What can the Upstream API do?
It does what you already do in the studio, as REST endpoints. Every resource you touch by clicking has a matching set of calls:
- Streams – create, read, update, and delete a stream, then start and stop it on demand.
- Media queue – page through a stream’s queue and add, remove, or reorder items.
- Media files – read, update, and delete your files, and start resumable uploads from your own apps.
- Folders – full create-read-update-delete, plus moving files between folders to keep a big library tidy.
- Tags – make and manage tags to label and filter content.
- Multistream destinations – connect, update, and remove the platforms you broadcast to, including your connected YouTube accounts.
Each call returns the same data the studio shows you, in JSON, paginated where a list can grow long.
Build the stream in the cloud.
Schedule videos, produce browser-based live shows, or send one feed to multiple platforms from the same Upstream workflow.
How do I get an API key?
In your account, in under a minute. The key is a bearer token tied to your account:
- Open Account Settings → API keys.
- Click Create API key, give it a name (one per integration is a good habit), and confirm with your password.
- Copy the key right then. We show the secret once and never again, so paste it straight into your app or a password manager.
- To retire a key, hit Revoke. Anything using it stops working immediately, and your other keys keep running.
Keys don’t expire, so you set one once and forget it. If a key ever leaks, revoke it and make a new one. Signed in through Google with no password set? Set a password first, then the key flow opens up.
Where are the API docs?
At studio.upstream.so/docs/api, and they’re built to use, not just read. Every endpoint lists its fields and has a “try it” button, so you can fire a real request from the page with your own key and see the live response before you write a line of code. Uploads have a few moving parts, so we published runnable examples in Node, Python, Go, and cURL. Copy one, drop in your key, and you have a working upload.
What can I build with it?
Anything that used to mean clicking the studio over and over. A few starting points:
- Channel automation. Schedule streams, rotate the queue, and start or stop broadcasts on a timer instead of by hand.
- Media sync. Push new videos from your own pipeline straight into your Upstream library and into folders as they render.
- Dashboards and tools. Read your streams and destinations to build the internal view your team actually wants.
- Your own product. Put streaming behind your own app and let Upstream do the broadcasting underneath.
The studio isn’t going anywhere. It’s still the fastest way to set up a single stream. The API is for everything you’d rather not do twice.
FAQ
How do I create an Upstream API key?
Go to Account Settings, open the API keys card, click Create API key, name it, and confirm with your password. Copy the secret immediately, as it’s shown only once. Revoke any key from the same screen.
Does the Upstream API cost extra?
No. The API is included with your plan and uses the same account and limits. You authenticate with a key you create yourself, and requests count against a 60-per-minute rate limit.
What can I control through the API?
Streams (including start and stop), the media queue, media files and uploads, folders, tags, and multistream destinations. In short, the same building blocks you use in the studio, available as REST endpoints scoped to your account.
Get started: read the API docs, then create your key in Account Settings. No Upstream account yet? Start free – 24 streaming hours a month, no card.