Owncast
Self‑hosted live streaming with built‑in chat
Owncast lets you run your own live‑streaming service with integrated chat, full control over content, moderation, and branding, using standard RTMP tools like OBS.
Overview
Who it's for
Owncast is aimed at individual creators, small communities, educators, and anyone who wants complete ownership of their live‑streaming experience. Because it runs as a single‑user service, it fits scenarios where the broadcaster controls the brand, moderation, and audience interaction without relying on third‑party platforms.
Core capabilities
The server accepts any RTMP feed, so popular tools such as OBS, Streamlabs, or Restream can be pointed at your Owncast instance. A built‑in chat interface lets viewers engage in real time, and the web UI—built with React—offers player, embed options, and customizable themes. The backend, written in Go, handles video ingestion and HLS delivery, while the frontend provides a responsive viewer experience.
Getting started & deployment
Owncast can be launched with a single Docker container or by compiling the Go backend and running the React frontend from source. The Quickstart guide walks you through installing prerequisites (ffmpeg, Go 1.24+), starting the service, and accessing the admin panel at http://yourserver:8080/admin. Windows servers are not natively supported, but WSL2 offers a viable workaround.
Highlights
Pros
- Complete control over branding, moderation, and data
- No platform fees or revenue sharing
- Simple setup via Docker image
- Extensible backend written in Go
Considerations
- Requires server management and maintenance
- No native Windows server support (WSL2 needed)
- Designed for single‑user broadcasting, not multi‑tenant
- Scaling to large audiences may need additional infrastructure
Fit guide
Great for
- Independent creators who want brand autonomy
- Small community groups hosting regular live events
- Educators delivering workshops or webinars
- Privacy‑focused streamers avoiding third‑party platforms
Not ideal when
- Enterprises needing multi‑user or SaaS solutions
- Users who prefer a fully managed cloud service
- Environments limited to Windows without WSL2
- Projects requiring built‑in advanced analytics dashboards
How teams use it
Solo gaming livestream
Broadcast gameplay via OBS with live chat, keeping full control over video and community interaction.
Live workshop with Q&A
Stream presentations and enable participants to ask questions through the built‑in chat, all hosted on a private domain.
Community town hall
Host a moderated discussion for a small group, using custom branding and chat moderation tools.
Private family broadcast
Share personal events with invited viewers behind a password‑protected stream, without exposing data to public platforms.
Tech snapshot
Frequently asked questions
Which broadcasting software works with Owncast?
Any software that can send an RTMP stream—such as OBS, Streamlabs, Restream, or similar—can be pointed at an Owncast server.
Can I run Owncast on a Windows server?
Native Windows support is not available; however, you can use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) to install and run Owncast.
How do I update to a new version?
Pull the latest Docker image or fetch the newest release tag from the repository, then restart the service.
Is there a hosted cloud version of Owncast?
Owncast is provided as self‑hosted software only; no official managed cloud service is offered.
Do I need to build from source to use Owncast?
No. You can run the pre‑built Docker container, though building from source is an option for custom modifications.
Project at a glance
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