What Is HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)?
A streaming protocol developed by Apple that delivers video in small chunks over HTTP. Used for playback delivery to viewers.
HLS is the protocol used to deliver live streams to viewers' browsers and apps. Unlike RTMP (which is used for ingest), HLS breaks the stream into small segments (typically 2-6 seconds) and delivers them over standard HTTP. This makes it compatible with CDNs and firewalls. Most streaming platforms use HLS for viewer delivery, which is why there's always some latency between the streamer and viewers.
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Related Terms
RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol)
The standard protocol used to send live video from your encoder to streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Kick.
Latency (Stream Delay)
The time delay between something happening on your screen and viewers seeing it. Typically 2-15 seconds for live streams.
Buffering
When a viewer's player pauses to download more data because the stream bitrate exceeds their download speed.