Want to make your video calls more interesting and useful? Jitsi Meet is a free video conferencing tool that lets you do just that. The best part about Jitsi Meet is that you can add custom plugins & modules to make it work exactly how you want. Whether you need special features for your business, school, or personal use, learning how to add these extras will change the way you use video calls.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about adding custom plugins & modules to your Jitsi Meet setup. Don’t worry if you’re not a tech expert – I’ll explain things in simple terms that anyone can follow.
What Are Custom Plugins and Modules in Jitsi Meet?
Before we get into the technical stuff, let’s understand what we’re talking about.
Think of Jitsi Meet as a house. It comes with basic rooms and furniture that work fine for most people. But what if you want to add a home theater, a gym, or a library? That’s where custom plugins and modules come in.
Plugins are small pieces of software that add new features to Jitsi Meet. They might add things like polls, quizzes, or special backgrounds to your meetings.
Modules are bigger chunks of code that can change how Jitsi Meet works at a deeper level. They might affect how audio is processed, how video is streamed, or how people join your meetings. Together, these tools let you build a video conferencing platform that fits your exact needs.
Why Would You Want to Add Custom Features?
You might be wondering if the basic Jitsi Meet isn’t good enough. Here’s why people choose to customize:
For businesses: Add company branding, integrate with your existing tools, or create special features for client meetings.
For schools: Build interactive learning tools, attendance tracking, or student engagement features.
For personal use: Create fun additions like games, special effects, or unique ways to interact with friends and family.
For developers: Test new ideas, build products on top of Jitsi Meet, or offer specialized services to clients.
The freedom to customize means you’re not stuck with what comes out of the box.
Getting Your System Ready
Before you start adding anything, you need to prepare your setup. This is like making sure you have the right tools before starting a home improvement project.
What You’ll Need
First, you need a working Jitsi Meet installation. You can either install it on your own server or use the free version at meet.jit.si for testing (though you’ll need your own server for serious customization).
You’ll also need basic knowledge of:
- How to use a computer terminal or command line
- Basic understanding of how websites work
- A text editor for writing code
Don’t panic if you’re not a programmer. Many customizations are simple copy-and-paste jobs once you understand the basic process.
Setting Up Your Development Environment
If you’re running Jitsi Meet on your own server, make sure you have access to it. You’ll need to be able to log in and change files. Most people use SSH (a way to access servers remotely) for this.
For local testing, you can set up Jitsi Meet on your computer. This lets you experiment without breaking anything important. The official Jitsi Meet documentation has guides for setting this up on different operating systems.
Understanding Jitsi Meet’s Structure
Jitsi Meet isn’t just one program – it’s several parts working together. Understanding this helps you know where to add your custom features.
The Main Components
Jitsi Meet (the web interface): This is what users see and interact with. It’s built using JavaScript and React.
Jitsi Videobridge: This handles the actual video and audio streaming between participants.
Jicofo: This manages conferences and decides which participant connects where.
Prosody: This handles the communication protocols between different parts of the system.
Most custom plugins & modules you’ll add will interact with the web interface, but some might need to connect with the other components too.
Types of Customizations You Can Make
Let’s look at what’s possible before we dive into how to do it.
Interface Customizations
These change how Jitsi Meet looks and feels. You can:
- Add your logo and change colors
- Modify the layout of buttons and menus
- Add new buttons or controls
- Change fonts and styles
Feature Additions
These add new capabilities:
- Interactive polls and surveys
- Whiteboard tools for drawing and collaboration
- Recording features with custom controls
- Chat improvements like message reactions
- Breakout rooms for splitting large meetings
Integration Features
These connect Jitsi Meet with other tools:
- Calendar systems for scheduling
- Customer relationship management software
- Learning management systems
- Project management tools
- File sharing services
Technical Enhancements
These improve performance or security:
- Custom authentication systems
- Enhanced encryption
- Bandwidth optimization
- Custom video processing
- Advanced analytics
How to Add Custom Plugins and Modules: Step by Step
Now for the main event – actually adding customizations to your Jitsi Meet setup.
