PeerStream is a cutting-edge web3-based video streaming platform that aims to create a more open and inclusive ecosystem for video content. By leveraging the power of web3 technology, PeerStream empowers creators and viewers alike to experience a more transparent and secure live streaming experience.
Traditional video streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch have a few limitations that PeerStream addresses:
- Single point of failure : PeerStream ensures that there is no single point of failure, which means that the system won't fail completely if one part of it fails.
- Privacy : Web3 technology allows users to interact with the platform without revealing their personal information, as the user's wallet address serves as their identity.
- Transparency : Videos uploaded to PeerStream are permanently stored on the LivePeer network, making them virtually impossible to take down. This promotes the concept of free content open to all.
- Interoperability : PeerStream can be integrated with other web3-based services, such as NFTs.
During development, the PeerStream team faced several challenges, including:
- Indexing data on the blockchain on the Graph : Indexing the contract's storage on the Goerli Testnet using the
@graphprotocol/graph-clitook a long time as the start block was difficult to identify. - Slow Goerli Testnet : While a local blockchain would have facilitated faster development, PeerStream opted to use the Goerli Testnet for more production-friendly code, which slowed down development to a certain extent.
- Integration with LivePeer : The
createAssetfunction provided byuseAssetin@livepeer/reactdid not return the data of the uploaded video, which required the team to spend a significant amount of time finding the appropriate API. Furthermore, subgraph could not be indexed over the LivePeer assets, so the team had to store the uploaded video data on a custom blockchain network (in this case, the Goerli Testnet) and index it using their subgraph.