I gave a lunch and learn for my Virtual Coffee community on getting started with streaming on Twitch. https://youtu.be/aDofyI6E2t4 Slide deck: https://iamdeveloper.com/stream2021 If you’re interested in learning in public, Twitch is a great place to do it. Alright, let’s get to it! Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) The first thing to do is install OBS. It is the standard when it comes to streaming. There are tools built on top of it, but typically I recommend using bare-bones OBS or Streamlabs OBS (SLOBS) which is OBS with some plugins from Streamlabs. The main reason to use OBS or SLOBS is more flexibility when streaming, and as far as I know, OBS is the only one that allows you to stream closed captioning. For the remainder of the post, I will refer to just OBS instead of OBS/SLOBS. I won't do a deep dive into all the things you can do with OBS, but know that you can create scenes with many sources. A scene can be for example a starting soon page, and when you're ready to start talking you transition to another scene, perhaps called chatting or coding view. There are many sources you can add to a scene: images
browser sources, e.g. a web page used for an overlay in your stream
display capture, e.g. an external monitor
video capture device, e.g. a webcam
etc. Streaming Checklist It's important to go over your setup before going live on a stream. You want to make sure audio is good, video etc. Here is a sample checklist that I created for the purpose of this post. It's a reduced version of my own checklist. Turn off notifications for any software on laptop
Ensure closed captioning is working with OBS
Check audio is not muted and is working for you and your guests
Have Twitch chat open in a browser or the entire stream (make sure stream is muted!)
Ensure you’re on the right scene to start Going Live Here's some typical steps to take when going live on a stream. Go over checklist
Tweet out that you are going live on your stream with a link to your stream. SLOBS has this built-in
Start Stream
Check the stream to make sure you’re streaming
You should be good to go at this point Streaming Tips Here are some streaming tips that I've found useful Interact with the Twitch chat
It’s not going to be perfect, that’s OK
Have fun, really!
If you’re live coding, talk through what you’re doing
Tweet midway through your stream that you’re still streaming about topic X or live coding https://twitter.com/nickytonline/status/1405219963045036033 Post your streams to Polywork, LinkedIn and Twitter. Here are some examples at timeline.iamdeveloper.com, my LinkedIn, and Twitter https://twitter.com/coffeecraftcode/status/1384980393770815488 Have a consistent schedule
Don’t worry  if no one or few people are watching your stream when you get started out
Zoom in your editor and browser to help folks see things better
If you use Visual Studio Code, @john_papa created an amazing extension for hiding environment files called Cloak {%twitter 1421683536952709120 %} If you plan on uploading your streams to YouTube or want to create clips later, ensure that you have Store past broadcasts on in your stream settings Having Guests on Your Stream There is no native way for guests to join a stream in OBS, so a third party application is required. These are the common ones that are out there: Zoom
Discord
VDO.Ninja (previously called OBS.Ninja) For Discussions You should have one or more topics to discuss, but they do not need to be scripted. It should feel natural. I also tend to go on tangents sometimes. Maybe this is good, maybe it's bad. 🙃 Extras Here's some not necessarily crucial stuff for your stream, but some nice additions to spice up your stream. Add interactivity to your stream. A browser source in a scene that loads a page using ComfyJS is a great for this.
Automate things as much as possible

Scheduled tweet that you’re going live
Use a stream deck if it’s in your budget. I bought one about a year into streaming.


Use service like StreamLabs or StreamElements for moderation bots, interactivity, like when someone follows your stream. Additional software Below is a list of additional software that can help you out during a stream or post-stream. Loopback, for merging audio or creating other virtual audio devices
descript, for subtitles, removing filler words, and video editing if you plan on publishing your streams to YouTube
krisp, noise-cancelling software Hardware Although not required when starting out with streaming, these are things you can add to your stream over time. Light ring
An external microphone
Better Web Cam or Camera
Streaming Deck https://twitter.com/ania_kubow/status/1420685669479985152 Additional Resources Web Captioner