Method 1: Using External Plugins
The easiest way to add features is through external plugins that others have already created.
Step 1: Find a Plugin Look for Jitsi Meet plugins on GitHub, the official Jitsi community forums, or developer websites. Make sure the plugin is compatible with your version of Jitsi Meet.
Step 2: Download the Plugin Files Most plugins come as JavaScript files or bundles. Download these to your computer first.
Step 3: Upload to Your Server Copy the plugin files to your Jitsi Meet installation directory. This is usually located at /usr/share/jitsi-meet/ on Linux servers.
Step 4: Modify the Configuration Open your Jitsi Meet configuration file. This is typically found at /etc/jitsi/meet/yourdomain-config.js. Add a reference to your plugin in the configuration.
Step 5: Test Your Installation Restart your Jitsi Meet services and open a meeting. Check if the new feature appears and works correctly.
Method 2: Creating Custom Interface Changes
For changing how things look, you’ll work with Jitsi Meet’s interface files.
Locate the Interface Files The main interface files are in the jitsi-meet directory. Look for the interface_config.js file for simple changes.
Make Your Changes Open the file in a text editor. You’ll see options for things like:
- Showing or hiding buttons
- Changing text and labels
- Adjusting toolbar positions
- Setting default values
Change these values to match what you want. Save the file when you’re done.
Apply Your Changes Clear your browser cache and reload Jitsi Meet. Your changes should appear immediately.
Method 3: Building Advanced Modules
For more complex additions, you’ll need to work with the Jitsi Meet source code.
Get the Source Code Clone the Jitsi Meet repository from GitHub to your development machine. This gives you all the files you need to build custom modules.
Set Up the Build Environment Install Node.js and the required dependencies. Run npm install in the jitsi-meet directory to get everything ready.
Create Your Module Make a new directory in the modules folder. Create your JavaScript files here. Your module should follow Jitsi Meet’s coding patterns and structure.
Integrate Your Module Import your module in the appropriate places within the Jitsi Meet code. You’ll typically do this in files that handle features related to your addition.
Build and Deploy Run the build process with make or npm run build. This compiles everything together. Then deploy the built files to your server.
Working with the Jitsi Meet API
The Jitsi Meet API is a powerful tool for adding custom functionality without changing the core code.
What the API Can Do
The API lets your custom code:
- Control meeting functions (mute, unmute, start recording)
- Read meeting information (participant names, meeting status)
- Respond to events (someone joined, someone left)
- Send custom commands between participants
- Modify the interface on the fly
Using the API in Your Plugins
Here’s a basic approach to working with the API:
Embed Jitsi Meet: Use an iframe to embed Jitsi Meet in your webpage or application.
Initialize the API: Create a connection to the Jitsi Meet API when your page loads.
Add Event Listeners: Tell the API what your code should do when certain things happen in the meeting.
Send Commands: Use API methods to control the meeting or add features.
This approach is great because your customizations sit outside the main Jitsi Meet code, making them easier to maintain and update.
Common Customization Examples
Let’s look at some popular customizations people make and how to implement them.
Adding a Custom Toolbar Button
Many people want to add their own buttons to the Jitsi Meet toolbar. This might be for triggering a custom feature or linking to an external service.
You’ll modify the toolbar component in the source code, adding your button alongside the existing ones. Then you’ll write a function that runs when someone clicks your button.
Integrating External Services
Connecting Jitsi Meet to other tools your organization uses is extremely common. This might mean:
- Automatically creating calendar entries when meetings start
- Logging meeting data to your analytics system
- Syncing participant lists with your database
- Triggering notifications in other applications
You’ll use the Jitsi Meet API to detect events, then send that information to your external service through its API.
Creating Interactive Features
Things like polls, quizzes, or collaborative whiteboards require building a user interface and handling data synchronization between participants.
You’ll create the visual components, then use Jitsi Meet’s data channels to share information between all participants in real-time.
Best Practices for Customization
Following good practices will save you headaches down the road.
