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HLS

technology

HTTP Live Streaming — Apple's adaptive bitrate streaming protocol widely used across streaming platforms.

Explanation

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a streaming protocol developed by Apple that breaks video into small segments and delivers them over standard HTTP connections. It supports adaptive bitrate streaming, so players can switch between quality levels based on available bandwidth. Although Apple created it, HLS is now used across the industry by Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and most other streaming platforms alongside the competing MPEG-DASH standard.

Last updated: March 2026