Announcing Version 1.4.1 of the Vonage Video Reference App

Introduction

We’re announcing versions 1.4.0 and 1.4.1 of the Vonage Video Reference Application for React (Web VERA). These updates introduce pre-call network testing, a redesigned interface, Push-to-Talk controls, and stability improvements to help you build WebRTC-powered video applications more efficiently.

Pre-Call Network Testing

Pre-call network testing is now built directly into the waiting room, addressing a common challenge when developing video applications.

Before joining a call, users can test their connection quality, bandwidth, and hardware. The test provides clear feedback on expected call quality using Mean Opinion Score (MOS) and validates support for resolutions up to 1080p. This approach helps identify issues before they affect the call experience, reducing support overhead and improving user confidence.

The implementation uses the @vonage/video-client-network-test library and includes stop-and-retry functionality, allowing users to retest their connection without leaving the page.

Complete UI Modernization

Version 1.4.0 introduces a visual refresh across the entire application, including the landing page, waiting room, meeting room, and goodbye screens.

The redesign includes a semantic token system for consistent theming, making it easier to customize colors, spacing, and typography. It also adds a language selector to the header, improves device selection interfaces, and enhances responsiveness across screen sizes.

These updates improve accessibility and provide a stronger foundation for building customized video experiences.

Push-to-Talk Functionality

Push-to-Talk is now available from the toolbar, giving users press-and-hold control over their audio. This feature is especially useful for large meetings near the 25-participant limit, webinars, and scenarios where controlled audio participation is important.

The implementation demonstrates how to build custom audio control patterns that integrate with existing mute functionality while preserving user state.

Participant List Filtering

Finding participants in large calls is now faster with real-time search and filtering. Users can type a name to filter the participant list, and the list updates as participants join or leave.

Architecture Improvements

Web VERA now uses an Nx monorepo structure, enabling faster builds through intelligent caching and improved dependency management. This change improves modularity and enhances the overall developer experience with better tooling and testing infrastructure.

Stability Improvements in Version 1.4.1

Version 1.4.1 focuses on stability and cross-browser compatibility.

Device Management Refactor

Device handling has been refactored using unified hooks that provide a single source of truth for device state. Preferences now persist automatically in localStorage, and the updated architecture resolves previously reported timeout issues.

Firefox Compatibility

Fixed issues affecting video preview in Firefox, including blank video in the waiting room.

Mobile Improvements

Improved scrolling behavior and responsiveness across a range of mobile viewport sizes.

Get Started

Ready to try the latest version? You have two options:

Clone and run locally:

git clone https://github.com/Vonage/vonage-video-react-app.git
cd vonage-video-react-app
yarn install && yarn dev

For full setup instructions, check out the getting started guide. You can also review the complete list of changes in the 1.4.0 release notes and 1.4.1 release notes on GitHub.

Conclusion

Web VERA continues to demonstrate production-ready patterns for building video applications with the Vonage Video API. These updates make it easier to validate network conditions, improve communication with Push-to-Talk, and deliver a more polished and accessible user experience.