Keep Your Code Organized
Store all your custom code in separate, clearly labeled directories. Comment your code so you remember what it does months later. Use version control (like Git) to track changes.
Test Thoroughly
Always test your customizations with different browsers, devices, and network conditions. Try everything that might go wrong – what happens if someone’s connection drops? What if they’re using an old phone?
Plan for Updates
Jitsi Meet gets regular updates. Your customizations need to work with new versions. Try to avoid modifying core files directly when possible. Instead, use the API and configuration options.
Document Everything
Write down what you changed and why. Include instructions for other people who might work on the system. Future you will thank present you for this.
Monitor Performance
Custom features can slow things down if they’re not efficient. Keep an eye on how your additions affect video quality and connection stability.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with careful work, problems happen. Here’s how to handle common issues.
Your Plugin Doesn’t Appear
Check that files are in the correct directory and that you’ve properly referenced them in the configuration. Make sure you restarted all services after making changes.
Features Break After Updates
This usually means the update changed something your customization relied on. Review the update notes to see what changed. You might need to modify your custom code to work with the new version.
Performance Problems
Custom features that process lots of data or make frequent server calls can cause lag. Optimize your code by reducing unnecessary operations and being smart about when things run.
Compatibility Issues
Different browsers handle things differently. Test on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and mobile browsers. Use standard web technologies that work everywhere.
Security Considerations
When you add custom code to Jitsi Meet, you’re responsible for keeping it secure.
Validate All Input
Never trust data coming from users. Always check and clean it before using it in your code or sending it to a server.
Protect User Privacy
Be careful with what data you collect and where you send it. Make sure you’re following privacy laws and telling users what you’re doing with their information.
Keep Dependencies Updated
If your custom code uses external libraries, keep them updated. Old versions often have security problems that hackers can exploit.
Limit Access
Not everyone needs access to every feature. Build in permission checks so only authorized users can use sensitive functionality.
Resources for Learning More
You don’t have to figure everything out alone. Here are helpful places to learn and get help.
Official Documentation
The Jitsi Meet Handbook covers basic customization. The developer documentation goes deeper into technical details.
Community Resources
The Jitsi Community Forum is where developers share ideas and help each other solve problems. GitHub discussions for the Jitsi Meet repository are also valuable.
Code Examples
Look at existing plugins on GitHub to see how others structure their code. Many developers share their work openly.
Video Tutorials
YouTube has many channels with Jitsi Meet customization tutorials. Watching someone else do it can make things click.
Taking Your Skills Further
Once you’re comfortable with basic customizations, you can explore advanced topics.
Mobile App Customization
Jitsi Meet has native mobile apps. You can customize these too, though it requires learning mobile development.
Scaling for Large Deployments
If you’re running meetings with hundreds or thousands of participants, you’ll need to optimize your Jitsi Meet installation and customizations for scale.
Building Commercial Products
Some people build entire businesses on customized Jitsi Meet installations, offering specialized video conferencing for specific industries.
Contributing Back
If you create something useful, consider sharing it with the community. Open source thrives when people contribute their improvements.
Conclusion
Adding custom plugins & modules to Jitsi Meet transforms it from a simple video conferencing tool into exactly what you need. Whether you’re adding a small feature or building a complex system, the flexibility is there. Start small – pick one simple customization and work through it completely. Once you understand the process, you can tackle bigger projects with confidence. Remember that customization is a journey, not a destination. Your needs will change, new features will become possible, and you’ll keep improving your setup over time. The Jitsi Meet community is friendly and helpful. Don’t hesitate to ask questions when you get stuck. Everyone started where you are now. Ready to make Jitsi Meet truly yours? Pick your first customization project and dive in. The video conferencing platform you build might be exactly what others are looking for too.
Ready to Add Custom Plugins & Modules to Your Jitsi Meetings?
Add powerful custom plugins and modules to enhance your Jitsi meetings with new features, better control, and a tailored experience. Extend functionality effortlessly and make your platform truly your own.