Kurento vs Mediasoup: What are the differences?

Introduction

Kurento and Mediasoup are two popular media server technologies used for video conferencing and real-time communication applications. While both serve the purpose of enabling real-time multimedia communication, there are key differences between them that distinguish their functionalities and use cases.

1. Architecture: Kurento follows a traditional client-server architecture where the media server is responsible for processing media streams and the client applications interact with the server to control and receive media. On the other hand, Mediasoup follows a decentralized architecture where clients directly communicate with each other, and Mediasoup acts as a routing agent, handling media traffic between clients.

2. Scalability: Kurento offers horizontal scalability by allowing multiple media servers to be deployed as a cluster, distributing the load of media processing. This architecture allows for accommodating a large number of participants but comes with higher deployment complexity. In contrast, Mediasoup offers vertical scalability by utilizing WebRTC's peer-to-peer architecture, where each client can directly communicate with other participants. This decentralized approach simplifies the deployment process and allows for quick scalability, but is better suited for smaller group communications.

3. Media Routing: Kurento provides built-in media routing capabilities, allowing the server to process media streams and apply real-time media transformations like filters, effects, and mixing. This makes Kurento a good choice for applications that require complex media manipulation. In contrast, Mediasoup does not provide built-in media processing capabilities; instead, it focuses on efficient routing of media streams between clients. This makes Mediasoup a lighter and more efficient option for applications that do not require heavy media processing.

4. API Complexity: Kurento offers a comprehensive and powerful API that provides fine-grained control over media processing and offers advanced features like media recording and playback. This flexibility, however, comes with a higher learning curve due to the complexity of the API. Mediasoup, on the other hand, provides a simpler and more streamlined API that focuses primarily on media routing and does not offer advanced features like recording and playback. This simplicity makes Mediasoup more beginner-friendly and quicker to implement.

5. Browser Support: Kurento supports a wide range of browsers and devices, including desktop browsers, mobile browsers, and native mobile applications. It provides cross-platform compatibility using WebRTC technology. Mediasoup, on the other hand, is primarily focused on supporting modern web browsers and does not provide extensive support for native mobile applications. This makes Kurento a better choice for applications that require wider device compatibility.

6. Community and Documentation: Kurento has a larger and more established community with extensive documentation and resources available. It has been around for a longer time and has a larger user base, which means more community support and readily available plugins and libraries. Mediasoup, being a newer technology, has a smaller community and limited documentation in comparison. However, it has an active and growing community, and its documentation is continuously improving.

In summary, Kurento and Mediasoup differ in their architecture, scalability, media routing capabilities, API complexity, browser support, and community/documentation. Kurento offers more robust media processing features, support for various devices, and a larger community, while Mediasoup focuses on efficient media routing, simplicity, and easier scalability. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements and priorities of the application.