The meeting provided a step-by-step walkthrough of setting up a nearly free, self-hosted API for media and AI automations using the open-source No Code Architects (NCA) Toolkit.
Major features and practical use-cases were showcased, including video transcription, captioning, clipping, audio processing, and file conversion, all running on a user-deployed cloud server (e.g., Digital Ocean).
Detailed installation instructions, environment configuration, and post-installation testing processes were explained to ensure any attendee could replicate the setup.
The collaborative and evolving nature of the toolkit, as well as resources available through the No Code Architects community, were highlighted for ongoing support and feature requests.
Action Items
No specific action items with owners or deadlines were stated in the meeting.
Overview of Free API Toolkit and Its Features
Introduction stressed potential savings by switching from paid APIs to a self-hosted, open-source solution.
NCA Toolkit is based on widely available AI and media code (e.g., ffmpeg), enabling users to run automations on their own infrastructure.
Demonstrated key toolkit endpoints:
Video/audio transcription and captioning
Thumbnail extraction at any timestamp
Video concatenation, splitting, trimming, and cropping
Silence detection and automated cutting
Logo and image overlays on videos
Text and certificate templating
Downloading and processing social media videos (e.g., TikTok, Instagram)
Media file format conversion, metadata retrieval
Image-to-video conversion with effects (Ken Burns)
Running custom Python code, uploading to cloud, combining audio files
Emphasized toolkit flexibility via the general "ffmpeg compose" endpoint.
API Usage Methods: Inline, Webhook, and Background Processing
Explained direct (inline) execution for quick operations.
For longer-running jobs, demonstrated:
Webhook-based processing (API processes in background and notifies when complete)
Background polling within automations (looping until processing is done)
Showed how to track, inspect, and retrieve results for both approaches.
Installation and Configuration Walkthrough (Digital Ocean Example)
Step-by-step live demo of deploying the NCA Toolkit using Digital Ocean App Platform:
Container image source setup (DockerHub)
Environment variable configuration for API key and S3-compatible storage (endpoint, access/secret key, bucket name, region)
Recommended initial instance size for reliable setup/testing (with note on cost/time management)
Explained importance of removing spaces, using correct variable names, and environment-specific configuration.
Post-Installation Testing and Validation
Showed how to use Postman to verify API deployment:
Provided links to a ready-made Postman testing collection
Explained creating and configuring Postman environment variables for API key and base URL
Verified API health through authentication and file download endpoints
Encouraged exploring all available endpoints in Postman
Ongoing Development and Community Resources
Toolkit is open-source and welcomes feature requests and contributions.
Highlighted community engagement for support, learning, and troubleshooting.
Mentioned additional automation templates and courses available to community members.
Decisions
Proceed with open-source, self-hosted NCA Toolkit for media/AI automations — Chosen for cost savings, flexibility, and extensive features over paid monthly API services.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
None stated; attendees are encouraged to join the No Code Architects community for ongoing questions and support.