In this tutorial we will learn to create a custom Video Player that plays youtube videos in background also. To do that we will be using youtube-ios-player-helper.

Let's first know what youtube-ios-player-helper is? It is an open source library for iOS developers to help them embeding a YouTube iframe player into an iOS application or we can say that, it is a helper library for those iOS developers who are looking to add YouTube video playback in their applications via the iframe player in a UIWebView.

Now, follow these steps:

1- We can achieve this using "youtube-ios-player-helper".
 

2- Basic setup for project- Create a new project in Xcode

3- Now we have to install the pods in our project for that jump to project directory.

4- Run the followings commands

   a) pod init

   b) open podfile

   c) Your empty podfile will look like this

   # Uncomment the next line to define a global platform for your project
   # platform :ios, '9.0'
      target 'YourProjectName' do
   # Comment the next line if you're not using Swift and don't want to use dynamic frameworks
     use_frameworks!

   # Pods for YourProjectName
     end

Now add the line pod "youtube-ios-player-helper" , '0.1.6' below user_frameworks!

now  your podfile will look like this

    # Uncomment the next line to define a global platform for your project
    # platform :ios, '9.0'
    target 'YourProjectName' do
      # Comment the next line if you're not using Swift and don't want to use dynamic frameworks
      use_frameworks!
        pod "youtube-ios-player-helper" , '0.1.6'
      # Pods for YourProjectName
    end

d) now run pod install

5- Close your current project and open yourProject.xcworkspace and now we are ready to write code and setup UI.

6- In the main.storyboard add a UIView and set the autolayout for that according to your need.

7- Now, on the Identity Inspector of UIView class to YTPlayerView

8- Move to viewController.swift file and add these lines

import UIKit
import youtube_ios_player_helper

class VideoViewController:UIViewController , YTPlayerViewDelegate{

     @IBOutlet weak var videoPlayerView: YTPlayerView! //outlet for view
     
     override func viewDidLoad() {
               super.viewDidLoad()
               videoPlayerView.delegate = self // setting delegate for VideoPlayer 
     //playervars are the supported parameters for videoview so that it not play directly on fullscreen on load
              videoPlayerView.load(withVideoId: "xxxxxxxxx", playerVars: ["playsinline": 1]) 

}

 above code will run the video having the VideoId :- "xxxxxxxxx" on running the app by tapping on video.

9. To play the video directly after loading the view we have to add the following method

//Invoked when the player view is ready to receive API calls.
    func playerViewDidBecomeReady(_ playerView: YTPlayerView) {
        videoView.playVideo()
    }

10. Now, to play video on background we have to add the following in our controller

    func playInBackground(){
            DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now()) {
            self.videoPlayerView.playVideo()
        }
    }

and for calling the function we have to add below line in viewDidLoad(). After which code will be like

     NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(VideoViewController.playInBackground), name: Notification.Name.UIApplicationDidEnterBackground, object: nil)

11. Run your project.

Your final snapshot for the controller will look like this

import UIKit
import youtube_ios_player_helper

class VideoViewController:UIViewController , YTPlayerViewDelegate{

     @IBOutlet weak var videoPlayerView: YTPlayerView! //outlet for view
     
     override func viewDidLoad() {
               super.viewDidLoad()
     // calling method when app is in background 
                NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(VideoViewController.playInBackground), name: Notification.Name.UIApplicationDidEnterBackground, object: nil)
               
               videoPlayerView.delegate = self // setting delegate for VideoPlayer 
     //playervars are the supported parameters for videoview so that it not play directly on fullscreen on load
               videoPlayerView.load(withVideoId: "xxxxxxxxx", playerVars: ["playsinline": 1]) 
               videoView.playVideo()
     }

   //Invoked when the player view is ready to receive API calls.
    func playerViewDidBecomeReady(_ playerView: YTPlayerView) {
        videoPlayerView.playVideo()
    }

    func playInBackground(){
            DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + .milliseconds(0)) {
            self.videoPlayerView.playVideo()
        }
    }
 }