Zoom Video SDK - Linux Development

Expert guidance for developing with the Zoom Video SDK on Linux. Build headless bots, raw media capture/injection applications, and custom UI integrations with Qt/GTK.

Official Documentation: https://developers.zoom.us/docs/video-sdk/linux/ API Reference: https://marketplacefront.zoom.us/sdk/custom/linux/ Sample Repository: https://github.com/zoom/videosdk-linux-raw-recording-sample

Quick Links

New to Video SDK? Follow this path:

1. SDK Architecture Pattern - Universal 3-step pattern for ANY feature
2. Session Join Pattern - Complete working code to join a session
3. Raw Data vs Canvas - CRITICAL: Linux has NO Canvas API - raw data ONLY
4. Raw Video Capture - Capture and process YUV420 frames

Reference:

• Singleton Hierarchy - 5-level SDK navigation map
• API Reference - Complete API documentation
• Qt/GTK Integration - UI framework patterns
• Troubleshooting - Quick diagnostics
• SKILL.md - Complete documentation navigation

Having issues?

• PulseAudio setup → PulseAudio Guide
• Qt dependencies → Qt Dependencies
• Build errors → Build Errors Guide

Key Differences from Windows/macOS

Feature	Linux	Windows/Mac
Canvas API	❌ Not available	✅ Available
Raw Data Pipe	✅ ONLY option	✅ Available
UI Integration	Qt, GTK, SDL2, OpenGL	Win32/WinForms/WPF, Cocoa
Headless Support	✅ Excellent (Docker)	Limited
Audio	PulseAudio required	Native
Virtual Devices	✅ Required for headless	Optional

SDK Overview

The Zoom Video SDK for Linux is a C++ library optimized for:

• Headless Bots: Docker/WSL support, no display required
• Raw Data Access: Capture YUV420 video, PCM audio
• Raw Data Injection: Virtual camera/mic for custom media
• Screen Sharing: Capture or inject share data
• Cloud Recording: Record sessions to Zoom cloud
• Live Streaming: Stream to RTMP endpoints
• Live Transcription: Real-time speech-to-text
• Qt/GTK Integration: Full UI framework support

Prerequisites

System Requirements

• OS: Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, or compatible
• Architecture: x64 (recommended), ARM64
• Compiler: GCC 9+, Clang 10+
• CMake: 3.14 or later
• Qt5: Bundled with SDK (do NOT install system Qt5)

Dependencies

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential gcc cmake libglib2.0-dev liblzma-dev \
    libxcb-image0 libxcb-keysyms1 libxcb-xfixes0 libxcb-xkb1 libxcb-shape0 \
    libxcb-shm0 libxcb-randr0 libxcb-xtest0 libgbm1 libxtst6 libgl1 libnss3 \
    libasound2 libpulse0

# For headless Linux
sudo apt install -y pulseaudio

# PulseAudio configuration (CRITICAL for audio)
mkdir -p ~/.config
echo "[General]" > ~/.config/zoomus.conf
echo "system.audio.type=default" >> ~/.config/zoomus.conf

# Log directory
mkdir -p ~/.zoom/logs

Quick Start

#include "zoom_video_sdk_api.h"
#include "zoom_video_sdk_interface.h"
#include "zoom_video_sdk_delegate_interface.h"

USING_ZOOM_VIDEO_SDK_NAMESPACE

// 1. Create SDK
IZoomVideoSDK* sdk = CreateZoomVideoSDKObj();

// 2. Initialize
ZoomVideoSDKInitParams init_params;
init_params.domain = "https://zoom.us";
init_params.enableLog = true;
init_params.logFilePrefix = "bot";
init_params.videoRawDataMemoryMode = ZoomVideoSDKRawDataMemoryModeHeap;
init_params.shareRawDataMemoryMode = ZoomVideoSDKRawDataMemoryModeHeap;
init_params.audioRawDataMemoryMode = ZoomVideoSDKRawDataMemoryModeHeap;

sdk->initialize(init_params);

// 3. Add delegate
sdk->addListener(myDelegate);

// 4. Join session
ZoomVideoSDKSessionContext ctx;
ctx.sessionName = "my-session";
ctx.userName = "Linux Bot";
ctx.token = "jwt-token";
ctx.audioOption.connect = true;
ctx.audioOption.mute = false;
ctx.videoOption.localVideoOn = false;

// For headless: Virtual audio speaker
ctx.virtualAudioSpeaker = new VirtualSpeaker();

IZoomVideoSDKSession* session = sdk->joinSession(ctx);

See Session Join Pattern for complete code.

