OpenTok Python SDK

Warnings

• breaking The main class for interacting with the SDK was renamed from `OpenTok` to `Client` in version 3.x.x. Code using `from opentok import OpenTok` or `OpenTok.OpenTok()` will fail in versions 3.0 and above.
  Fix: Update imports to `from opentok import Client` and instantiate with `Client(api_key, api_secret)`.
• breaking As of v3.10.0, the `Client.generate_token()` method now generates JWT (JSON Web Token) formatted tokens by default. Previously, it generated T1 tokens by default.
  Fix: If your client-side applications or existing logic explicitly requires T1 tokens, you must now call `opentok_client.generate_token(session_id, use_jwt=False)`. Most modern client SDKs support JWTs.
• gotcha The `opentok` Python SDK is specifically for the legacy Tokbox/OpenTok platform, even though OpenTok is now part of the Vonage Video API. For new projects or migrations to the unified Vonage platform, it is recommended to use the `vonage` Python SDK, which has a different import path (`from vonage import Vonage` then `vonage_client.video`) and uses different authentication (application ID and private key instead of API key/secret).
  Fix: Determine whether you are building for the legacy OpenTok platform or the unified Vonage Video API. If the latter, consider using the `vonage` Python SDK and following its migration guide.
• gotcha The default `media_mode` for sessions created via `create_session()` changed from `MediaModes.routed` to `MediaModes.relayed` in v2.2.1. Relayed (peer-to-peer) sessions have limitations, particularly regarding archiving or certain advanced features, which require `routed` sessions.
  Fix: If you need features like archiving or server-side media processing, always explicitly set `media_mode=MediaModes.routed` when calling `create_session()`.

Install

• pip install opentok Install latest version

Imports

• Client

  from opentok import Client

  The primary class was renamed from `OpenTok` to `Client` in version 3.x.x. Using `OpenTok` will raise an `AttributeError` or `ImportError` in recent versions.
• MediaModes

  from opentok import MediaModes

  Used to specify the media routing mode when creating a session (e.g., `MediaModes.routed`).

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to initialize the OpenTok Client, create a new session, and generate a client token. It's crucial to set your `OPENTOK_API_KEY` and `OPENTOK_API_SECRET` as environment variables for secure and functional use. The example creates a 'routed' session, which is necessary for features like archiving. A token is then generated for connecting a client to this session.

import os
from opentok import Client, MediaModes

# Replace with your OpenTok API key and secret
API_KEY = os.environ.get('OPENTOK_API_KEY', 'YOUR_API_KEY')
API_SECRET = os.environ.get('OPENTOK_API_SECRET', 'YOUR_API_SECRET')

if not API_KEY or not API_SECRET or API_KEY == 'YOUR_API_KEY':
    print("WARNING: Please set OPENTOK_API_KEY and OPENTOK_API_SECRET environment variables or replace placeholders.")
    exit(1)

try:
    # Initialize an OpenTok Client instance
    opentok_client = Client(API_KEY, API_SECRET)

    # Create a session that uses the OpenTok Media Router
    # The routed mode is required for features like archiving.
    # For a relayed (peer-to-peer) session, use MediaModes.relayed or omit parameter for default.
    session = opentok_client.create_session(media_mode=MediaModes.routed)

    session_id = session.session_id
    print(f"Session ID: {session_id}")

    # Generate a token for a publisher role in this session
    # By default (since v3.10.0), JWTs are generated. For legacy T1 tokens, use `use_jwt=False`.
    token = opentok_client.generate_token(session_id)
    print(f"Generated Token: {token}")

    # In a real application, you would send `session_id` and `token` to your client-side application.

except Exception as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")