How to integrate FastPix APIs into your CMS

Building a website or app is one thing. Managing the content on it? That’s another.

Especially video.

So many files. So many formats. So many places to store it. Now, if you want to add video to your website or app, it gets even more complex. You need to think about storage, encoding, delivery, playback, and so much more.

So many things. That's where a video CMS comes in.

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What is video content management system (CMS)?

A Video CMS is like a specialized content management system, but specifically designed for video. It’s a one-stop shop for all your video needs. It simplifies everything.

Instead of juggling multiple tools and services, a Video CMS gives you a central platform to:

• Upload and store your videos: No more scattered files on different hard drives or cloud storage services. Everything is in one place. One place.
• Organize your video library: Easily categorize, tag, and search your videos. Finding the right video becomes easy.
• Encode your videos: Automatically convert your videos into different formats and resolutions for optimal playback on various devices. No need to be a video encoding expert. No need.
• Manage metadata: Add titles, descriptions, tags, and other information to your videos. This helps with search engine optimization (SEO) and makes it easier for viewers to find your content.
• Deliver your videos: Stream your videos to viewers across the globe with minimal buffering and high quality.
• Track analytics: Monitor video performance with detailed analytics. See who’s watching what and for how long.

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Why integrate APIs into your CMS over traditional methods

Integrating APIs into your Content Management System (CMS) is a game-changer for developers and organizations aiming to streamline their video workflows. Here’s why API-driven integration outshines traditional methods:

Simplified development

• ‍APIs: Offer pre-built functionality for video encoding, storage, delivery, and analytics. This eliminates the need for building and maintaining custom pipelines, reducing development time.‍
• Traditional methods: Require manual setup of workflows, often involving multiple tools and extensive coding, leading to increased complexity and higher chances of errors.

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Seamless scalability

• ‍APIs: Automatically scale to handle large video libraries, high traffic, or spikes in user activity without manual intervention.‍
• Traditional methods: Scaling requires provisioning additional resources, managing load balancers, and configuring infrastructure, which can be labor-intensive.

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Improved performance and reliability

• ‍APIs: Leverage modern infrastructure and global CDNs to optimize video delivery, ensuring smooth playback across devices and network conditions.‍
• Traditional methods: Depend on manually configured delivery systems, which can introduce latency and buffering issues, especially during peak usage.

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Enhanced security

• ‍APIs: Include built-in security features such as DRM, tokenized URLs, and encryption, providing end-to-end protection without extra effort.‍
• Traditional methods: Security must be implemented manually, increasing the workload and leaving room for potential vulnerabilities.

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Faster time-to-market

• ‍APIs: Provide ready-to-use tools like adaptive bitrate streaming, analytics, and exception alerts, allowing you to launch features quickly.‍
• Traditional methods: Involve building these capabilities from scratch, delaying product launches and innovation cycles.

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Real-Time insights

• ‍APIs: Deliver actionable data on viewer engagement, playback quality, and performance through real-time analytics, enabling quicker decision-making.‍
• Traditional methods: Often require additional integrations to extract and analyze

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Developer Productivity

• ‍APIs: Provide SDKs and documentation that make integration straightforward, allowing developers to focus on enhancing user experiences rather than solving infrastructure challenges.‍
• Traditional methods: Require significant time and effort to integrate disparate tools, detracting from the core development focus.

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Integrating video uploads in your OTT CMS using FastPix API

Efficient and secure video upload and processing are critical components of a modern OTT content management system. With the FastPix API, you can leverage pre-signed URLs, SDKs, and webhook integrations to build a scalable and secure video upload solution.

In this blog, we’ll provide a comprehensive guide to implementing this integration, covering prerequisites, best practices, and actionable code snippets. By the end, you'll have the knowledge to build a seamless video upload and processing pipeline.

Pre-requisites

Before diving into the integration, ensure you have the following ready:

1. FastPix API access

You need to create an account with FastPix and generate API credentials (username and password) for your development or production environment. These credentials will authenticate your requests and provide access to the API.

• Steps to Generate API Credentials:
• Login to your FastPix dashboard
• Navigate to Org Settings > Access Tokens
• Click on Generate new token

Detailed guide on generating FastPix API credential

2. Development environment setup

Ensure your development environment is set up with the following:

• Backend framework: Use your preferred backend language or framework (Python, Node.js, Java, etc.).
• Frontend framework: React.js, Angular, or Vue.js.
• SDK installation: Install the FastPix Upload SDK in your frontend project: npm install fp-web-uploads.
• Secure storage: Store your API credentials securely using environment variables or a secrets manager like AWS Secrets Manager.

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Why FastPix API for video uploads?

FastPix simplifies video uploads and processing with features like:

• Pre-signed URLs: Secure and temporary URLs for direct uploads.
• Upload SDK: Real-time progress tracking and error handling.
• Webhooks: Event-driven notifications for processing updates.
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Step 1: Generating pre-signed URLs.

Pre-signed URLs allow clients to upload files directly to your storage, bypassing your server while maintaining security.

Here’s how to generate pre-signed URLs using FastPix API.

Note: The backend example provided uses Python (FastAPI), but you can use any language or framework that suits your tech stack, such as Node.js, Java, Ruby, or PHP. The APIs remain language-agnostic.