Key Features

Feature	Linux Support	Guide
Session Management	✅ Full	Session Join
Raw Video (YUV420)	✅ ONLY rendering option	Raw Video
Raw Audio (PCM)	✅ Full	Raw Audio
Virtual Camera/Mic	✅ Full	Virtual Devices
Cloud Recording	✅ Full	Recording
Live Streaming	✅ Full	Live Stream
Live Transcription	✅ Full	Transcription
Command Channel	✅ Full	Commands
Chat	✅ Full	Chat
Qt Integration	✅ Recommended	Qt/GTK
GTK Integration	✅ Supported	Qt/GTK
Docker/Headless	✅ Excellent	Virtual Devices

Critical Gotchas

⚠️ CRITICAL #1: No Canvas API on Linux

Problem: Linux SDK does NOT have Canvas API like Windows/Mac.

Solution: You MUST use Raw Data Pipe and implement your own rendering.

See: Raw Data vs Canvas

⚠️ CRITICAL #2: PulseAudio Required for Audio

Problem: SDK requires PulseAudio for raw audio functions.

Solution:

sudo apt install -y pulseaudio
mkdir -p ~/.config
echo "[General]" > ~/.config/zoomus.conf
echo "system.audio.type=default" >> ~/.config/zoomus.conf

See: PulseAudio Setup

⚠️ CRITICAL #3: Qt5 Dependencies

Problem: SDK requires Qt5 libraries (bundled, NOT system Qt5).

Solution:

# Copy from SDK package
cp -r samples/qt_libs/Qt/lib/* lib/zoom_video_sdk/

# Create symlinks
cd lib/zoom_video_sdk
for lib in libQt5*.so.5; do ln -sf $lib ${lib%.5}; done

See: Qt Dependencies

⚠️ CRITICAL #4: Heap Memory Mode

Always use heap mode for raw data:

init_params.videoRawDataMemoryMode = ZoomVideoSDKRawDataMemoryModeHeap;
init_params.shareRawDataMemoryMode = ZoomVideoSDKRawDataMemoryModeHeap;
init_params.audioRawDataMemoryMode = ZoomVideoSDKRawDataMemoryModeHeap;

⚠️ CRITICAL #5: Virtual Audio for Headless

Problem: Docker/headless environments have no audio devices.

Solution: Use virtual audio speaker and mic.

session_context.virtualAudioSpeaker = new VirtualSpeaker();
session_context.virtualAudioMic = new VirtualMic();

See: Virtual Audio/Video

Sample Repositories

Official Samples

Repository	Description
raw-recording-sample	Raw audio/video capture
qt-quickstart	Qt6 UI integration
gtk-quickstart	GTK3 UI integration

Sample Architecture

Headless Bot (Docker):
┌──────────────────────────────────┐
│  Virtual Audio Speaker/Mic       │
├──────────────────────────────────┤
│  Raw Data Processing             │
│  - YUV420 → File/Stream   


## Merged from video-sdk/linux/SKILL.md

# Zoom Video SDK Linux - Complete Documentation Index

## Quick Start Path

**If you're new to the SDK, follow this order:**

1. **Read the architecture pattern** → [concepts/sdk-architecture-pattern.md](concepts/sdk-architecture-pattern.md)
   - Universal formula: Singleton → Delegate → Subscribe
   - Once you understand this, you can implement any feature

2. **Understand Linux specifics** → [concepts/raw-data-vs-canvas.md](concepts/raw-data-vs-canvas.md)
   - **CRITICAL**: Linux has NO Canvas API - raw data ONLY

3. **Implement session join** → [examples/session-join-pattern.md](examples/session-join-pattern.md)
   - Complete working JWT + session join code

4. **Setup environment** → [troubleshooting/pulseaudio-setup.md](troubleshooting/pulseaudio-setup.md)
   - PulseAudio configuration (required for audio)
   - [troubleshooting/qt-dependencies.md](troubleshooting/qt-dependencies.md)
   - Qt5 library setup (bundled with SDK)

5. **Implement features** → Choose from examples below

---

## Documentation Structure

video-sdk/linux/ ├── SKILL.md # Main skill overview ├── SKILL.md # This file - navigation guide ├── linux.md # Platform summary │ ├── concepts/ # Core architectural patterns │ ├── sdk-architecture-pattern.md # Universal formula for ANY feature │ ├── singleton-hierarchy.md # 5-level navigation guide │ └── raw-data-vs-canvas.md # Linux-specific: raw data ONLY │ ├── examples/ # Complete working code │ ├── session-join-pattern.md # JWT auth + session join │ └── command-channel.md # Command channel with threading │ ├── troubleshooting/ # Problem solving guides │ ├── pulseaudio-setup.md # Audio configuration │ ├── qt-dependencies.md # Qt5 library setup │ ├── build-errors.md # Common build issues │ └── common-issues.md # Quick diagnostic workflow │ └── references/ # Reference documentation └── linux-reference.md # API hierarchy, methods, error codes

---

## By Use Case

### I want to build a headless bot
1. [SDK Architecture Pattern](concepts/sdk-architecture-pattern.md) - Understand the pattern
2. [Session Join Pattern](examples/session-join-pattern.md) - Join sessions
3. [PulseAudio Setup](troubleshooting/pulseaudio-setup.md) - Configure audio
4. [Raw Data vs Canvas](concepts/raw-data-vs-canvas.md) - Understand Linux differences

