Host Your Own Video Conferencing with Jitsi Server: The Ultimate Guide for Devs

As a Dev, you know the importance of video conferencing. Whether you are telecommuting, working with remote teams or just need to have a virtual meeting, you need a reliable video conferencing tool. That’s where Jitsi Server comes in.

Introduction to Jitsi Server

Jitsi Server is an open-source video conferencing platform that allows you to host your own conferencing server. It provides secure and easy-to-use video conferencing capabilities that are ideal for small to large-sized organizations.

In this article, we’ll show you how to set up your own Jitsi Server and take advantage of its many features. We’ll cover everything from installation to customization, so let’s get started!

Benefits of Hosting Your Own Jitsi Server

Installation of Jitsi Server

The first step in hosting your own Jitsi Server is to install it on your server or computer. Here’s how:

Step 1: Install the Required Packages

You’ll need to install several packages to get Jitsi Server up and running. These include Java, Nginx, and Prosody. Here’s how to install them:

For Java:

sudo apt install -y openjdk-8-jre-headless

For Nginx:

sudo apt install -y nginx

For Prosody:

wget https://prosody.im/files/prosody-debian-packages.key -O- | sudo apt-key add -

sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://packages.prosody.im/debian $(lsb_release -sc) main' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/prosody.list"

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y prosody

Step 2: Install Jitsi Server

Once you’ve installed the required packages, you can move on to installing Jitsi Server itself. Here’s how:

wget -qO - https://download.jitsi.org/jitsi-key.gpg.key | sudo apt-key add -

sudo sh -c "echo 'deb https://download.jitsi.org stable/' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jitsi-stable.list"

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y jitsi-meet

Step 3: Configure Nginx

Nginx is used as a reverse proxy for Jitsi Server. Here’s how to configure it:

Open the file /etc/nginx/sites-available/YOUR_DOMAIN in your favorite text editor and replace the contents with the following:

server {listen 80;server_name YOUR_DOMAIN;return 301 https://$host$request_uri;}server {listen 443 ssl;server_name YOUR_DOMAIN;ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/YOUR_DOMAIN/fullchain.pem;ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/YOUR_DOMAIN/privkey.pem;location = /config.js {alias /etc/jitsi/meet/YOUR_DOMAIN-config.js;}location = /external_api.js {alias /usr/share/jitsi-meet/libs/external_api.min.js;}location / {proxy_pass https://localhost:4444;proxy_set_header Host $host;}}

Be sure to replace YOUR_DOMAIN with your domain name.

Customization of Jitsi Server

After you’ve installed and configured Jitsi Server, you can customize it to fit your organization’s needs. Here are some of the most popular customization options:

Custom Branding

You can customize your Jitsi Server with your organization’s branding by modifying the CSS code. Here’s how:

Open the file /usr/share/jitsi-meet/css/all.css in your favorite text editor and modify the CSS code to match your organization’s branding.

Custom Domain

If you want to use a custom domain for your Jitsi Server, you can do so by modifying the Nginx configuration. Here’s how:

Open the file /etc/nginx/sites-available/YOUR_DOMAIN in your favorite text editor and modify the server_name line to match your custom domain.

FAQ

How many participants can be on a call?

Jitsi Server supports up to 75 participants on a single call.

Can I use Jitsi Server for free?

Yes, Jitsi Server is open-source software and can be used for free.

Do I need to be a Dev to use Jitsi Server?

No, anyone can use Jitsi Server as long as they have basic server administration skills.

Is Jitsi Server secure?

Yes, Jitsi Server is secure and provides end-to-end encryption.

Can I host Jitsi Server on my own computer?

Yes, you can use Jitsi Server on your own computer if you have the required server software installed.

Conclusion

Jitsi Server is a powerful and easy-to-use video conferencing tool that you can host yourself. With its many features and customization options, it’s the perfect choice for small to large-sized organizations. We hope this guide has helped you to set up your own Jitsi Server and get the most out of it. Happy conferencing!