Video Streaming

Video Streaming delivers compressed media: it breaks files into small data packets for real-time playback (e.g., Netflix, Hulu) without requiring a full file download.

Video Streaming is the continuous transmission of video files from a server to a client, enabling instant viewing of content like movies or live broadcasts (e.g., sports). The process relies on a complex stack: encoding compresses the raw video into manageable sizes, and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) distribute those files globally to minimize latency and buffering. Key protocols like HLS and DASH manage Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABS), dynamically adjusting the video quality (e.g., from 480p to 4K) based on the user’s bandwidth, ensuring a smooth experience across devices like smartphones and smart TVs. This technology revolutionized media consumption, driving a multi-billion dollar industry for both on-demand and live content.

https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/video-streaming