Build a OTT platform Using Node.js SDK

By 2027, OTT revenue is expected to surpass $400 billion globally, driven by everything from bingeable series to bootcamp-style e-learning to live commerce. But while streaming has gotten easier for viewers, building and scaling an OTT backend still feels like stitching together five different vendors.

This guide shows you how to skip that mess.

Using the FastPix Node.js SDK, you’ll build a fully functional video backend, with uploads, adaptive streaming, metadata, chapters, analytics, access control, and even simulcasting, all from one integration.

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What you'll build

A scalable OTT backend that supports:

• Video upload and asset management

• Just-in-time transcoding to adaptive HLS

• AI-powered chapters and metadata tagging

• Secure playback with token access

• Built-in analytics and viewer insights

• Optional: DRM and simulcasting to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch

Whether you’re building for entertainment, education, internal training, or live sports, this stack scales with you.

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Why use Node.js for your OTT backend?

Node.js isn’t just popular, it’s built for streaming-era infrastructure. Here’s how it maps directly to OTT platform needs:

1. Handles high-concurrency traffic: Your video catalog, homepage, and playback APIs serve thousands of users. Node.js’s non-blocking I/O keeps latency low, even under heavy load.

2. Streams run on V8 speed: Live events and VOD playback rely on quick server-side decisions, whether that’s generating a signed playback URL or triggering a chaptering job. Node’s V8 engine delivers that speed.

3. Shared logic across stack: Your frontend and backend teams can speak the same language. Write reusable modules for metadata, access control, or video player states, all in JavaScript.

4. Rich plugin ecosystem: Need DRM token generation? A webhook to sync video uploads with a CMS? There’s a battle-tested npm package for it.

5. Real-time ready: Use WebSockets to build live chats, viewer count widgets, or real-time audience polls.  

6. Horizontal scalability: Whether you're premiering a new show or going viral on launch day, Node.js scales across cores and containers without breaking your app.

7. Ideal for microservices: Break your OTT backend into media, playback, auth, and analytics services. Node keeps them lightweight and independently deployable.

8. Proven at OTT scale: Netflix, Hulu, and Disney use Node.js in production. If it works for them, it can work for your streaming app too.

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What is the FastPix Node.js SDK?

FastPix Node.js SDK is a backend-first video API toolkit, built for developers who want full control over video infrastructure without dealing with encoding pipelines, CDN configs, or third-party service sprawl.

It abstracts the complexity of uploading, transforming, streaming, and securing video, all from your Node.js app.

Why it works for OTT backends

• Upload videos from anywhere: Ingest media from URLs, devices, or cloud storage, with metadata, access policies, and custom tags baked in.

• Start live streams in seconds: Spin up a live event or 24/7 stream with a single API call. No RTMP server management. No scaling headaches.

• Simulcast to social platforms: Push your stream to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch, at the same time, from your backend.

• Strong typing, secure auth: The SDK uses TypeScript definitions and token-based auth, so your implementation stays predictable and protected.

• Async-ready developer experience: Designed for modern Node.js apps: await-friendly methods, clean syntax, and low friction for building real features fast.

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Getting started with the FastPix Node.js SDK

This section outlines the core steps to set up the FastPix Node.js SDK, authenticate with your credentials, and perform a basic media upload.

Prerequisites

• Node.js v18 or higher

• A valid FastPix Access Token ID and Secret Key (generated via the FastPix dashboard)

Important: The SDK is intended for server-side use only. Do not expose secret keys in frontend applications.

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Step 1: Install the SDK

1npm install @fastpix/fastpix-node 

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ES Modules:

1import Client from '@fastpix/fastpix-node'; 

‍CommonJS:

1const Client = require('@fastpix/fastpix-node').default; 

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Step 3: Initialize the client

1const fastpix = new Client({ 
2  accessTokenId: process.env.FASTPIX_TOKEN_ID, 
3  secretKey: process.env.FASTPIX_SECRET_KEY, 
4}); 

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Credentials should be loaded from environment variables in production.

