HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is a protocol that breaks video into small chunks and delivers them over standard web infrastructure.
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a streaming protocol developed by Apple that splits a video into small segments — typically 2 to 10 seconds each — and delivers them sequentially over HTTP. Instead of downloading an entire video file before playback, the player fetches just the next few segments it needs. Think of it like reading a book one page at a time from a library rather than carrying the whole book home first.
When a video is prepared for HLS delivery, it is transcoded into multiple quality levels — say 360p, 720p, and 1080p. Each quality level is split into small segment files, usually a few seconds long. A manifest file (called an M3U8 playlist) acts as a table of contents, telling the player which segments are available and at what quality levels.
When a viewer clicks play, their device downloads the manifest first, then starts fetching segments. The player monitors the viewer's bandwidth in real time and switches between quality levels as conditions change. If the connection drops from Wi-Fi to cellular, the player seamlessly steps down to a lower resolution rather than buffering.
HLS works over standard HTTP, which means it passes through firewalls, works with existing CDN infrastructure, and does not require specialized streaming servers. This is a major reason it became the dominant protocol — it piggybacks on the same infrastructure that serves web pages.
HLS is supported on virtually every device and browser, making it the default choice for video delivery on the web. Its adaptive bitrate capability means viewers get the best quality their connection can handle without manual intervention, which directly reduces buffering and abandonment.
For businesses, this translates to better viewer retention, lower support tickets about playback issues, and the ability to serve a global audience without worrying about which devices they use.
host.video automatically transcodes every upload into HLS with multiple quality levels. There is no configuration needed — upload a file and it is ready for adaptive streaming within minutes, delivered through a multi-CDN network with over 700 Tbps of capacity.