) {
            Log.d(TAG, "Participant left: " + uid);
        }

        @Override
        public void onParticipantMediaUpdate(String uid, boolean videoEnabled,
                                             boolean audioEnabled, long timestamp) {
            // Update UI indicators for camera/mic state
        }

        @Override
        public void onJoinRoomFailed(int statusCode, String message) {
            Log.e(TAG, "Join failed: " + message);
        }
    };

red5Client = IRed5WebrtcClient.builder()
    .setActivity(this)
    .setLicenseKey(YOUR_SDK_LICENSE_KEY)
    .setStreamManagerHost(YOUR_STREAM_MANAGER_HOST)
    .setVideoEnabled(true)
    .setAudioEnabled(true)
    .setVideoRenderer(localVideoRenderer)
    .setEventListener(this)
    .setConferenceListener(conferenceListener)
    .build();

Join the room

red5Client.join(
    "my-conference-room",  // roomId
    "john_" + System.currentTimeMillis(), // userId
    "",                    // token (optional)
    "publisher",           // role: "publisher" or "subscriber"
    "{\"name\":\"John Doe\"}" // metadata (optional JSON)
);

Leave the room

red5Client.release();

Chat integration

The SDK includes built-in PubNub chat. Pass your PubNub keys when building the client:

IRed5WebrtcClient webrtcClient = IRed5WebrtcClient.builder()
    .setActivity(this)
    .setLicenseKey(YOUR_SDK_LICENSE_KEY)
    .setChatUserId(USER_ID)
    .setPubnubPublishKey(YOUR_PUBNUB_PUBLISH_KEY)
    .setPubnubSubscribeKey(YOUR_PUBNUB_SUBSCRIBE_KEY)
    .setEventListener(this)
    .build();

Subscribe to a channel and send messages:

// Subscribe to a channel after license validation
webrtcClient.subscribeChatChannel("my-chat-room");

// Send a text message
webrtcClient.sendChatTextMessage("my-chat-room", "Hello, everyone!", null);

Receive messages in your Red5EventListener:

@Override
public void onChatMessageReceived(String channel, JsonElement message) {
    if (message != null && message.isJsonObject()) {
        JsonObject obj = message.getAsJsonObject();
        String text = obj.get("text").getAsString();
        String user = obj.get("userName").getAsString();
        Log.d("Chat", user + ": " + text);
    }
}

Event reference

Implement IRed5WebrtcClient.Red5EventListener in your Activity or Fragment.

Streaming events

Callback	Description
`onPublishStarted()`	Publish session started
`onPublishStopped()`	Publish session ended
`onPublishFailed(String error)`	Publish session failed
`onSubscribeStarted()`	Subscribe session started
`onSubscribeStopped()`	Subscribe session ended
`onSubscribeFailed(String error)`	Subscribe session failed

Lifecycle events

Callback	Description
`onLicenseValidated(boolean validated, String message)`	License check completed — always fires first
`onPreviewStarted()`	Camera preview is running
`onPreviewStopped()`	Camera preview stopped
`onIceConnectionStateChanged(IceConnectionState state)`	ICE connection state changed
`onConnectionStateChanged(PeerConnectionState state)`	Peer connection state changed
`onError(String error)`	Unrecoverable error
`onRtcStats(RTCStats stats)`	WebRTC metrics (fires each polling interval)

Chat events

Callback	Description
`onChatConnected()`	Connected to PubNub
`onChatDisconnected()`	Disconnected from PubNub
`onChatMessageReceived(String channel, JsonElement message)`	Message received
`onChatSendSuccess(String channel, Long timetoken)`	Message sent
`onChatSendError(String channel, String errorMessage)`	Message failed

Configuration reference

Key IRed5WebrtcClient.builder() methods:

Method	Default	Description
`setActivity(Activity activity)`	—	Host Activity (required)
`setLicenseKey(String key)`	—	Red5 Pro license key (required)
`setStreamManagerHost(String host)`	—	Red5 Cloud Stream Manager hostname
`setServerIp(String ip)`	—	Standalone server IP
`setServerPort(int port)`	`5080`	Standalone server port
`setAppName(String name)`	`"live"`	Application scope
`setVideoEnabled(boolean enabled)`	`true`	Enable or disable video
`setAudioEnabled(boolean enabled)`	`true`	Enable or disable audio
`setVideoWidth(int width)`	`1280`	Capture width in pixels
`setVideoHeight(int height)`	`720`	Capture height in pixels
`setVideoFps(int fps)`	`30`	Frame rate
`setVideoBitrate(int kbps)`	`1500`	Bitrate in kbps
`setStatsCollectorEnabled(boolean enabled)`	`true`	Enable stats collection
`setStatsPollingIntervalMs(int ms)`	`2000`	Stats polling interval

For the complete API reference including all methods, enums, and data models, see the Android SDK API reference.

​Requirements

​Installation

​Permissions

​Minimal publish

​Minimal subscribe

​Camera controls

​Picture-in-Picture mode

​Real-time stats collection

​Conferencing

​Chat integration

​Event reference

​Configuration reference

Requirements

Installation

Permissions

Minimal publish

Minimal subscribe

Camera controls

Picture-in-Picture mode

Real-time stats collection

Conferencing

Chat integration

Event reference

Configuration reference