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Step 4: Upload media from a URL

1async function uploadVideo() { 
2  const requestPayload = { 
3    inputs: [ 
4      { 
5        type: 'video', 
6        url: 'https://static.fastpix.io/sample.mp4', 
7      }, 
8    ], 
9    metadata: { 
10      video_title: 'Big Buck Bunny', 
11    }, 
12    accessPolicy: 'public', // Use 'private' to restrict access 
13  }; 
14
15  const response = await fastpix.uploadMediaFromUrl(requestPayload); 
16  console.log('Media ID:', response.data.id); 
17} 

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Call the function:

1uploadVideo().catch(console.error);

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Result

If successful, FastPix will return a media ID. You can use this ID to query metadata, generate playback URLs, or enable additional workflows (e.g., DRM, chapters, simulcasting).

Refer to the FastPix Node.js SDK Reference for the full list of methods and supported parameters.

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Video workflows you can build with the SDK

The FastPix Node.js SDK gives you programmatic control over every stage of your video pipeline, from ingestion to playback. Here’s how it maps to real-world OTT use cases:

1. Media operations

Upload media

• From a URL: Ingest content from external sources, cloud storage, or CDN links.

• From a local device: Accept direct file uploads from creators, editors, or admin tools.

Manage media assets

• List all media: View your entire content library, including archived or draft content.

• Get media by ID: Fetch asset details for playback, editing, or analytics.

• Update metadata: Modify tags, descriptions, or access policies programmatically.

• Delete media: Remove expired, duplicate, or restricted content securely.

• Fetch media info: Retrieve processing status, thumbnail status, and encoding details.

Playback management

• Generate playback ID: Create secure sessions for HLS playback.

• Delete playback ID(s) : Invalidate expired or compromised sessions.

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2. Live stream operations

Start and manage live streams

• Initiate live stream: Start live events with ingest URLs and metadata.

• List all live streams: View active, scheduled, and past streams.

• Get live stream by ID: Track status, view metrics, or trigger updates.

• Update stream metadata/configs:  Change title, privacy, encoding settings mid-stream.

• Delete live stream: End and remove the stream from the system.

Live playback control

• Generate playback ID: Secure viewer sessions for a live stream.

• Delete playback ID(s): Revoke access for moderation or security.

• Get playback policy: Check current access rules (e.g., geo-block, token).

Simulcast to social platforms

• Initiate simulcast: Stream simultaneously to platforms like YouTube or Twitch.

• Get simulcast info: Monitor active destinations and stream keys.

• Update simulcast config: Change or rotate keys/platforms mid-stream.

• Delete simulcast: Stop broadcasting to specific channels on demand.

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Why the FastPix Node.js SDK is essential for OTT platforms and beyond

Video is the foundation of any OTT platform, not a feature. From ingest and encoding to playback, security, and real-time distribution, the backend carries the weight. FastPix’s Node.js SDK gives you direct control over this stack without managing encoders, delivery networks, or third-party glue code.

With just a few methods, you can upload media, trigger adaptive transcoding, generate playback sessions, spin up live streams, or simulcast to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch, all from your server-side application. You also get fine-grained access control, metadata management, and built-in analytics hooks, without introducing external complexity.

For developers building video-heavy products, whether you're launching a niche streaming service or adding live video to a larger platform, the SDK provides a backend-first abstraction that scales with real-world needs.

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Beyond OTT: Built for more than entertainment

While OTT is the most obvious use case, the SDK is already powering video infrastructure across sectors:

• EdTech platforms use it to upload recorded lectures, stream live classes, and manage token-based access to paid content.

• Healthcare companies rely on it for secure teleconsultations and compliance-friendly training libraries.

• E-commerce teams integrate live shopping streams and product walkthroughs with multi-platform distribution.

• Media publishers use FastPix for breaking news, field reporting, and real-time broadcast workflows.

• Events and webinars stream keynotes, host panels, and archive video sessions for replay or gated access.

In every case, the common thread is the same: scalable video delivery without the overhead of managing video infrastructure. The FastPix Node.js SDK gives you that, natively, securely, and without operational friction.

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FastPix Node.js SDK: Build and scale video from your backend

The FastPix Node.js SDK gives you everything you need to power a modern video platform, upload, transcode, stream, tag, and monitor videos, all with a few lines of code. No custom infrastructure, no glued-together pipelines, just a clean, reliable SDK built for production.

FastPix also supports other language SDKs in Python (sync & async), PHP, C#, and Go, so you can work in the language that fits your stack.

Sign up to try FastPix first and get $25 in free credit.  Have questions, talk to us our team’s happy to help.