BigBlueButton is an open source web conferencing system that enables universities and colleges to deliver a high-quality learning experience to remote students.
These instructions describe how to install the BigBlueButtonBN Activity Module for Moodle. This module is developed and supported by Blindside Networks, the company that started the BigBlueButton project in 2007.
With the latest version of this plugin you can
- Create links in any course that can be used to create rooms/sessions in a BigBlueButton server
- Specify join open/close dates that will appear in the Moodle calendar
- Create a custom welcome messages that appears in the chat window when users join the session
- Launch BigBlueButton in its own tab or window
- Assign the role uses will have in BigBlueButton (moderator, viewer) per user or role in Moodle
- Pre-upload presentations
- Monitor the active sessions for the course and end any session (eject all users)
- Record and playback your lectures
- Access and manage recorded lectures
- Import recording links from a different course, and more.
Note that on previous versions of Moodle you will need to use the specific version of this plugin.
| Moodle Version | Branch | Version |
|---|---|---|
| Moodle 2.0 - 2.5 | v1.1-stable | v1.1.1 (2015062101) |
| Moodle 2.6 - 3.0 | v2.0-stable | v2.0.4 (2015080611) |
| Moodle 2.7 - 3.4 | v2.1-stable | v2.1.15 (2016051920) |
| Moodle 3.0 - 3.7 | v2.2-stable | v2.2.13 (2017101021) |
| Moodle 3.2 - 3.10 | v2.3-stable | v2.3.6 (2019042011) |
| Moodle 3.4 - 3.11 | v2.4-stable | v2.4.7 (2019101014) |
| Moodle 3.11 | v3.0-rc | v3.0-rc.4 (2021101007) |
| Moodle 4.0 | -- | moodle-core |
As the version included as part of Moodle 4.0 core develops, it would be hard to maintain full compatibility with previous versions of this plugin. For this reason the last major release will be v3.0, which was written for Moodle 3.11 and 4.0.
This last version will be maintained and keep in pair with the Moodle 4.0 core version once it is released as stable, and it will be aligned to the Moodle project schedule for maintenance and support. But likely we will not see more new features added.
For those running earlier versions of Moodle, we'll keep supporting the previous versions with security patches up to v2.2-stable, and for bug fixes up to v2.4-stable.
We ecourage to update to the latest version of Moodle as soon as possible.
You need:
- A server running Moodle
- A BigBlueButton 0.8 (or later) server running on a separate server (not on the same server as your Moodle site)
Blindside Networks provides you a test BigBlueButton server for testing this plugin. To use this test server, just accept the default settings when configuring the activity module. The default settings are
url: http://test-install.blindsidenetworks.com/bigbluebutton/
salt: 8cd8ef52e8e101574e400365b55e11a6
For information on how to setup your own BigBlueButton server see
This GitHub repository at
https://github.com/blindsidenetworks/moodle-mod_bigbluebuttonbn/
contains the latest source. We recommend to download the latest snapshot from the Moodle Plugin Directory.
Note: Since version 2.2 the use of the RecordingsBN activity module to access recordings is no longer needed. But when running an older version, it is requiered in order to gain access to the recordings.
Bug reports and Feature requests have been tracked since long time using the Moodle Tracker system under CONTRIB. But there are a few things to consider:
- Since this plugin is merged into Moodle core, version 2.4 is frozen for features and enhancements. Only bug fixes and security patches are being considered at this point.
- There is a version 3.0 coming up, but it is for Moodle 3.11 only and it is an adaptation of the version that is in core right now. But that will be released frozen for features and enhancements. Only bug fixes and security patches will be considered as well.
- Moodle will continue its own schedule, so you can expect new features and enhancements happening in Moodle 4.1
- Bug reports for version 2.4 and 3.0 should be done under CONTRIB.
- Bug reports for Moodle 4.0 should be done under MDL.
- Feature requests for Moodle 4.1 and later should be done under MDL.
- All issues open should be following Moodle rules for documenting the issues and requests.
- Accepting or rejecting a request, same as scheduling its development is now done following Moodle development process.
If you have feedback, enhancement requests, or would like commercial support for hosting, integrating, customizing, branding, or scaling BigBlueButton, contact us at