--- title: "What Is HLS? HTTP Live Streaming Explained | RentAnOTT" description: "HLS is the streaming protocol that delivers video as short segments listed in an M3U8 playlist. See how it works, its latency and how it compares with DASH." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/hls" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/hls.md" category: "Streaming technology" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is HLS? HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a streaming protocol created by Apple that delivers video as a series of short segments over ordinary web servers, listed in playlist files with the .m3u8 extension. It is the most widely supported way to stream both live and on-demand video. ## How HLS works The video is encoded at several quality levels and each is cut into segments, typically two to six seconds long. A multivariant playlist lists the available qualities; a media playlist for each quality lists its segments in order. The player downloads the multivariant playlist, picks a quality, and fetches segments one after another, switching quality as the connection changes. For a live stream the media playlist is updated continually as new segments are produced. ## Why HLS is so widely used - It is native on every Apple device and supported on Android, smart TVs and, through JavaScript players, every modern browser - It uses plain HTTP, so any web server and CDN can deliver and cache it - It supports adaptive bitrate, subtitles, multiple audio tracks and ad markers - It supports encryption and FairPlay DRM ## HLS latency Because the player buffers several segments before starting, standard HLS runs roughly 10 to 30 seconds behind live. Low-Latency HLS divides segments into smaller parts and brings the delay down to a few seconds, at the cost of more demanding delivery. ## HLS vs MPEG-DASH DASH is an international standard that works in a very similar way and is common on Android and smart TVs. Apple devices do not play it natively. With the CMAF format, one set of video segments can be referenced by both an HLS playlist and a DASH manifest, so a service can support both without storing the video twice. ## HLS on RentAnOTT RentAnOTT handles encoding, packaging and adaptive delivery for live and on-demand video across web, mobile and TV apps, up to 4K on Growth and Scale. [See features](https://www.rentanott.com/features). ## Related terms - [MPEG-DASH](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/mpeg-dash) — MPEG-DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) is an international standard for adaptive bitrate streaming. Like HLS, it delivers video as short segments over ordinary web servers, described by a manifest file, here called an MPD. - [Adaptive bitrate streaming](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/adaptive-bitrate-streaming) — Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) is a delivery method in which a video is encoded at several quality levels and the player switches between them during playback, choosing the highest quality the viewer's connection can sustain without stalling. - [Streaming protocol](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/streaming-protocol) — A streaming protocol is a set of rules for how video and audio are transmitted over a network between a source, a server and a player. Different protocols are used for sending a live feed to a platform and for delivering video to viewers. - [FairPlay](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/fairplay) — FairPlay Streaming is Apple's DRM system. It protects video delivered over HLS to iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Safari on Mac, and is the only DRM those devices support for native playback. - [RTMP](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/rtmp) — RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) is a protocol for sending live video and audio over the internet with low delay. It was created for Flash video and is now used mainly for contribution: carrying a live feed from an encoder to a streaming platform. - [Video player](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/video-player) — A video player is the software on a viewer's device that requests a stream, decodes it and displays it, and provides the controls for watching. In a streaming service it also handles adaptive quality, DRM, subtitles, advertising and analytics. - [Low-latency streaming](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/low-latency-streaming) — Low-latency streaming is live streaming configured so that the delay between something happening in front of the camera and appearing on the viewer's screen is a few seconds, instead of the 10 to 30 seconds typical of standard internet streaming. ## Further reading - [Choosing a live streaming player](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/live-streaming-player) - [Video bitrate calculator](https://www.rentanott.com/tools/video-bitrate-calculator) - [Matroska vs MP4](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/matroska-vs-mp4) ## Frequently asked questions ### What does HLS stand for? HLS stands for HTTP Live Streaming. Despite the name, it is used for on-demand video as much as for live. ### What is an M3U8 file? It is the HLS playlist: a small text file that lists either the available quality levels or the video segments of one level, in the order they should play. ### Is HLS better than RTMP? They do different jobs. RTMP is still used to send a live feed from an encoder to a platform. HLS is used to deliver the stream from the platform to viewers. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt