HLS stands for HTTP Live Streaming. It is a communication protocol and technology developed by Apple Inc. for streaming multimedia content over the internet. The purpose of HLS is to provide a reliable and adaptive streaming experience for users across different devices and network conditions.
At its core, HLS breaks down multimedia content, such as video or audio, into small chunks. These chunks are then encoded into multiple quality levels to cater to diverse connection speeds and screen resolutions. HLS uses a manifest file, usually in the form of an M3U8 playlist, that contains the URLs of these chunked segments, allowing the client to request and play them seamlessly. This technique enables adaptive streaming, where the client device can automatically switch between different quality levels depending on the user's network conditions in real-time.
HLS supports key features like encryption and content protection to ensure secure delivery of media content, making it suitable for various applications, including live streaming events, video-on-demand services, and even online training platforms. It utilizes the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for content delivery, making it compatible with standard web servers and easily integratable into existing web infrastructures.
HLS has gained popularity due to its broad support across different platforms and devices, including iOS, macOS, Android, and major web browsers. This widespread compatibility ensures widespread access to multimedia content, making HLS a widely adopted streaming technology in the digital media industry.