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Backend code example (FastAPI - Python):

1from fastapi import FastAPI, HTTPException, Request
2import requests
3import os
4
5app = FastAPI()
6
7FASTPIX_API_USERNAME = os.getenv("FASTPIX_API_USERNAME")
8FASTPIX_API_PASSWORD = os.getenv("FASTPIX_API_PASSWORD")
9FASTPIX_API_URL = "https://api.fastpix.com/v1/presigned-url"
10
11@app.post("/generate-presigned-url")
12async def generate_presigned_url(request: Request):
13try:
14  request_data = await request.json()
15  auth = (FASTPIX_API_USERNAME, FASTPIX_API_PASSWORD)
16  response = requests.post(FASTPIX_API_URL, auth=auth, json=request_data)
17  response.raise_for_status()
18  return response.json()
19except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
20	raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))

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The equivalent functionality can be implemented in other languages like Node.js (Express), Java (Spring Boot), or Go.

Step 2: Frontend Integration with the Upload SDK

The FastPix Upload SDK simplifies the upload process with features like progress tracking, error handling, and retries.

Here is the Detailed Guides of using Uploads SDK Link

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Key Features:

1. Progress Feedback: Displays real-time upload progress.
2. Retry Mechanism: Ensures reliability in case of network failures.

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Step 3: Handling webhooks

Webhooks notify your backend about events like media.created and media.failed enabling real-time updates.

Why webhooks are important

• Automation: Triggers workflows like transcoding or notifications.
• Reliability: Ensures all events are processed, even during high traffic.

Secure webhook handling:

• Validate Payloads: Use signatures to verify webhook authenticity.

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1import hmac 
2import hashlib 
3from fastapi import FastAPI, Request, HTTPException 
4app = FastAPI() 
5WEBHOOK_SECRET = os.getenv("FASTPIX_WEBHOOK_SECRET") 
6
7def validate_signature(payload: bytes, signature: str) -> bool: 
8  computed_signature = hmac.new(WEBHOOK_SECRET.encode(), payload, hashlib.sha256).hexdigest() 
9  return hmac.compare_digest(signature, computed_signature) 
10
11@app.post("/webhook/fastpix") 
12async def webhook_handler(request: Request): 
13signature = request.headers.get("X-FastPix-Signature") 
14if not signature: 
15	raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Missing signature") 
16
17payload = await request.body() 
18if not validate_signature(payload, signature): 
19  raise HTTPException(status_code=401, detail="Invalid signature") 
20  event = await request.json() 
21
22if event["status"] == "created": 
23	process_upload_complete(event["upload_id"], event["file_url"]) 
24elif event["status"] == "failed": 
25	log_upload_failure(event["upload_id"], event["error"]) 
26	return {"status": "success"} 
27    
28def process_upload_complete(upload_id, file_url): 
29	print(f"Upload Complete: {upload_id}, URL: {file_url}") 
30
31def log_upload_failure(upload_id, error): 
32	print(f"Upload Failed: {upload_id}, Error: {error}")

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Features FastPix offers…

The FastPix API offers an advanced suite of tools designed to simplify video management and empower developers to build seamless streaming experiences. Here's how FastPix stands out:

Effortless video uploads

Direct uploads: Quickly upload videos to the platform for processing.

CMS integration: Fetch videos directly from your CMS for streamlined workflows.

Multi-Format support: Handle diverse video formats without additional setup.

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Next-Generation encoding

Just-in-Time encoding: Start streaming videos while they’re still being processed.

Context-Aware encoding: Optimize encoding based on video type and audience behavior.

Codec support: Includes widely-used H.264 and advanced AV1 for future-ready streaming.

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Live streaming made simple

Low-Latency live encoding: Stream live events in real time without delays.

Live-to-VOD transition: Automatically convert live streams into on-demand content.

Time shifting: Let viewers rewind live streams for a flexible experience.

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Secure and scalable delivery

Adaptive bitrate streaming: Ensure smooth playback even on varying networks.

Signed URLs and DRM: Protect your content with robust security protocols.

Simulcast: Stream to multiple platforms simultaneously without extra effort.

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Actionable insights with advanced analytics

QoE metrics: Monitor playback quality and identify potential bottlenecks.

Audience engagement: Gain a deeper understanding of your viewers’ preferences.

Performance tracking: Spot playback failures and optimize for reliability.

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AI-Powered enhancements

Video summaries: Generate concise overviews of video content for quick consumption.

Chapters: Automatically segment videos for easier navigation.

Content moderation: Detect and flag inappropriate content for compliance and safety.

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Developer-Friendly integrations

Webhooks: Automate workflows with real-time updates.

Batch migration: Transfer large video libraries with minimal downtime.

Access policies: Ensure secure, controlled access to your video assets.

The FastPix API combines ease of use with powerful features, letting developers focus on creating exceptional video experiences instead of managing complex workflows.

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Conclusion

By integrating FastPix API into your OTT CMS, you create a secure, scalable, and efficient video upload system. Pre-signed URLs ensure uploads are secure, the Upload SDK simplifies the frontend process, and webhooks provide event-driven processing capabilities.

This step-by-step guide not only helps you with the implementation but also empowers you with best practices for secure video handling.

For more details on API usage, visit the official FastPix Documentation.