Resource types and lifecycle
The four resource types
Section titled “The four resource types”Every resource in the Live API is a live processing unit. You create one, define its inputs and outputs, assign a template that controls how it encodes, and then start it. There are four types, chosen by the combination of what you need and how you want to be billed.
| Resource | Billing | Use when |
|---|---|---|
liveChannels | Monthly flat fee, charged immediately on start | You need a 24/7 live feed that is always encoding |
liveEvents | Per-minute | You need a live feed for a defined broadcast window |
staticMultiviewChannels | Monthly flat fee, charged immediately on start | You need to compose multiple feeds into a multiview output, continuously |
staticMultiviewEvents | Per-minute | You need to compose multiple feeds into a multiview output for a specific event |
All four share the same body structure, the same lifecycle, and the same endpoints pattern. Choose the matching spec.transform.type and configuration fields for your resource. Multiview can also reference a multiviewComposing config.
The desired state model
Section titled “The desired state model”Live API resources use a desired state model. The spec.state field tells the platform what you want the resource to be doing. Set it to Stopped to create and configure the resource without active processing. Set it to Running to begin startup.
This means you can create a resource in advance and verify its configuration before startup. A stopped resource can still take time to move through Starting. Stop a resource by patching spec.state back to Stopped, not by deleting it.
Create with Stopped. Start by patching to Running. Stop by patching back to Stopped. Delete when you no longer need the resource at all.
Each live resource runs on a site. For a normal cloud workflow, omit spec.siteName so MK.IO uses the project’s cloud site. Set an explicit site only when you deliberately target that site. Do not copy world into cloud examples because it can route the resource toward a device site.
What comes next
Section titled “What comes next”- Inputs: connect a live resource to a stream.
- Live event walkthrough: see these resource types created and started in a working example.