### I'm getting build errors
1. [Build Errors Guide](troubleshooting/build-errors.md) - SDK build issues
2. [Qt Dependencies](troubleshooting/qt-dependencies.md) - Qt5 setup
3. [Common Issues](troubleshooting/common-issues.md) - Quick diagnostics

### I'm getting runtime errors
1. [PulseAudio Setup](troubleshooting/pulseaudio-setup.md) - Audio not working
2. [Qt Dependencies](troubleshooting/qt-dependencies.md) - Library not found
3. [Common Issues](troubleshooting/common-issues.md) - Error code tables

### I want to use command channel
1. [Command Channel](examples/command-channel.md) - Send/receive commands
2. [Common Issues](troubleshooting/common-issues.md) - Threading requirements

### I want to implement a specific feature
1. [SDK Architecture Pattern](concepts/sdk-architecture-pattern.md) - **START HERE!**
2. [Singleton Hierarchy](concepts/singleton-hierarchy.md) - Navigate to the feature
3. [API Reference](references/linux-reference.md) - Method signatures

---

## Most Critical Documents

### 1. SDK Architecture Pattern (MASTER DOCUMENT)
**[concepts/sdk-architecture-pattern.md](concepts/sdk-architecture-pattern.md)**

The universal 3-step pattern:
1. Get singleton (SDK, helpers, session, users)
2. Implement delegate (event callbacks)
3. Subscribe and use

### 2. Raw Data vs Canvas (LINUX-SPECIFIC)
**[concepts/raw-data-vs-canvas.md](concepts/raw-data-vs-canvas.md)**

**CRITICAL**: Unlike Windows/Mac, Linux SDK has NO Canvas API. You MUST use raw data pipe.

### 3. PulseAudio Setup (MOST COMMON ISSUE)
**[troubleshooting/pulseaudio-setup.md](troubleshooting/pulseaudio-setup.md)**

Audio requires PulseAudio configuration.

### 4. Qt Dependencies
**[troubleshooting/qt-dependencies.md](troubleshooting/qt-dependencies.md)**

SDK requires bundled Qt5 libraries, NOT system Qt5.

---

## Key Learnings

### Critical Discoveries:

1. **Linux has NO Canvas API**
   - Windows/Mac have Canvas API for SDK-rendered video
   - Linux MUST use Raw Data Pipe
   - See: [Raw Data vs Canvas](concepts/raw-data-vs-canvas.md)

2. **PulseAudio is MANDATORY**
   - SDK requires PulseAudio for raw audio
   - Must configure ~/.config/zoomus.conf
   - See: [PulseAudio Setup](troubleshooting/pulseaudio-setup.md)

3. **Use Bundled Qt5, NOT System Qt5**
   - SDK includes specific Qt5 versions
   - Copy from samples/qt_libs/
   - See: [Qt Dependencies](troubleshooting/qt-dependencies.md)

4. **Helpers Control YOUR Streams Only**
   - `videoHelper->startVideo()` starts YOUR camera
   - To see others, subscribe to their VideoPipe
   - See: [Singleton Hierarchy](concepts/singleton-hierarchy.md)

5. **Virtual Devices for Headless**
   - Docker/headless needs virtual audio speaker/mic
   - Set before joining session
   - See: [Session Join Pattern](examples/session-join-pattern.md)

6. **Always Use Heap Memory Mode**
   ```cpp
   init_params.videoRawDataMemoryMode = ZoomVideoSDKRawDataMemoryModeHeap;

7. GLib Main Loop Required

   • while/sleep loops don't dispatch SDK events
   • Must use g_main_loop_run()
   • See: Common Issues

8. All SDK Calls Must Be on Main Thread

   • Background thread SDK calls return error 2 (Internal_Error)
   • Use g_idle_add() to schedule on GLib main thread
   • See: Command Channel

9. Command Channel is Session-Scoped

   • Does NOT span across different sessions
   • Both sender and receiver must be in the same session
   • See: Command Channel

---

Sample Repositories

• raw-recording-sample - Official raw data sample
• qt-quickstart - Qt6 UI integration
• gtk-quickstart - GTK3 UI integration

---

Quick Reference

"My code won't compile"

→ Build Errors Guide

"Audio not working"

→ PulseAudio Setup

"Library not found"

→ Qt Dependencies

"How do I implement [feature]?"

→ SDK Architecture Pattern

"What error code means what?"

→ Common Issues

---

Document Version

Based on Zoom Video SDK for Linux v2.x

---

Happy coding!

Remember: The SDK Architecture Pattern is your key to unlocking the entire SDK. Read it first!

Operations

• RUNBOOK.md - 5-minute preflight and debugging checklist.