# Start a session

Start a new Meeting Buddy bot to join and record a meeting.

Start a new Meeting Buddy bot session. The bot joins the meeting asynchronously in the background. The API returns immediately with session details. Session status transitions: `initializing` -> `joining` -> `active` -> `completed`.

Supported meeting platforms: Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and Webex.

#### Request Body

**`meeting_link`** string required

HTTPS URL to the meeting. Must be from a supported platform (Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, or Webex).

**`bot_name`** string optional · Defaults to `"Meeting Buddy"`

Display name for the bot in the meeting.

**`transcription_enabled`** boolean optional · Defaults to `true`

Enable real-time transcription of the meeting.

**`transcription_language`** string optional · Defaults to `"en"`

Language code for transcription (e.g., `"en"`, `"de"`, `"fr"`).

## Returns

Returns a [Session object](#session-object) with the initial status set to `initializing`. The session includes identifiers, configuration, timestamps, and recording metadata fields (which are `null` until the session progresses).

Request

```bash cURL
curl -X POST https://api.aitronos.com/v1/meeting-buddy/sessions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "meeting_link": "https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/abc123",
    "bot_name": "Meeting Buddy",
    "transcription_enabled": true,
    "transcription_language": "en"
  }'
```


```python Python SDK
from aitronos import Aitronos

client = Aitronos(api_key="your-api-key")

session = client.meeting_buddy.start_session(
    meeting_link="https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/abc123",
    bot_name="Meeting Buddy",
    transcription_enabled=True,
    transcription_language="en",
)

print(session.session_id)
print(session.status)
```


```python Python
import os
import requests

access_token = os.environ["ACCESS_TOKEN"]

url = "https://api.aitronos.com/v1/meeting-buddy/sessions"
headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {access_token}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
}
payload = {
    "meeting_link": "https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/abc123",
    "bot_name": "Meeting Buddy",
    "transcription_enabled": True,
    "transcription_language": "en",
}

response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload)
session = response.json()
print(f"Session ID: {session['session_id']}")
print(f"Status: {session['status']}")
```


```javascript JavaScript
const accessToken = process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN;

const response = await fetch('https://api.aitronos.com/v1/meeting-buddy/sessions', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    meeting_link: 'https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/abc123',
    bot_name: 'Meeting Buddy',
    transcription_enabled: true,
    transcription_language: 'en',
  }),
});

const session = await response.json();
console.log('Session ID:', session.session_id);
console.log('Status:', session.status);
```

Response

```json 201 Created
{
  "session_id": "mbsess_abc123def456",
  "organization_id": "org_xyz789",
  "user_id": "usr_user123",
  "meeting_link": "https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/abc123",
  "platform": "teams",
  "bot_name": "Meeting Buddy",
  "status": "initializing",
  "transcription_enabled": true,
  "transcription_language": "en",
  "debug_mode": false,
  "created_at": "2025-12-11T10:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-12-11T10:00:00Z",
  "join_timestamp": null,
  "leave_timestamp": null,
  "total_duration_seconds": null,
  "segment_count": null,
  "audio_file_count": null,
  "video_file_count": null,
  "total_size_bytes": null,
  "output_directory": "recordings/org_xyz789/mbsess_abc123def456",
  "error_message": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "metadata": {},
  "current_participants": {},
  "participant_history": []
}
```


```json 401 Unauthorized
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "AUTHENTICATION_REQUIRED",
    "message": "Authentication is required to access this resource.",
    "type": "client_error",
    "status": 401,
    "details": {},
    "trace_id": "abc-123-def",
    "timestamp": "2025-12-11T10:00:00Z"
  }
}
```


```json 422 Validation Error
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "INVALID_MEETING_LINK",
    "message": "Meeting link must be a valid HTTPS URL",
    "type": "client_error",
    "status": 422,
    "details": {
      "field": "meeting_link"
    },
    "trace_id": "abc-123-def",
    "timestamp": "2025-12-11T10:00:00Z"
  }
}
```


```json 500 Internal Server Error
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "SESSION_START_FAILED",
    "message": "Failed to start bot session",
    "type": "server_error",
    "status": 500,
    "details": {},
    "trace_id": "abc-123-def",
    "timestamp": "2025-12-11T10:00:00Z"
  }
}
```

## Session Object

| Field | Type | Description |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| `session_id` | string | Unique session identifier (prefixed with `mbsess_`) |
| `organization_id` | string | Organization that owns this session |
| `user_id` | string | User who created the session |
| `meeting_link` | string | Original meeting URL |
| `platform` | string | Detected platform (`teams`, `zoom`, `google_meet`, `webex`) |
| `bot_name` | string | Display name of the bot |
| `status` | string | Current status (`initializing`, `joining`, `active`, `recording`, `leaving`, `completed`, `failed`) |
| `transcription_enabled` | boolean | Whether transcription is active |
| `transcription_language` | string | Language code for transcription |
| `debug_mode` | boolean | Whether debug mode is enabled |
| `created_at` | string | ISO 8601 creation timestamp |
| `updated_at` | string | ISO 8601 last update timestamp |
| `join_timestamp` | string or null | When the bot joined the meeting |
| `leave_timestamp` | string or null | When the bot left the meeting |
| `total_duration_seconds` | number or null | Total session duration in seconds |
| `segment_count` | integer or null | Number of recording segments |
| `audio_file_count` | integer or null | Number of audio files |
| `video_file_count` | integer or null | Number of video files |
| `total_size_bytes` | integer or null | Total recording size in bytes |
| `output_directory` | string or null | Path to recording files |
| `error_message` | string or null | Error description if session failed |
| `error_code` | string or null | Error code if session failed |
| `metadata` | object | Additional session metadata |
| `current_participants` | object | Currently active participants |
| `participant_history` | array | History of participant join/leave events |


## Related Resources

- [List Sessions](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/list-sessions)
- [Get Session Details](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/get-session)
- [Stop Session](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/stop-session)
- [Get Transcripts](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/get-transcripts)
- [Export Transcript](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/export-transcript)
- [Delete Session](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/delete-session)
- [Stream Session Status](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/session-status-stream)
- [Stream Transcripts](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/transcript-stream)
- [Stream Logs](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/log-stream)
- [Analytics Summary](/docs/api-reference/meeting-buddy/analytics-summary)