PeerTube

PeerTube is a decentralized, free and open-source video hosting network that serves as an alternative to video broadcasting services.

Overview

PeerTube uses BitTorrent and WebTorrent protocols to share data between users. BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing communication protocol that allows users to transfer data and electronic files in a decentralized manner over the Internet. At the same time, WebTorrent is a streaming torrent software for web browsers and desktop computers. It employs WebRTC for peer-to-peer transfer. To use WebTorrent in your browser, browser plugins, extensions, or installation are not required.

Users can stream PeerTube videos in two ways, including WebTorrent or HLS with P2P. The platform accepts videos in mkv and avi and audio file uploads (PeerTube will create a video from them). PeerTube uses ActivityPub, a federating protocol that allows you to engage with other apps that also use this protocol. For example, PeerTube and Mastodon work together as a Twitter alternative. You can follow a PeerTube user from Mastodon (the latest videos from the PeerTube account you follow will display in your feed). You can even comment on a PeerTube-hosted movie from your Mastodon account.

Mainstream internet video broadcasting firms generate money by monitoring users' interactions and bombarding them with customized advertisements. PeerTube is not a corporate monopoly that relies on ads or monitors users' activities because PeerTube does not profile its users to avoid trapping them in watching unnecessary video loops. PeerTube, for example, does not use any biased recommendation algorithms to keep you online for hours.

PeerTube made this feature possible through PeerTube's free/libre license (GNU-AGPL). The code is a digital "common" that everyone has access to, instead of a secret formula owned by Google (in the case of YouTube) or Vivendi/Bolloré (Dailymotion). This free/libre license protects our fundamental user freedoms and allows many contributors to evolve new features.

Product details

PeerTube is a federation of related hosting services that allows each instance to host its users and their videos. PeerTube is not a platform that centralizes videos. Instead, it is a network that hosts interconnected tiny videos, which allows anyone with a basic understanding of technology to host a PeerTube server (Instance). Each instance is then allowed to host its users and videos and, as a result, allows each administrator to create, moderate, and maintain their instances independently.

PeerTube is a decentralized video platform that uses WebTorrent P2P technology to stream videos. PeerTube uses WebTorrent technology (P2P or peer-to-peer) to prevent a viral video from crashing a server. This technology automates bandwidth distribution among users. In this manner, any instance can host the videos of another instance and grant access to them without switching web pages.

PeerTube uses ActivityPub, a federating protocol that allows users to interact with other software. PeerTube uses ActivityPub to interact with other software, provided they also use this protocol. ActivityPub is a decentralized, open social networking protocol that includes a client/server API for creating, editing, and deleting content and a federated server-to-server API for distributing notifications and content.

PeerTube uses libre license code to ensure users avoid unnecessary Ads. PeerTube is does not rely on advertisements or tracking their user activities. PeerTube aims to treat its users as persons and not as products. The platform does not use biased recommendation algorithms to keep users online for hours. Instead, it employs a free/libre license (GNU-AGPL) to ensure users' core freedoms while allowing many contributors to give evolution and new features.

PeerTube gives users access and freedom to stream videos online, including live videos. PeerTube is open-source software that allows users to upload their videos and ensure viewers can stream them anywhere based on their own rules and at a low cost. The PeerTube platform lets users can host live events using RTMP-compatible software such as OBS, Restream, FFmpeg, etc. The platform can also create videos for content creators with uploaded audio file and images.

PeerTube lets users to choose their hosting company and the rules they believe suit them. It allows creators to select their hosting provider and the rules they want to abide by based on their terms of service, such as their disk space limit per user, moderation policy, and who they choose to moderate.

PeerTube provides a free video streaming service and does not require user fees. This video streaming platform does not require any user fees at any time. Users can upload, view, and livestream events for free with the video streaming platform. PeerTube uses a federation approach to create video networks based on a shared video catalog that do not require users to pay for disk space increase.

PeerTube allows users to customize the platform interface to suit their desires. Users have the freedom to customize the PeerTube interface to their heart’s content by updating their profile name, avatar, or description, selecting a PeerTube theme to customize the interface's appearance, and configuring their NSFW policy including the display, blur, or conceal NSFW videos.

They can customize their Autoplay policy and filter videos based on various parameters including language, category, live/VOD, and so on.

PeerTube relies on the BitTorrent protocol to distribute bandwidth among users. The bandwidth distribution with the BitTorrent protocol allows PeerTube to lower the server load. However, users have the option to switch back to conventional streaming from video servers.

Recap

PeerTube aims to provide a decentralized video platform where users can watch, like, and comment on videos online and host live events. The platform empowers users to make the web theirs by installing their own PeerTube for free without paying for installation or usage.

With its federation technology, users can create a video network with a shared video catalog without paying for more disk space—an advantage over using centralized platforms.

It allows users to personalize the platform to suit their desire by updating their profile name, avatar, description, and other platform features. With P2P streaming, which makes video streaming resilient and efficient, users don't need a data center to run PeerTube. Instead, users can stream videos directly from the PeerTube instance. When several people stream a video simultaneously, the platforms share the video bits among the viewers in the background.