This article provides a guide demonstrating how to integrate Rocket.Chat with BigBlueButton server. Here’s a complete guide to connect Rocket.Chat with BigBlueButton (BBB) for in-app video conferencing on your Debian VPS:

Table of Contents

What is Rocket.Chat?

Rocket.Chat is an open-source communication platform designed for team collaboration, real-time messaging, and secure communication. It’s often used as a self-hosted alternative to proprietary chat services like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Discord, and is especially popular among organizations that require data privacy, customizability, or on-premise deployment.

🔍 Key Features of Rocket.Chat:

Feature	Description
💬 Team Messaging	Real-time direct and group messaging with mentions, threads, and reactions.
🛡️ Self-Hosted or Cloud	Deploy on your own server for full control, or use Rocket.Chat’s managed cloud.
🔐 Security & Privacy	End-to-end encryption, audit logs, LDAP/AD integration, and GDPR compliance.
🌐 Omnichannel Support	Combine email, SMS, live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and more in one inbox.
⚙️ Custom Integrations	Integrates with GitLab, Jitsi, BigBlueButton, Mattermost, Zapier, and more via REST/WebSocket API.
🌍 Multi-language & Internationalization	Interface supports 50+ languages.
🧩 Extensible & Modular	Built with Meteor and React, supporting plugins, bots, and theme customization.

🚀 Use Cases

Remote Team Collaboration
Customer Support via Omnichannel
Internal Communication in Enterprises
Secure Messaging for Governments & NGOs
DevOps & IT ChatOps (e.g., GitHub/GitLab integrations)

🆚 Compared to Slack or MS Teams

Feature	Rocket.Chat	Slack	MS Teams
Open Source	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Self-Hosted	✅ Yes	🔒 No	🔒 No
Customizable UI & Workflows	✅ Full	⚠️ Limited	⚠️ Limited
Cost Control	✅ Full	💰 Subscription	💰 Subscription
Privacy & Compliance	✅ High (on-premise)	⚠️ Depends	⚠️ Depends

🛠️ Deployment Options

Docker & Docker Compose
Kubernetes
Debian/Ubuntu packages
Cloud (via Rocket.Chat hosting or partners)

What is BigBlueButton?

BigBlueButton is an open-source web conferencing system designed specifically for online learning and virtual classrooms. It enables real-time video, audio, and screen sharing, along with tools that promote interactive teaching, such as whiteboards, polls, and breakout rooms.

It’s often self-hosted by educational institutions, training organizations, or companies that require full control over their video conferencing infrastructure.

🎯 Key Features of BigBlueButton

Feature	Description
🎥 Video & Audio Conferencing	Real-time video and audio for multiple participants with WebRTC-based technology.
🖥️ Screen Sharing	Presenters can share their entire screen or a specific application window.
📝 Multi-User Whiteboard	Interactive whiteboard for real-time drawing and collaboration during presentations.
📊 Polling	Built-in live polls for student feedback and engagement.
🏘️ Breakout Rooms	Create smaller discussion rooms for group activities or team projects.
💬 Live Chat	Public and private chat for participants.
📁 File Uploads	Upload and share PDFs, slides, and documents.
🎥 Session Recording	Record full sessions, including chat and presentation content, for later playback.
🔒 Role-Based Access	Distinct roles like Moderator, Viewer, and Presenter, with permission control.

🧑‍🏫 Designed for Education

Unlike general-purpose video conferencing tools (like Zoom or Google Meet), BigBlueButton is purpose-built for virtual classrooms, offering:

Learning Management System (LMS) integrations (e.g., Moodle, Canvas, Sakai)
Student engagement metrics
Low-bandwidth optimizations

🛠️ Deployment Options

Self-hosted on Linux servers (typically Ubuntu)
Docker installation available
Hosted providers (for institutions preferring managed services)

🌐 Integrations

LMS platforms (Moodle, Canvas, Schoology)
Rocket.Chat (for chat + video conferencing hybrid setups)
Greenlight (a lightweight UI/front-end for managing meetings)

⚖️ BigBlueButton vs. Zoom

Feature	BigBlueButton	Zoom
Open Source	✅ Yes	❌ No
Self-Hosted	✅ Yes	❌ No
Designed for Education	✅ Yes	⚠️ General Use
Whiteboard & Polls	✅ Built-in	✅ Yes
Breakout Rooms	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
LMS Integration	✅ Native	⚠️ Add-ons required
Recording Playback	✅ Web-based	✅ File download

By integrating it with Rocket.Chat, you can host voice/video calls, share screens, and record sessions, directly from chat rooms.

✅ Prerequisites

A Rocket.Chat instance (See: How to Install and Run Rocket.Chat)
A BigBlueButton server (See: How to Install BigBlueButton)
Admin access to Rocket.Chat
Your BBB server URL and shared secret

Don’t have BBB yet? Use the public test server for evaluation:
URL: https://demo.bigbluebutton.org/b
Secret: Provided after creating meeting via their API interface

🎥 How to Integrate Rocket.Chat with BigBlueButton (BBB)

To integrate Rocket.Chat with BigBlueButton, follow the steps provided below:

Get Your BigBlueButton Server Details

For self-hosted BigBlueButton instances:
- URL: https://your-bbb-domain.com/bigbluebutton/
- Secret: Run this command on the BBB server:
```
bbb-conf --secret
```
  Copy the URL and Secret values.
Install BigBlueButton App in Rocket.Chat
1. Login to Rocket.Chat as an admin
2. Go to Administration → Apps → Marketplace
3. Install BigBlueButton App for Rocket.Chat
4. Click Install

Configure the BigBlueButton Integration

After installation:

Go to Administration → Apps → BigBlueButton → Settings

Fill in the following fields:

Field	Value
BBB Server URL	`https://your-bbb-domain.com/bigbluebutton/`
BBB Shared Secret	Paste the secret from `bbb-conf --secret`
Enable SSL	`True` if using HTTPS
Enable Recording	`True` (optional, if supported)

Click Save Changes.

Using BigBlueButton in Rocket.Chat

Once configured, users can:
- Go to a channel or direct message
- Click the video camera icon → Start Video Call
- Rocket.Chat creates and shares a BigBlueButton meeting link
- Others can join from the same room
You’ll see a “Join Meeting” button appear in the chat.
Optional: Enable Recording Playback in Chat

If recordings are enabled in your BigBlueButton config:
1. Ensure Enable Recording is set to true in Rocket.Chat settings
2. When a meeting ends, the link to the recording will be posted automatically (after processing)
Secure the Integration
- Use HTTPS on both Rocket.Chat and BigBlueButton
- Limit BigBlueButton access using a firewall to known IPs
- Disable public guest access if not needed
Test the Integration
1. Start a call in any Rocket.Chat room
2. Join from another account/device
3. Check audio, video, screen share
4. End the meeting and wait for recording link (if enabled)

✅ Summary

Integration Piece	Value
Rocket.Chat App	BigBlueButton
Server URL	`https://your-bbb-domain.com/bigbluebutton/`
Shared Secret	From `bbb-conf --secret`
Launch Call	Via camera icon in rooms