Open-Source Projects
Discover top open-source software, updated regularly with real-world adoption signals.
Discover top open-source software, updated regularly with real-world adoption signals.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Any software that can send an RTMP stream—such as OBS, Streamlabs, Restream, or similar—can be pointed at an Owncast server.
Native Windows support is not available; however, you can use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) to install and run Owncast.
Pull the latest Docker image or fetch the newest release tag from the repository, then restart the service.
Owncast is provided as self‑hosted software only; no official managed cloud service is offered.
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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