Offline Video SDK: The Fastest Way to Add Offline Video to Your App

Modern video apps can’t just stream - they need to work offline. Commuters, travelers, and users in regions with poor connectivity expect to download content and watch it without buffering.
For developers, though, enabling this is tricky: platform-specific APIs, DRM, adaptive streams (HLS, DASH), and inconsistent download managers all add complexity.

That’s why we built the Offline Video SDK for React Native. It provides a unified API to integrate offline video into your app, with support for:
- HLS and DASH streams
- DRM-protected content
- MP4 downloads
- iOS + Android from one React Native interface‍

Already in production with Learnn, a leading e-learning platform in Italy, the SDK has proven its impact by boosting engagement and completion rates.

Here’s how you can integrate it into your own app.

Step 1: Sign up on the SDK Platform

Before you start coding, create an account on the SDK Platform.

From the dashboard you can:
- Create your app
- Attach the stream-downloader plugin
- Get your API Key + GitHub Token (required for installing the SDK from our private repository)
- Track usage analytics such as downloads, impressions, and active users
- Access documentation, and the Starter Kit - all in one place

This means the SDK Platform isn’t just for authentication - it’s your central hub for learning, setup, and monitoring. You don’t need to jump between resources: everything from setup instructions, sample code, and guides to full usage analytics is available in one dashboard.

Step 2: Install our stream-downloader

Once you have your GitHub token, add the package to your project:

npm install @TheWidlarzGroup/react-native-video-stream-downloader

Then reinstall pods for iOS project:

cd ios && pod install && cd ..

And lastly add the dependency in your ./android/app/build.gradle:

dependencies {
	  implementation fileTree(dir: "../../node_modules/@TheWidlarzGroup/react-native-video-stream-downloader/native-libs", include: ["*.aar"])
	  //...
}

Now you’re ready to use the unified API for downloading and playing back offline video.

Step 3: Explore the Starter Kit

The fastest way to see stream-downloader in action is to try the React Native Offline Video Starter Kit.

It comes with:
- A preconfigured project using the Offline Video SDK
- Example UI for download lists and controls
- Local playback integration

This is the quickest way to test features like pause/resume downloads, HLS track selection, and offline management.

Step 4: Dive into the Documentation

For production apps, check the stream-downloader Documentation.

You’ll find details on:
- Configuring DRM (Widevine & FairPlay)
- Managing adaptive HLS/DASH streams
- Handling events (download progress, completion, errors)

Start Building Today

Offline video isn’t just a feature, it’s an expectation. With the Offline Video SDK, integration is fast, reliable, and analytics-ready.

📌 Get started today:
- Sign up on SDK Platform - start your free trial, get API key, and track your app usage.
- Check the Docs - explore API details.
- Try the Starter Kit – see it in action immediately.
✉️ Ready to make offline video part of your product strategy? You can contact us for custom help/development at sdk@thewidlarzgroup.com.

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