# Technical Overview of HLS Streaming

**URL:** <https://community.wowza.com/t/technical-overview-of-hls-streaming/95461>\
**Category:** Streaming Tips\
**Created:** [September 28, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.wowza.com/t/technical-overview-of-hls-streaming/95461 "2022-09-28T18:02:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rose\_Power-Wowza\_Com](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.wowza.com/rose_power-wowza_com/32/431_2.png) [@Rose\_Power-Wowza\_Com](https://community.wowza.com/u/Rose_Power-Wowza_Com)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.wowza.com/t/technical-overview-of-hls-streaming/95461/1 "2022-09-28T18:02:04Z")

</div>

### Table of Contents

- [What Is HLS?](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#what)
- [Apple HLS Snapshot](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#snapshot)
- [A Brief History of HLS](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#history)
- [How Does HLS Streaming Work](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#how)
  - [Typical RTMP to HLS Workflow](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#workflow)
  - [Transcoding for Adaptive Bitrate Streaming](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#transcoding)
  - [Delivery and Scaling](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#delivery)

- [HTTP Live Streaming Tools and Services](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#tools)
  - [HLS Streaming Server](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#server)
  - [Content Delivery Network (CDN)](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#cdn)
  - [HTML5 Player](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#player)

- [Technical Overview of HLS Streaming](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#overview)
  - [UDP vs. TCP](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#udp-tcp)
  - [Container Format](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#container)
  - [Encoding Requirements](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#encoding)
  - [.M3U8 Manifest File](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#m3u8)
  - [Segment Size and Latency](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#segment-size)

- [Apple Low-Latency HLS](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#low-latency-hls)
- [HLS Alternatives](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#alternatives)
  - [HLS vs. MPEG-DASH Comparison](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#dash)
  - [HLS vs. WebRTC Comparison](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#webrtc)
  - [HLS vs. RTMP Comparison](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#rtmp)

- [When Not to Use the HLS Protocol](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#when-not)
- [When to Use the HLS Protocol](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#when-to)
- [HLS Streaming With Wowza](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls-streaming-protocol#wowza)

  

> **[What Is HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)](https://www.wowza.com/blog/hls)**
>
> Discover everything about HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), including how it works, adaptive bitrate streaming, transport protocols, common streaming protocols, and Wowza support.