Getting Started with Live Coding
Tags: programming, beginners
Published: 2019-10-12 18:22:54

---
title: Getting Started with Live Coding
published: true
description: Live coding will be the hot new trend with developers and you can start doing it today. Live streaming of game playing has been hot for a while now, but recently coders and other tech people have gotten into it. You can too.
tags: programming, beginner
cover_image: https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/9zgbub36isj5snaq3nsh.jpg
---

Live coding will be the hot new trend with developers and you can start doing it today. Live streaming of game playing has been hot for a while now, but recently coders and other tech people have gotten into it. You can too.   

Live coding is exactly what it sounds like. You're streaming your desktop to the world while you write stuff. Maybe you can build things. Maybe you can teach people how to code something. Or you can just benchmark Linux distributions as I did on **[my Twitch channel](http://bit.ly/JeremyMorganTwitch)** the other night. 
  
## Why Would I Live Stream My Coding? 

![How to get started live coding](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/hhs2v84e46xpuw1u7z9d.jpg)

Nearly everything is better with multiple people and coding is no exception. Here are some reasons you might want to start live coding. 

- **Teach others** - You can help others learn what you know 
- **Learn from others** - This is essentially worldwide mob programming
- **Show off your skills** - It's kind of fun to show off new things you've learned
- **Show off new tech** - This is one of my favorite things to do
- **Get a job** - Stuff like this could catch the attention of an employer

These are all good reasons, and of course the social aspect of it all.   
  
## So How do I Start? 

Getting started is easy, you can go from "Ok I'm ready" to streaming in an hour or less. 

### Hardware 

- **laptop or desktop computer** - Dual monitors is a must here. 
- **microphone or headset** - Get the best one you can here. Audio quality is important.
- **webcam** - Optional if you want to show your face online. Get the best one you can.

And that's it! Chances are you already have this stuff. 

### Accounts

You must sign up for accounts at some of the major providers:  
  
- [Twitch](http://bit.ly/TwitchSignup)
- [Periscope](http://bit.ly/PeriscopeSignup)
- [YouTube](http://bit.ly/YouTubeSignup)
- [Mixer](http://bit.ly/MixerSignup)

You can sign up for one or many of them. If you want to broadcast to all of them at once, that's possible too. 

![Start Live Coding](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/q37ec9trcbo696t0v61y.jpg)

You can broadcast to many providers by [signing up for restream.io](http://bit.ly/RestreamSignup).

Then you point your streaming software at restream and it will send your stream to all of them. It's an awesome service! 


### Software

![OBS Live Streaming](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/q0bhizo31ufvue5iyt4v.jpg)
Now you need to download software to do some streaming. I really like [OBS Open Broadcaster Software](http://bit.ly/OBSProjectDownload). This one is amazingly easy to use. 

You download and install then add in your sources.   
  
You want to add in a "video capture device" which is just your desktop. This way people can see what you're coding.   
  
Then select an "audio input capture" which will be your microphone. 

Then select a "video capture device" which is your webcam.   
  
Optionally you can add your system audio as an audio input device and stream music at a low volume for the background.   
  
  
### Start Streaming

![How to Streaming](https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ttxcg331pbuonqxmdmir.jpg)

Open up OBS, and go to tools -> settings -> Stream. You must add in the key and server of who you're streaming to. Since I'm using [restream.io](http://bit.ly/RestreamSignup) I just put in my key there. 

Then you click on start streaming!!! 
  
It's that easy. OBS Works in Windows, Mac, or Linux so you can stream from anywhere. 


### Follow my Streams

So I have recently created some channels where I'll be messing around with Linux distributions, containers, etc and doing some coding. Follow me!  

- **[Follow me on Twitch](http://bit.ly/JeremyMorganTwitch)**
- **[My Periscope](http://bit.ly/JeremyMorganPeriscope)**
- **[My YouTube](http://bit.ly/JeremyMorganYouTube)**
- **[Updates on Twitter](http://bit.ly/JeremyCMorgan)**


Live Coding Streams are getting more popular by the day! It's fun and you really should try it out. 

Good luck with your streams and leave your info in the comments so we can follow you!!