
One of its core products, Wowza Video, is a cloud-based platform that offers robust API coverage, ranging across transcoding and asset management to advanced workflows and playback optimization. Wowza is an industry-leading video solution that specializes in both live streaming and video on demand.

*Note: The information in this article is accurate as of August 2nd, 2022. This list covers some of the most major players that make their APIs accessible but is non-exhaustive, so you may look into other options afterward. Now, let’s dive into the platforms with the best live video streaming APIs. Many of the video platforms we’ll discuss offer their APIs inside SDKs, but we’ll focus on APIs themselves so keep things simple. You also may be wondering, is an SDK better than an API? Neither is inherently better than another because though SDKs include multiple tools, they always have at least one API. A video platform might offer you an SDK comprised of various programs - such as runtimes and compilers - as well as APIs so you can build on and control the resources the platform already provides. Essentially, they’re sets of tools for particular purposes.

As we’ve established, an API consists of out-of-the-box programs that enable you to interface with another piece of software, but an SDK, or Software Development Kit, is a collection of development tools that includes APIs. While deciding which video solution is right for you, you may be confused when you hear the term SDK instead of API. Essentially, you can think of video APIs like ready-made protocols and procedures that make your developers’ lives easier.

For example, if you want to build an application using a platform with a closed API, you’ll have to connect them through the UI, which is much more challenging to do.

If you’re not already familiar, an API is an application programming interface, which is a piece of code or software that acts as an intermediary so two applications can communicate or integrate with each other.
