Streaming & Delivery
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)
A widely supported streaming protocol, developed by Apple, that delivers video as small HTTP-downloaded segments described by an M3U8 manifest.
HLS breaks video into short segments — typically a few seconds each — and lists them in a plain-text manifest file. Because it rides on standard HTTP, it passes through firewalls and web infrastructure without special configuration, which is a major reason it became the dominant streaming protocol across IPTV, OTT platforms, and general web video alike.
Most IPTV playlists and channel streams you use today are delivered over HLS, even if you never see the protocol name directly.