ToDesktop Recall Desktop SDK Plugin

A ToDesktop plugin that integrates with Recall.ai's Desktop Recording SDK to enable automatic meeting recording for Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.

Overview

This plugin provides a complete integration between ToDesktop and the Recall.ai Desktop Recording SDK, offering:

- Automatic meeting detection for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Slack
- Recording management with start, stop, pause, and resume functionality
- Desktop audio recording for non-meeting scenarios
- Real-time events including transcription and participant data
- Permission management for accessibility, screen capture, and microphone access
- Upload progress tracking and webhook integration
- Type-safe client library for web applications

Want a tutorial?

Check out the tutorial for a step-by-step guide on how to use the Recall desktop plugin and client SDK.

Installation & Setup

$3

1. Recall.ai Account: Sign up at recall.ai and get your API key
2. ToDesktop Builder App: Create a ToDesktop application
3. Backend Integration: Set up webhook endpoints and upload token generation

$3

``bash
npm install @todesktop/client-recall
`

$3

1. Open ToDesktop Builder
2. Install the recall desktop sdk plugin

$3

In ToDesktop Builder, configure the following preferences:

- API URL: Your Recall.ai region URL (e.g., https://us-east-1.recall.ai)
- Enable Plugin: Toggle to enable/disable recording functionality
- Request permissions on startup: Automatically request required permissions

Usage

$3

`typescript
import { recallDesktop } from "@todesktop/client-recall";

// Initialize the SDK
await recallDesktop.initSdk();

// Listen for meeting detection
const stopMeetingListener = recallDesktop.addEventListener(
"meeting-detected",
async ({ window }) => {
console.log("Meeting detected:", window);

// Get upload token from your backend
const uploadToken = await getUploadTokenFromBackend();

// Start recording
const result = await recallDesktop.startRecording(window.id, uploadToken);
if (result.success) {
console.log("Recording started successfully");
}
}
);

// Listen for recording events
const stopStateListener = recallDesktop.addEventListener(
"sdk-state-change",
({ sdk }) => {
console.log("Recording state:", sdk.state.code);
}
);

const stopUploadListener = recallDesktop.addEventListener(
"upload-progress",
({ progress }) => {
console.log(Upload progress: ${progress}%);
}
);

// Handle recording completion
const stopRecordingListener = recallDesktop.addEventListener(
"recording-ended",
async ({ window }) => {
console.log("Recording ended for window:", window.id);

// Upload the recording
await recallDesktop.uploadRecording(window.id);
}
);

// Later, remove listeners when no longer needed
stopMeetingListener();
stopStateListener();
stopUploadListener();
stopRecordingListener();
`

$3

For capturing audio from applications other than supported meeting platforms:

`typescript
// Prepare desktop audio recording
const { data } = await recallDesktop.prepareDesktopAudioRecording();
const { windowId } = data;

// Get upload token and start recording
const uploadToken = await getUploadTokenFromBackend();
await recallDesktop.startRecording(windowId, uploadToken);

// Stop when done
await recallDesktop.stopRecording(windowId);
await recallDesktop.uploadRecording(windowId);
`

$3

`typescript
// Check permission status
const status = await recallDesktop.getStatus();
console.log("Permissions:", status.permissions);

// Request specific permission
await recallDesktop.requestPermission("screen-capture");

// Listen for permission changes
const removePermissionListener = recallDesktop.addEventListener(
"permission-status",
({ permission, status }) => {
console.log(Permission ${permission}: ${status});
}
);

// Remove the listener when you no longer need updates
removePermissionListener();
`

Backend Integration

$3

A minimal Express backend lives in packages/backend for demos. It exposes:

- POST /api/create-sdk-upload – calls the Recall API and returns { id, upload_token, recording_id }
- POST /webhooks/recall – logs Recall webhook payloads for inspection
- GET /health – health check

Run it with your Recall token (replace the example value with the token for your workspace):

`bash
RECALL_API_TOKEN="c5a6aaff378e5dc5a7e28b3e2853eff832ce4bde" \
npm start --workspace=packages/backend
`

The server defaults to https://us-west-2.recall.ai; override via RECALL_API_BASE if you use another region. Set CORS_ORIGIN to restrict cross-origin access (defaults to *).

$3

Your backend needs to create upload tokens using the Recall.ai API:

`javascript
// Example backend endpoint
app.post("/api/create-upload-token", async (req, res) => {
const response = await fetch(${RECALL_API_URL}/api/v1/sdk-upload/, {
method: "POST",
headers: {
Authorization: Token ${RECALL_API_KEY},
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
transcript: {
provider: {
assembly_ai_streaming: {},
},
},
}),
});

const data = await response.json();
res.json({ uploadToken: data.upload_token });
});
`

$3

Set up webhooks to handle recording completion:

`javascript
app.post("/webhooks/recall", (req, res) => {
const { event, data } = req.body;

switch (event) {
case "sdk_upload.complete":
console.log("Recording completed:", data.recording.id);
// Process completed recording
break;

case "sdk_upload.failed":
console.log("Recording failed:", data);
// Handle failure
break;

case "sdk_upload.uploading":
console.log("Recording uploading:", data);
// Track upload progress
break;
}

res.status(200).send("OK");
});
`

API Reference

$3

- initSdk() - Initialize the Recall SDK
- shutdownSdk() - Shutdown the SDK and cleanup
- getStatus() - Get plugin and SDK status
- startRecording(windowId, uploadToken) - Start recording a meeting
- stopRecording(windowId) - Stop recording
- pauseRecording(windowId) - Pause recording
- resumeRecording(windowId) - Resume recording
- uploadRecording(windowId) - Upload completed recording
- prepareDesktopAudioRecording() - Prepare desktop audio capture

$3

Use recallDesktop.addEventListener(eventType, callback) to subscribe. Available event types include:

- meeting-detected, meeting-updated, meeting-closed
- recording-started, recording-ended, sdk-state-change
- upload-progress, realtime-event, error
- permissions-granted, permission-status
- media-capture-status, participant-capture-status, shutdown

$3

- setConfig(config) - Update plugin configuration
- getConfig() - Get current configuration
- requestPermission(permission) - Request specific permission

Development

$3

- npm run build - Build all packages
- npm run dev - Development mode with watch
- npm run test - Run tests
- npm run typecheck - TypeScript type checking
- npm run clean - Clean build artifacts

$3

- The Electron plugin uses @recallai/desktop-sdk directly; no mock setup is required.
- Before building or type-checking the client package, the sync-sdk-types script copies the SDK's TypeScript declarations into packages/client/src/generated. This runs automatically via npm run build --workspace=@todesktop/client-recall and npm run typecheck --workspace=@todesktop/client-recall, but you can invoke it manually with:

`bash
npm run sync-sdk-types --workspace=@todesktop/client-recall
`

## Changelog
- 1.3.2
- Updated @recallai/desktop-sdk to v2.0.4
- 1.3.1
- Updated @recallai/desktop-sdk to v2.0.3
- 1.3.0
- Updated @recallai/desktop-sdk to v2.0.0
- 1.2.0
- Updated @recallai/desktop-sdk` to v1.3.5