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API Reference

This API reference explains how to schedule live broadcasts and video streams on YouTube using the YouTube Live Streaming API.

Resource types

The API interacts with the following types of resources:

  1. LiveBroadcasts
  2. LiveCuepoints
  3. LiveStreams

LiveBroadcasts

A liveBroadcast resource represents an event that will be streamed, via live video, on YouTube.

For more information about this resource, see its resource representation and list of properties.

Method HTTP request Description
URIs relative to https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3
bind POST /liveBroadcasts/bind Binds a YouTube broadcast to a stream or removes an existing binding between a broadcast and a stream. A broadcast can only be bound to one video stream, though a video stream may be bound to more than one broadcast.
delete DELETE /liveBroadcasts Deletes a broadcast.
insert POST /liveBroadcasts Creates a broadcast.
list GET /liveBroadcasts Returns a list of YouTube broadcasts that match the API request parameters.
transition POST /liveBroadcasts/transition Changes the status of a YouTube live broadcast and initiates any processes associated with the new status. For example, when you transition a broadcast's status to testing, YouTube starts to transmit video to that broadcast's monitor stream. Before calling this method, you should confirm that the value of the status.streamStatus property for the stream bound to your broadcast is active.
update PUT /liveBroadcasts Updates a broadcast. For example, you could modify the broadcast settings defined in the liveBroadcast resource's contentDetails object.
control POST /liveBroadcasts/control Controls the settings for a slate that can be displayed in the broadcast stream.

LiveCuepoints

A liveCuepoint resource starts an ad break in the broadcast video stream.

Note: The API command for controlling cuepoints is actually part of the YouTube Content ID API and has different authorization requirements than requests to manage liveBroadcast and liveStream resources.

For more information about this resource, see its resource representation and list of properties.

Method HTTP request Description
URIs relative to https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/partner/v1
insert POST /liveCuepoints Inserts a cuepoint into a live broadcast.

LiveStreams

A liveStream resource contains information about the video stream that you are transmitting to YouTube. The stream provides the content that will be broadcast to YouTube users. Once created, a liveStream resource can be bound to one or more liveBroadcast resources.

For more information about this resource, see its resource representation and list of properties.

Method HTTP request Description
URIs relative to https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3
delete DELETE /liveStreams Deletes a video stream.
insert POST /liveStreams Creates a video stream. The stream enables you to send your video to YouTube, which can then broadcast the video to your audience.
list GET /liveStreams Returns a list of video streams that match the API request parameters.
update PUT /liveStreams Updates a video stream. If the properties that you want to change cannot be updated, then you need to create a new stream with the proper settings.

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