Add live captions in OBS Studio


Steve Seguin’s YouTube channel (creator of VDO.ninja)
The Invisible Zoom Streaming method by Rachael Wright-Munn
Pair Programming with Jhey (shows how to use ComfyJS) https://youtu.be/DDJB8KSh-Sw livecoding.ca’s interactions using ComfyJS
My Uses Page (software and hardware I use) And last but not least, some shameless plugs! DEV Twitch Stream
DEV's YouTube
My Stream
My YouTube Until next time folks! Also published here. I gave a lunch and learn for my Virtual Coffee community on getting started with streaming on Twitch. https://youtu.be/aDofyI6E2t4 https://youtu.be/aDofyI6E2t4 Slide deck: https://iamdeveloper.com/stream2021 https://iamdeveloper.com/stream2021 If you’re interested in learning in public, Twitch is a great place to do it. Alright, let’s get to it! Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) The first thing to do is install OBS . It is the standard when it comes to streaming. There are tools built on top of it, but typically I recommend using bare-bones OBS or Streamlabs OBS (SLOBS) which is OBS with some plugins from Streamlabs. OBS Streamlabs OBS The main reason to use OBS or SLOBS is more flexibility when streaming, and as far as I know, OBS is the only one that allows you to stream closed captioning. For the remainder of the post, I will refer to just OBS instead of OBS/SLOBS. I won't do a deep dive into all the things you can do with OBS, but know that you can create scenes with many sources . A scene can be for example a starting soon page, and when you're ready to start talking you transition to another scene, perhaps called chatting or coding view. create scenes with many sources There are many sources you can add to a scene: images browser sources, e.g. a web page used for an overlay in your stream display capture, e.g. an external monitor video capture device, e.g. a webcam etc. images browser sources, e.g. a web page used for an overlay in your stream display capture, e.g. an external monitor video capture device, e.g. a webcam etc. Streaming Checklist It's important to go over your setup before going live on a stream. You want to make sure audio is good, video etc. Here is a sample checklist that I created for the purpose of this post. It's a reduced version of my own checklist. Turn off notifications for any software on laptop Ensure closed captioning is working with OBS Check audio is not muted and is working for you and your guests Have Twitch chat open in a browser or the entire stream (make sure stream is muted!) Ensure you’re on the right scene to start Turn off notifications for any software on laptop Ensure closed captioning is working with OBS Check audio is not muted and is working for you and your guests Have Twitch chat open in a browser or the entire stream (make sure stream is muted!) Ensure you’re on the right scene to start Going Live Here's some typical steps to take when going live on a stream. Go over checklist Tweet out that you are going live on your stream with a link to your stream. SLOBS has this built-in Start Stream Check the stream to make sure you’re streaming You should be good to go at this point Go over checklist Tweet out that you are going live on your stream with a link to your stream. SLOBS has this built-in Start Stream Check the stream to make sure you’re streaming You should be good to go at this point Streaming Tips Here are some streaming tips that I've found useful Interact with the Twitch chat It’s not going to be perfect, that’s OK Have fun, really! If you’re live coding, talk through what you’re doing Tweet midway through your stream that you’re still streaming about topic X or live coding Interact with the Twitch chat It’s not going to be perfect, that’s OK Have fun, really! If you’re live coding, talk through what you’re doing Tweet midway through your stream that you’re still streaming about topic X or live coding https://twitter.com/nickytonline/status/1405219963045036033 https://twitter.com/nickytonline/status/1405219963045036033 Post your streams to Polywork, LinkedIn and Twitter. Here are some examples at timeline.iamdeveloper.com, my LinkedIn, and Twitter Post your streams to Polywork, LinkedIn and Twitter. Here are some examples at timeline.iamdeveloper.com , my LinkedIn , and Twitter timeline.iamdeveloper.com my LinkedIn https://twitter.com/coffeecraftcode/status/1384980393770815488 https://twitter.com/coffeecraftcode/status/1384980393770815488 Have a consistent schedule Don’t worry  if no one or few people are watching your stream when you get started out Zoom in your editor and browser to help folks see things better If you use Visual Studio Code, @john_papa created an amazing extension for hiding environment files called Cloak Have a consistent schedule Don’t worry  if no one or few people are watching your stream when you get started out Zoom in your editor and browser to help folks see things better If you use Visual Studio Code , @john_papa created an amazing extension for hiding environment files called Cloak Visual Studio Code Cloak {%twitter 1421683536952709120 %} If you plan on uploading your streams to YouTube or want to create clips later, ensure that you have Store past broadcasts on in your stream settings If you plan on uploading your streams to YouTube or want to create clips later, ensure that you have Store past broadcasts on in your stream settings stream settings Having Guests on Your Stream There is no native way for guests to join a stream in OBS, so a third party application is required. These are the common ones that are out there: Zoom Discord VDO.Ninja (previously called OBS.Ninja) Zoom Zoom Discord Discord VDO.Ninja (previously called OBS.Ninja) VDO.Ninja For Discussions You should have one or more topics to discuss, but they do not need to be scripted. It should feel natural. I also tend to go on tangents sometimes. Maybe this is good, maybe it's bad. 🙃 Extras Here's some not necessarily crucial stuff for your stream, but some nice additions to spice up your stream. Add interactivity to your stream. A browser source in a scene that loads a page using ComfyJS is a great for this. Automate things as much as possible

