go2rtc — Ultimate Streaming Engine for Cameras and WebRTC

Introduction

go2rtc solves the fragmentation problem in video streaming by acting as a universal protocol bridge. It accepts streams from virtually any camera or source and re-streams them over WebRTC, MSE, HLS, RTSP, or HomeKit with minimal latency and zero transcoding when possible.

What go2rtc Does

• Connects to IP cameras via RTSP, RTMP, HTTP-FLV, and proprietary protocols
• Re-streams video over WebRTC, MSE, HLS, RTSP, and HomeKit without mandatory transcoding
• Provides two-way audio support for intercom-capable cameras
• Integrates with Home Assistant, Frigate, Scrypted, and other smart home platforms
• Supports hardware-accelerated transcoding via FFmpeg when codec conversion is needed

Architecture Overview

go2rtc runs as a single Go binary with a built-in web UI on port 1984. It maintains persistent connections to configured camera streams and creates on-demand output sessions when clients connect. The core uses a codec negotiation layer that passes through compatible streams directly (zero-copy) and only invokes FFmpeg for transcoding when the source and client codecs differ. A WebRTC signaling server is embedded for browser-based low-latency viewing.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Download a single binary or run via Docker with alexxit/go2rtc
• Define camera streams in go2rtc.yaml with source URLs and optional credentials
• Configure WebRTC candidates for external access through NAT or reverse proxy
• Enable hardware transcoding by setting the ffmpeg binary path and codec options
• Integrate with Home Assistant by adding go2rtc as a custom component or add-on

Key Features

• Zero-latency codec passthrough avoids transcoding when source and viewer support the same codec
• Multi-protocol output lets a single source feed WebRTC, HLS, RTSP, and HomeKit simultaneously
• Two-way audio enables intercom functionality through the browser or HomeKit
• Built-in web UI for monitoring streams, viewing live video, and testing configurations
• Automatic stream reconnection with configurable retry logic for unreliable cameras

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Frigate — focuses on NVR with object detection; go2rtc handles the streaming layer that Frigate itself uses internally
• MediaMTX (rtsp-simple-server) — RTSP-focused proxy; go2rtc adds WebRTC, HomeKit, and two-way audio support
• Shinobi — full NVR with recording and motion detection; go2rtc is a lightweight streaming proxy without storage
• ZoneMinder — traditional NVR software; go2rtc focuses purely on low-latency streaming and protocol bridging

FAQ

Q: Does go2rtc record video? A: No. go2rtc is a streaming proxy. Use Frigate, Home Assistant, or another NVR for recording.

Q: Which cameras are supported? A: Any camera with RTSP, RTMP, or HTTP-FLV output. ONVIF discovery is also supported.

Q: Can I view streams in a browser without plugins? A: Yes. WebRTC and MSE provide sub-second latency playback directly in modern browsers.

Q: How does it integrate with Home Assistant? A: go2rtc runs as an add-on or standalone service, and Home Assistant uses it for camera stream proxying.

Sources

• https://github.com/AlexxIT/go2rtc
• https://github.com/AlexxIT/go2rtc/wiki