The API is based on the manipulation of aMediaStream object representing a flux of audio- or video-related data. See an example inGet the media stream.

AMediaStream consists of zero or moreMediaStreamTrack objects, representing various audio or videotracks. EachMediaStreamTrack may have one or morechannels. The channel represents the smallest unit of a media stream, such as an audio signal associated with a given speaker, likeleft orright in a stereo audio track.

MediaStream objects have a singleinput and a singleoutput. AMediaStream object generated bygetUserMedia() is calledlocal, and has as its source input one of the user's cameras or microphones. A non-localMediaStream may be representing a media element, like<video> or<audio>, a stream originating over the network, and obtained via the WebRTCRTCPeerConnection API, or a stream created using theWeb Audio APIMediaStreamAudioDestinationNode.

The output of theMediaStream object is linked to aconsumer. It can be a media element, like<audio> or<video>, the WebRTCRTCPeerConnection API or aWeb Audio APIMediaStreamAudioSourceNode.

In these reference articles, you'll find the fundamental information you'll need to know about each of the interfaces that make up the Media Capture and Streams API.

• CanvasCaptureMediaStreamTrack
• InputDeviceInfo
• MediaDeviceInfo
• MediaDevices
• MediaStream
• MediaStreamTrack
• MediaStreamTrackEvent
• MediaTrackConstraints
• MediaTrackSettings
• MediaTrackSupportedConstraints
• OverconstrainedError

• addtrack
• ended
• mute
• removetrack
• unmute

TheCapabilities, constraints, and settings article discusses the concepts ofconstraints andcapabilities, as well as media settings, and includes aConstraint Exerciser that lets you experiment with the results of different constraint sets being applied to the audio and video tracks coming from the computer's A/V input devices (such as its webcam and microphone).

TheTaking still photos with getUserMedia() article shows how to usegetUserMedia() to access the camera on a computer or mobile phone withgetUserMedia() support and take a photo with it.

• WebRTC - the introductory page to the API
• Taking still photos with WebRTC: a demonstration and tutorial about usinggetUserMedia().