What is the difference between LiveKit data messages and RPC LiveKit Community #ask-ai

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What is the difference between LiveKit data messag...

# ask-ai

gentle-hospital-72989

07/09/2025, 11:41 AM

What is the difference between LiveKit data messages and RPC calls?

tall-airline-16756

07/09/2025, 11:41 AM

Thanks for reaching out, Nischal. I'm an AI assistant and I'm here to help. Give me a moment while I research this topic.

tall-airline-16756

07/09/2025, 11:41 AM

Data messages in LiveKit are used to send and receive arbitrary data between participants within a room, such as images, files, or other types of content. They are typically sent using the

publish_data

method. RPC (Remote Procedure Call) in LiveKit enables participants to define specific methods that other participants can invoke remotely within the room. This allows for structured communication such as requesting data or coordinating application-specific states. RPC methods are registered with

register_rpc_method

and called via

perform_rpc

. In summary, data messages are for general-purpose data exchange, while RPC calls provide a way to invoke defined remote procedures for more controlled interactions. This distinction allows LiveKit applications to choose flexible data broadcast or precise remote method execution based on their needs. Source references from the LiveKit knowledge base. Sources: Realtime data | LiveKit Docs | livekit-rtc/livekit/rtc/_proto/ffi_pb2.py | RPC | LiveKit Docs

gentle-hospital-72989

07/09/2025, 11:43 AM

Which is faster - if there is a difference in speed?

tall-airline-16756

07/09/2025, 11:43 AM

Hey there! 👋 I totally get you're curious about the speed differences between data messages and RPC calls in LiveKit. While the knowledge base doesn't have a direct speed comparison, I can break down what I know. The docs suggest that for frequent updates, data messages are your go-to option. They're typically more lightweight and efficient compared to RPC calls, which can have a bit more processing overhead. Think of data messages like quick text messages, while RPC calls are more like making a full phone call. Just keep in mind that the absolute best way to know for sure is to run some tests in your own specific setup. Every project is a bit unique, so what works perfectly for one might be slightly different for another. Want to dig deeper? I recommend doing some hands-on testing to see exactly how these perform in your environment. 😊 Source references from the LiveKit knowledge base. Sources: RPC | LiveKit Docs | web/providers/GameProvider.tsx

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