streamlabs

desktop: Stream Live with OBS and Electron

Streamlabs Desktop is free streaming software built on OBS and Electron for macOS 10.14+ and 64-bit Windows. It brings streaming controls and services into a desktop app for creators who want to produce live broadcasts.

ActiveTypeScriptGPL-3.0ElectronDesktop AppStreaming
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Stars
4.9k
Forks
688
Last commit
2 days ago
Contributors
73
Releases, 12 months
0

Our take

Activeregular commits

Health score

52/100

How it is scored
Activity
53
Community
81
Issues
21
Pull requests
51
  • Merges more pull requests than 80% of the projects we track

Streamlabs Desktop is an actively maintained OBS- and Electron-based streaming app, with frequent recent changes and a broad contributor base, though it has had no release in over a year.

Good fit if

  • You want streaming software built on OBS and Electron for supported macOS or Windows systems.
  • You are comfortable with a TypeScript codebase that currently contains both Vue and React.
  • You can meet the Node.js and Yarn development requirements and, for packaging, provide the required signing credentials.

Look elsewhere if

  • You need a supported platform other than macOS 10.14+ or 64-bit Windows.
  • Your adoption process requires a recent published release, since none is recorded in the past year.
  • GPL-3.0’s terms do not fit your distribution or integration plans.
All health signals
Last commit2026-10-14 (2 days ago)
Commits, last 90 days100+
Releases, last 12 months0
Contributors73 (top contributor: 27% of commits)
Issues closed, last 90 days0+
Pull requests merged, last 90 days64 (typically merged in 2 days)
Project age8 years

Checked on 2026-10-17 with the GitHub API.

Overview

Streamlabs Desktop is free live-streaming software built on Electron and the OBS project. It gives streamers a desktop app for managing and producing broadcasts, with support for macOS 10.14 and later and 64-bit Windows.

The project is aimed at creators who want a streaming-focused application built on OBS, rather than a general-purpose video editor. Its codebase combines Vue and React during an ongoing migration to React, and uses Electron windows that communicate through IPC.

Key Features

  • Builds on OBS for live-streaming capabilities.
  • Packages the application as a desktop app using Electron.
  • Supports macOS 10.14+ and 64-bit Windows.
  • Uses separate main, worker, and child windows for app and service responsibilities.
  • Provides asynchronous service actions and replicated Vuex views for communication across windows.
  • Supports integrations and streaming destinations including Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook, reflected in the project topics.
  • Includes development scripts to compile assets, watch for changes, and start the app.

Use Cases

  • Streamers who want a desktop application based on OBS for producing live broadcasts.
  • Creators preparing streams for services such as Twitch, YouTube, or Facebook.
  • Developers extending or debugging the app’s streaming workflows and Electron-based window architecture.
  • Teams maintaining streaming software that needs packaged builds for macOS and Windows.

What you need

Detected in the repository

  • Node.js (from package.json)
  • A test suite and automated checks on GitHub Actions

License in plain words

GPL-3.0strong copyleft

  • Commercial use: yes
  • Modify and redistribute: yes
  • You must keep: the license notice
  • Share your changes: yes, the full source of anything you distribute that includes it, under the GPL
  • Includes an explicit patent grant from the contributors:

A summary, not legal advice: the LICENSE file is what applies.

Getting Started

Install dependencies and start the app:

yarn install
yarn compile
yarn start

The project recommends a current Node.js LTS release and Yarn. See the README for development and packaging details.

Considerations

  • The project is active, with regular commits and merged pull requests, and contributions from dozens of people. No release was published in the last year, so teams that prefer versioned releases should account for that.
  • Development requires Node.js, Yarn, and a Bash-like shell. Packaging also relies on code-signing certificates, and macOS packaging requires an Apple developer account for notarization unless those steps are skipped.
  • The README describes a migration from Vue to React, so contributors may encounter both frameworks.
  • The README limits supported systems to macOS 10.14+ and 64-bit Windows. It does not list Linux support.
  • The repository is licensed under GPL-3.0; review its terms before distributing modified or combined software.

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