Node.js + Express video DRM integration

Add DRM-X 6.0 protected video to Express with authenticated routes, trusted content mappings, same-origin checks and tested access revocation.

View Markdown Live examplesUpdated 2026-09-21

How playback is authorized

Your backend decides who can watch. DRM-X provides playback authorization. The player uses that authorization to request a DRM license.

Viewer
Signs in to your service and requests a video.
Your backend
Checks the user's purchase, subscription, or other permission to watch.
DRM-X
Applies the selected playback rules and returns the playback configuration and authorization.
Player
Uses the returned authorization to request the DRM license needed for playback.

Your backend decides access; DRM-X enforces the signed policy. Encrypted media and DRM licenses follow separate delivery paths.

Before you begin#

Publish a protected video in DRM-X 6.0 and copy its Content ID. Create server integration credentials with license-tokens:create permission. Keep Site ID, Site Key and Access Key in server configuration; only short-lived playback data reaches the browser.

Serve the learning site over HTTPS. HTTP localhost works only on the same computer; an HTTP LAN address does not provide the secure context required for browser DRM. Test with a supported browser and your actual content.

Install and mount the Express router#

Extract the Node.js + Express source ZIP and keep the express and node folders together. Use Node.js 24 or newer. In express, run pnpm install --frozen-lockfile, then pnpm test. Express 5.1.0 is pinned in this release.

Import createDrmxRouter from express/router.mjs and mount it after your existing session and authentication middleware. Configure publicOrigin, instanceId and server credentials. The identity callback reads your authenticated user, and authorize queries your database on every page and session request.

Download Node.js + Express source

app.use("/drmx", createDrmxRouter({
  publicOrigin: "https://learning.example.com",
  instanceId: process.env.DRMX_INSTANCE_ID,
  credentials: {
    siteId: process.env.DRMX_SITE_ID,
    siteKey: process.env.DRMX_SITE_KEY,
    accessKey: process.env.DRMX_ACCESS_KEY
  },
  identity: req => req.user?.id,
  authorize: (userId, videoId) => yourRepository.authorizedVideo(userId, videoId)
}));

Map content and embed the player#

The authorized database record supplies enabled, title, contentId, contentType and policy. Return null for unpaid, expired, disabled or revoked access. Open /drmx/videos/VIDEO_ID after login to display the embedded player. Its POST endpoint is /drmx/videos/VIDEO_ID/session. The browser cannot choose the viewer identity or weaken the saved policy.

Use secure session cookies and the exact configured HTTPS publicOrigin. Session POST requests require JSON and the same Origin, protecting the cookie-authenticated request from cross-site submission. Keep both routes out of shared caches, and do not add permissive CORS. The test-only X-Test-User header in the test suite must never become your production login method.

Verify access changes#

Eight tests pass with real Express HTTP routing, including authentication, origin checks, malformed and oversized input, content binding, server-owned identity/policy, escaped player markup and revocation. The upstream DRM-X responses are simulated. Test your actual login middleware, database rules, deployment proxy and protected playback before rollout.

Integration source downloads · Universal Player Web guide · License policies · DRM for education · Multi-DRM protection