Best JavaScript Libraries for Offline Russian Speech Recognition

The Best Ready-Made Library for Offline Russian Speech Recognition in JavaScript

VOSK is the best ready-made library for offline Russian speech recognition in JavaScript, offering a complete solution with pre-trained models and minimal setup. This library supports the Russian language and can be downloaded and used immediately without complex configuration.

Table of Contents

• VOSK: Main Solution
• Alternative Libraries
• Comparison of Solutions
• Practical VOSK Usage
• Conclusion

VOSK: Main Solution

VOSK is the most popular and functional library for offline speech recognition that supports the Russian language. Main advantages:

• Russian language support: Has ready-made models for the Russian language of about 50 MB in size
• Multi-platform: Works on Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi, and servers
• Easy installation: Ready to use immediately after download
• JavaScript implementation: Has an official wrapper for Node.js
• Free and open-source: Completely free without restrictions

Download and Setup

1. Download the Russian language model from the official VOSK website
2. Install the Node.js wrapper via npm:
   bash

   npm install vosk
   

3. Copy the downloaded model to your project

Usage Example in Node.js

const Vosk = require('vosk');
const fs = require('fs');
const { spawn } = require('child_process');

// Load the model
const model = new Vosk.Model('path/to/russian/model');

// Create the recognizer
const recognizer = new Vosk.Recognizer({ model: model, sampleRate: 16000 });

// Example of recognition from a file
const audio = fs.readFileSync('audio.wav');
recognizer.acceptWaveform(audio);
const result = recognizer.result();
console.log(result.text);

recognizer.end();

Alternative Libraries

1. PocketSphinx.js

• Completely offline: Works directly in the browser without a server
• Lightweight: Small library size
• Limited accuracy: Less accurate than VOSK for Russian language
• Available at: pocketsphinx.js

2. Artyom.js

• Voice commands: Convenient voice command system
• Speech synthesis: Built-in text-to-speech functionality
• Requires internet: Internet needed for some features
• Available at: artyom.js

3. Web Speech API

• Built-in browser: No library installation required
• Not suitable for offline: Only works with internet connection
• Russian language support: Browsers support Russian language
• Documentation: MDN Web Speech API

Comparison of Solutions

Practical VOSK Usage

Quick Setup

1. Download a ready-made Russian language model from the official VOSK website
2. Install dependencies:
   bash

   npm install vosk
   npm install node-record-lpcm16
   

3. Create a simple script for recognition:

const Vosk = require('vosk');
const record = require('node-record-lpcm16');

const model = new Vosk.Model('ru-model');
const recognizer = new Vosk.Recognizer({ model: model, sampleRate: 16000 });

const audioStream = record.record({
  sampleRate: 16000,
  channels: 1,
  audioType: 'pcm'
});

audioStream.on('data', (data) => {
  if (recognizer.acceptWaveform(data)) {
    console.log(JSON.parse(recognizer.result()).text);
  }
});

console.log('Speak...');

VOSK Features

• Recognition accuracy: High accuracy for Russian language
• Stream processing: Real-time support
• Minimal requirements: Works on regular computers and Raspberry Pi
• Ready-made models: Models are ready to use immediately after download

Conclusion

For quick and simple offline Russian speech recognition in JavaScript, VOSK is the optimal solution. It offers:

• ✅ Ready-made Russian language models for immediate use
• ✅ Easy installation via npm
• ✅ High recognition accuracy
• ✅ Completely offline operation without internet
• ✅ Documentation and examples for quick start

Other options like PocketSphinx.js may be useful for simpler tasks, but VOSK provides the best balance of accuracy, ease of use, and functionality for the Russian language.

Sources

1. Official VOSK Website - Offline Speech Recognition API
2. GitHub VOSK API Repository
3. VOSK for Node.js - solyarisoftware/voskJs
4. PocketSphinx.js - Speech Recognition in JavaScript
5. Artyom.js - Speech recognition library
6. Vosk Speech Recognition: The Ultimate 2025 Guide