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Axis Camera Protocol

VAPIX is an HTTP-based API provided by Axis Communications. The VAPIXClient communicates with cameras over HTTP/HTTPS using standard request/response patterns.

Authentication​

Camera communication is authenticated using basic auth credentials:

  • Credentials are stored encrypted in the platform's data store
  • IEncryptionService decrypts credentials before each camera interaction
  • Credentials are passed as HTTP basic auth headers

Custom Headers​

The VAPIXClient uses custom headers for advanced features:

HeaderPurpose
X-Axis-ACAP-AWF-PTZFRequest PTZ position data in AWF image response

AWF vs. Standard API​

Axis cameras support two image capture methods:

AWF (Advanced Web Framework)​

  • Provides higher-quality images with embedded metadata
  • Returns PTZ position data in the response
  • Preferred method — used as the primary capture path
  • Requires the AWF ACAP application to be installed on the camera

Standard VAPIX API​

  • Basic JPEG image capture
  • Does not include PTZ metadata in the image response
  • Used as a fallback when AWF is unavailable or fails

Latency Tracking​

The VAPIXClient tracks communication latency via Application Insights:

  • Each camera interaction records request duration
  • Helps identify cameras with poor network connectivity
  • Enables performance dashboards and alerting