Scheduled tweet that you’re going live
Use a stream deck if it’s in your budget. I bought one about a year into streaming. Use service like StreamLabs or StreamElements for moderation bots, interactivity, like when someone follows your stream. Add interactivity to your stream. A browser source in a scene that loads a page using ComfyJS is a great for this. ComfyJS Automate things as much as possible Scheduled tweet that you’re going live
Use a stream deck if it’s in your budget. I bought one about a year into streaming. Scheduled tweet that you’re going live Use a stream deck if it’s in your budget. I bought one about a year into streaming. Scheduled tweet that you’re going live Use a stream deck if it’s in your budget. I bought one about a year into streaming. Use service like StreamLabs or StreamElements for moderation bots, interactivity, like when someone follows your stream. StreamElements Additional software Below is a list of additional software that can help you out during a stream or post-stream. Loopback, for merging audio or creating other virtual audio devices descript, for subtitles, removing filler words, and video editing if you plan on publishing your streams to YouTube krisp, noise-cancelling software Loopback , for merging audio or creating other virtual audio devices Loopback descript , for subtitles, removing filler words, and video editing if you plan on publishing your streams to YouTube descript krisp , noise-cancelling software krisp Hardware Although not required when starting out with streaming, these are things you can add to your stream over time. Light ring An external microphone Better Web Cam or Camera Streaming Deck Light ring An external microphone Better Web Cam or Camera Streaming Deck https://twitter.com/ania_kubow/status/1420685669479985152 https://twitter.com/ania_kubow/status/1420685669479985152 Additional Resources Web Captioner

Add live captions in OBS Studio Steve Seguin’s YouTube channel (creator of VDO.ninja) The Invisible Zoom Streaming method by Rachael Wright-Munn Pair Programming with Jhey (shows how to use ComfyJS) Web Captioner Add live captions in OBS Studio Web Captioner Add live captions in OBS Studio Add live captions in OBS Studio Add live captions in OBS Studio Steve Seguin’s YouTube channel (creator of VDO.ninja) Steve Seguin’s YouTube channel The Invisible Zoom Streaming method by Rachael Wright-Munn The Invisible Zoom Streaming method Rachael Wright-Munn Pair Programming with Jhey (shows how to use ComfyJS) https://youtu.be/DDJB8KSh-Sw https://youtu.be/DDJB8KSh-Sw livecoding.ca’s interactions using ComfyJS My Uses Page (software and hardware I use) livecoding.ca ’s interactions using ComfyJS livecoding.ca interactions using ComfyJS My Uses Page (software and hardware I use) My Uses Page And last but not least, some shameless plugs! DEV Twitch Stream DEV's YouTube My Stream My YouTube DEV Twitch Stream DEV Twitch Stream DEV's YouTube DEV's YouTube My Stream My Stream My YouTube My YouTube Until next time folks! Also published here. here.

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