How I Built a Live Streaming Platform with PHP, WordPress and WebRTC (Real Case)

Building a real-time streaming platform is usually associated with complex infrastructures and expensive services.

However, in this case, I developed a fully functional live streaming system using PHP, WordPress, and WebRTC — all inside a custom plugin.

This is a real-world implementation, not a theoretical example.

Project Goal

The main idea was to create a platform where:

Users can watch live streams
Private sessions can be started between users
Real-time chat is available
A pay-per-minute system is implemented

All without relying on external streaming services.

⚙️ Tech Stack
Backend: PHP (WordPress plugin)
Database: MySQL ($wpdb)
Streaming: WebRTC (PeerJS)
Frontend: JavaScript + AJAX
Real-Time Streaming with WebRTC

The core of the system is based on WebRTC using PeerJS.

The broadcaster (model) shares their camera:

navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({ video: true, audio: true });

The viewer connects using a dummy stream to avoid permission prompts:

function createDummyStream() {
const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
return canvas.captureStream();
}

This approach significantly improves UX.

Private Sessions Logic

Private sessions are handled via URL parameters:

/transmision-privada?babe=username

Flow:

User selects a model
A direct peer connection is created
The session starts in real time
Disconnection is detected automatically
💸 Pay-Per-Minute System

One of the most important parts is monetization.

Users are charged per minute
Balance is updated in real time
Broadcasters receive a percentage

Example logic:

function charge_user_per_minute($user_id) {
$balance = get_user_meta($user_id, 'balance', true);
return $balance - 3000;
}

This allows building scalable revenue models.

Real-Time Chat (AJAX)

Instead of using WebSockets, I implemented chat using AJAX polling:

Messages sent via admin-ajax.php
Fetched every few seconds
Rendered dynamically

Simple, but effective.

Stream State Management

A custom table tracks active streams:

active_private
active_public
finished

This allows listing live streams and controlling sessions.

Role-Based Access

Two main roles:

Broadcasters (models)
Subscribers (users)

Managed directly through WordPress roles.

Real-World Implementation

This architecture is already being used in production in a live webcam streaming platform with direct payment system, where all these concepts are applied together.

It combines real-time video, chat, and monetization in a single environment.

Final Thoughts

Building a streaming platform with PHP and WordPress is absolutely possible if you combine the right tools.

The real challenge is not just streaming video — it's integrating: