Video conferencing has become an integral part of a corporate employee’s life. It would not be wrong to say that every corporate employee’s day starts with a 1:1 video call and ends with a meeting. The advancement of technology allows employees to break free from rigid and traditional office methods and adapt to new trends.
For instance, employees do not need to travel to another city to conduct a meeting with the senior management and show their proposal or presentation. With the advent of video conferencing tools, all of the meetings can be done from the comfort of their home.
However, you might be wondering why you should choose video conferencing API when there are already ready-made video conferencing tools. Well, the answer lies in customization and seamless integration into your existing IT infrastructure.
When you buy video conferencing APIs from, for instance, MirrorFly, you get full control over the source code. APIs make it easy and provide a consistent user experience, as they do not have to switch from one application to another to join a meet and present.
Also, just like ready-made video conferencing apps, there are many video conferencing APIs available in the market. How do you know which is suitable for your business? We aim to simplify all the queries related to video calling API and how to choose the best online video conference platforms with this blog. Read to find out more.
What is API?
API or application programming interface refers to any software with distinct functionalities. It enables two components to communicate using a set of definitions and protocols.
A video conferencing API allows you to integrate your video call capabilities with different applications.
What are the uses of API?
API is like a software intermediary that ensures different applications can communicate with each other. These interfaces are an accessible way to extract and share data within and across organizations.
For example, a video conferencing API can be integrated into your existing application, and it will become a part of its extended features. Now, you can easily access and set up a video call with any of your co-workers or colleagues. This makes the customer experience streamlined and easy.
How Does Video Conferencing Work?
Video conferencing usually takes the form of a live meeting between two or more professionals in different locations. It requires the use of video-enabled devices. The process allows multiple people to meet and collaborate face-to-face without meeting physically.
Video Conferencing SDK is a set of protocols, routines, and tools that allows your team of developers to add the video conferencing functionality to your existing application. It allows your team to access pre-built video conferencing features and functionalities without requiring them to build from scratch, hence saving time and adding a bunch of features that would have taken time to develop in-house.
How is Video Conferencing API different from Video Conferencing SDK?
Video conferencing APIs allow adding a video conferencing feature to an existing application; however, the video conferencing SDK allows building a video conferencing application from scratch as it contains all the components, like debuggers, compilers, and libraries, to build the app.
Benefits of Video Conferencing APIs & SDKs
Video conferencing APIs help developers save resources so the saved resources can be used for some other important tasks, like working on a new feature for the existing application. Let’s understand the benefits of this solution,
1. Easier App Development
A video conferencing API for Android, iOS, and other platforms enables developers to streamline the app development process. They do not have to develop any complex video communication functionalities from the ground up as a result of the user-friendly interface. This enables the developers to utilize pre-built, tested features to build their respective applications.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Implementing video conferencing is more cost-effective than developing in-house solutions. It means you do not have to invest in extensive R&D and infrastructure for the app development process. Besides, MirrorFly offers the entire source code, so you have the complete freedom to change it as you wish. You can add, delete, or modify the features as per your business requirements.
3. Personalization
Video conferencing provides developers with the flexibility to customize the video call experience to match the brand and user needs. This includes integrating specific features such as custom UI elements, recording capabilities, and analytics. Such personalization enhances user engagement and satisfaction by tailoring the experience to specific requirements.
With MirrorFly Video Conferencing API, you get a custom UI kit to add personalized UI elements, like logos, colors, and typefaces, to your video conferencing applications.
How to Choose the Right Video Conferencing SDK?
Choosing the right API for your business needs also means understanding their types and functionalities. Failing to do so may overwhelm you regarding the decision on which API to implement for your application. Here are some factors that you can consider while choosing a video conferencing API:
1. Prioritize Security
Security and compliance should be top priorities if your video conferencing app or any other application deals with sensitive data. This also applies to applications that operate in regulated industries.
Search for APIs that comply with industry standards and regulations, offer secure transmission of data, and safeguard against unauthorized access or data breaches.
You must also ensure that the API you select supports end-to-end encryption to protect data during transmission. Look for advanced features like multi-factor authentication and security audits to maintain an efficient posture.
For instance, MirrorFly offers customizable encryption features, like AES encryption, SSL, OMEMO encryption, biometric verification, and custom admin controls. It also supports comprehensive privacy features and supports backend protection to shield your app infrastructure and network.
2. Check the Quality
One of the most crucial aspects of a text-to-speech solution used for various applications is the quality of the generated speech. For instance, video conferencing integration requires clear and natural-sounding speech to ensure effective communication.
It means you must choose an API that produces natural-sounding and accurate speech. The same API must also ensure realistic intonation, pronunciation, and cadence across the system.
Make sure to test multiple APIs and compare their respective results. This will help you ensure the best quality for your application. Consider analyzing user feedback to refine and improve the specific speech quality. This involves analyzing regular updates and enhancements to the same API.
3. Examine Ease-of-Use
An efficient API should always have clear and comprehensive documentation. This helps guide the designers and developers through the complete integration process. Seek out documentation that includes video conferencing SDKs, code samples, and detailed explanations of other respective API functionalities.
Consider the availability of professional support and a vibrant developer community. This helps you provide valuable assistance and resources to your developers during the integration process. A user-friendly API will help you reduce development time and ensure efficient implementation.
MirrorFly offers managed services as well, so our team of developers will help you analyze your needs, customize the API according to your needs, deploy it on our cloud servers or your servers, and check its functionalities. Our team will handle and manage everything.
4. Consider Making Modifications
Different applications require customization options based on their respective requirements. For instance, a self-hosted video conferencing solution might require specific branding, user interface adjustments, and unique feature integrations. That is why you must select an API that enables you to adjust and modify features as per your needs.
5. Opt for Better User Experience
User experience is crucial when choosing an API, as it directly impacts how your application performs and how users, whether employees or customers, interact with it.
Ensure that the API provides an efficient, intuitive experience by evaluating its integration capabilities and how well it supports features like real-time feedback and interactive elements. APIs that offer the easiest integration and enhance user interactions can improve the effectiveness of your application significantly.
6. Think About the Future
When selecting a video calling API, consider its long-term viability and how it will adapt to future needs. Look for interfaces with a track record of regular updates, ongoing support, and scalability to accommodate future enhancements. This foresight ensures that the API will continue to meet your respective business requirements and technological advancements without requiring frequent replacements or significant overhauls.
Conclusion
There is no denying that APIs are the most efficient way to improve the functionalities of your existing application. APIs simplify integrating high-quality, real-time video communication, facilitating developers’ customization of features like screen sharing, video recording, multi-party calls, real-time chat, and others.
If you are looking for one such video conferencing API to boost the functionalities of your existing application, then your search ends right here. MirrorFly, trusted by leading brands, allows you to build your video conferencing app with 100% customizable source code that comes with 100+ third-party integrations. Book a demo today!
