obs-browser introduces a cross-platform Browser Source, powered by CEF (Chromium Embedded Framework), to OBS Studio. A Browser Source allows the user to integrate web-based overlays into their scenes, with complete access to modern web APIs.

On Windows, this also adds support for Service Integration (linking third party services) and Browser Docks (webpages loaded into the interface itself). macOS support for service integration & browser docks is in the works, and Linux support is planned.

This plugin is included by default on official packages on Windows and macOS. While Linux is supported, the official ppa does not currently include the browser source due to a conflict with GTK.

obs-browser provides a global object that allows access to some OBS-specific functionality from JavaScript. This can be used to create an overlay that adapts dynamically to changes in OBS.

/**
 * @returns {number} OBS Browser plugin version
 */
window.obsstudio.pluginVersion
// => 1.24.0

/**
 * @typedef {Object} OBSEvent
 * @property {object} detail - data from event
 */

window.addEventListener('obsSceneChanged', function(event) {
	var t = document.createTextNode(event.detail.name)
	document.body.appendChild(t)
})

Descriptions for these events can be found here.

• obsSceneChanged
• obsSourceVisibleChanged
• obsSourceActiveChanged
• obsStreamingStarting
• obsStreamingStarted
• obsStreamingStopping
• obsStreamingStopped
• obsRecordingStarting
• obsRecordingStarted
• obsRecordingPaused
• obsRecordingUnpaused
• obsRecordingStopping
• obsRecordingStopped
• obsReplaybufferStarting
• obsReplaybufferStarted
• obsReplaybufferSaved
• obsReplaybufferStopping
• obsReplaybufferStopped
• obsVirtualcamStarted
• obsVirtualcamStopped
• obsExit

/**
 * @typedef {Object} Scene
 * @property {string} name - name of the scene
 * @property {number} width - width of the scene
 * @property {number} height - height of the scene
 */

/**
 * @param {function} callback
 * @returns {Scene}
 */
window.obsstudio.getCurrentScene(function(scene) {
	console.log(scene)
})

/**
 * @typedef {Object} Status
 * @property {boolean} recording - not affected by pause state
 * @property {boolean} recordingPaused
 * @property {boolean} streaming
 * @property {boolean} replaybuffer
 * @property {boolean} virtualcam
 */

/**
 * @param {function} callback
 * @returns {Status}
 */
window.obsstudio.getStatus(function (status) {
	console.log(status)
})

/**
 * Does not accept any parameters and does not return anything
 */
window.obsstudio.saveReplayBuffer()

This method is legacy. Register an event listener instead.

/**
 * onVisibilityChange gets callbacks when the visibility of the browser source changes in OBS
 *
 * @deprecated
 * @see obsSourceVisibleChanged
 * @param {boolean} visibility - True -> visible, False -> hidden
 */
window.obsstudio.onVisibilityChange = function(visibility) {
	
};

This method is legacy. Register an event listener instead.

/**
 * onActiveChange gets callbacks when the active/inactive state of the browser source changes in OBS
 *
 * @deprecated
 * @see obsSourceActiveChanged
 * @param {bool} True -> active, False -> inactive
 */
window.obsstudio.onActiveChange = function(active) {
	
};

OBS Browser cannot be built standalone. It is built as part of OBS Studio.

By following the instructions, this will enable Browser Source & Custom Browser Docks on all three platforms. Both BUILD_BROWSER and CEF_ROOT_DIR are required.

Follow the build instructions and be sure to download the CEF Wrapper and set CEF_ROOT_DIR in CMake to point to the extracted wrapper.

Use the macOS Full Build Script. This will automatically download & enable OBS Browser.

Follow the build instructions and choose the "If building with browser source" option. This includes steps to download/extract the CEF Wrapper, and set the required CMake variables.