whatisgithub

What is adapter?

henbos/adapter — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2018-02-21

JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5DormantSetup · easy

In one sentence

A compatibility layer that lets you write one WebRTC video/audio calling code path and have it work correctly across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and other browsers.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((adapter))
    What it does
      Smooths browser differences
      Translates WebRTC calls
      Fills missing features
    Tech stack
      JavaScript
      WebRTC APIs
      NPM or Bower
    Use cases
      Video calling apps
      Streaming apps
      Real-time platforms
    Audience
      Web developers
      RTC app builders
    Setup
      Drop-in JS file
      Package manager install

Code map

Detail Auto

An interactive map of this repo's files and how they connect — its source is parsed live in your browser. Click Visualize to build it.

filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Build a video or audio calling app that works the same on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

USE CASE 2

Add real-time communication features without writing browser-specific fixes.

USE CASE 3

Ship a streaming or conferencing tool without maintaining separate browser code paths.

What is it built with?

JavaScriptWebRTC

How does it compare?

henbos/adapter3rd-eden/ircb.ioa15n/a15n
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2018-02-212016-11-162019-04-07
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasyeasy
Complexity2/52/52/5
Audiencedeveloperdevelopergeneral

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Just include the adapter.js file or install via NPM/Bower, no extra infra needed.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to add the adapter.js WebRTC shim to my project so my calling app works across browsers.
Prompt 2
Help me set up a basic peer-to-peer video call using standard WebRTC APIs with adapter.js smoothing out browser differences.
Prompt 3
What browser-specific WebRTC quirks does adapter.js fix, and do I still need any manual workarounds?

Frequently asked questions

What is adapter?

A compatibility layer that lets you write one WebRTC video/audio calling code path and have it work correctly across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and other browsers.

What language is adapter written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, WebRTC.

Is adapter actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2018-02-21).

How hard is adapter to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is adapter for?

Mainly developer.

Open on GitHub → Ask about another repo

This repo across BitVibe Labs

Verify against the repo before relying on details.

What are similar repos?