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content/posts/zen-twitch-viewing-script.md

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+---
+title: Handy script for a more zen twitch experience
+date: 2025-08-13
+tags: bash, script, twitch
+draft: false
+---
+
+I like to watch twitch streams.
+Watching them in the browser at `twitch.tv` is generally not an experience which sparks joy though.
+I'm buffering.
+I'm declining cookies.
+I'm getting spammed with notifications to claim a sick new overwatch skin.
+There's a little channel point button twerking for me to click it.
+You get the idea; it's a heavy noisy experience.
+
+As a result I set out to devise a solution which does spark joy.
+I came up with a script which leans on DIY desktop staples (dunst, tofi, mpv) and the very nice cli utility [streamlink](https://github.com/streamlink/streamlink).
+Here it is:
+
+```bash
+PLAYER="mpv"
+LAUNCHER="tofi"
+NOTIFY="dunstify"
+
+# you need an api key, get them here
+# https://dev.twitch.tv/docs/api/get-started/
+CLIENT_ID="id-here"
+CLIENT_SECRET="secret-here-please-sssshh"
+
+# list of streams to check
+STREAMS=(
+  "limmy"
+  "fl0m"
+  "northernlion"
+  "caedrel"
+)
+
+# reassure user that something is happening
+"${NOTIFY}" "twitch -- checking who's live beep boop be patient"
+
+# get auth token from twitch
+ACCESS_TOKEN=$(curl -s -X POST \
+  "https://id.twitch.tv/oauth2/token" \
+  -d "client_id=$CLIENT_ID" \
+  -d "client_secret=$CLIENT_SECRET" \
+  -d "grant_type=client_credentials" \
+  | jq -r '.access_token')
+
+# define empty list
+LIVE=()
+
+# loop through streams, check if live and append info to list
+for STREAM in "${STREAMS[@]}"; do
+    RESPONSE=$(curl -s -H "Client-ID: $CLIENT_ID" \
+      -H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN" \
+      "https://api.twitch.tv/helix/streams?user_login=$STREAM")
+
+    LIVE_STATUS=$(echo "$RESPONSE" | jq '.data | length')
+
+    if [ "$LIVE_STATUS" -gt 0 ]; then
+      TITLE=$(echo "$RESPONSE" | jq -r '.data[0].title')
+      GAME=$(echo "$RESPONSE" | jq -r '.data[0].game_name')
+      LIVE+=("$STREAM | $GAME | $TITLE")
+    fi
+done
+
+# pipe list items into tofi with new lines at the end
+choice="$( printf "%s\n" "${LIVE[@]}" | "${LAUNCHER}")"
+
+if [[ -n "$choice" ]]; then
+  # get first column from selection aka stream name
+  meat=$(echo "$choice" | awk '{print $1}')
+  "${NOTIFY}" "twitch -- launching twitch.tv/$meat"
+  streamlink twitch.tv/"$meat" 1080p60 --player $"{PLAYER}"
+fi
+
+```
+
+### What it does:
+
+- talk to twitch api to get auth token
+- loop trough list of streams to check if they're live (using auth token)
+- grab some info about streams that are live and append it to a list
+- pipe said list into tofi
+- capture user's choice
+- open choice in mpv using streamlink
+
+### Dependencies
+
+- curl
+- jq
+- tofi (would work with other launchers dmenu etc.)
+- mpv (would work with other media players vlc etc.)
+- dunst (would work with other notification daemons mako etc.)
+
+### Positive :)
+
+- no chat (you don't have to read the degenerates spamming LUL)
+- you can customise the script to use your favourite desktop tools
+- can rewind!
+
+### Negative :(
+
+- no chat (you might want to spam LUL)
+- takes a second to talk to the internet so things don't launch immediately
+- have to faff with getting api key - [how to get one btw](https://dev.twitch.tv/docs/api/get-started/)