HLS Video Streaming Platform Development

Jainish Prajapati

Backend Engineer

FFmpeg

Spring Boot

Video Streaming

HLS Video Streaming Platform

Video streaming platform with HLS processing using Java 21, Spring Boot 3, and FFmpeg.

FFmpeg HLS Processing Guide

What is HLS?

HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol developed by Apple. It breaks video files into small segments and creates a playlist file that allows video players to stream content efficiently.

Why HLS?

Adaptive Streaming: Automatically adjusts quality based on network conditions

Universal Compatibility: Supported by all modern browsers and devices

Efficient Delivery: Segments can be cached and delivered via CDN

Seamless Playback: No buffering interruptions during quality changes

HTTP-based: Works through firewalls and standard web infrastructure

How FFmpeg Processes HLS(without adaptive bit rates)

to convert videos to HLS format:

ffmpeg -i "input_video.mp4" -codec: copy -start_number 0 -hls_time 10 -hls_list_size 0 -f hls "output_playlist.m3u8"

Adaptive bit rates

For adaptive bitrate streaming with multiple qualities (which we have implemented):

# Multiple bitrate example (more complex)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
  -map 0:v -map 0:a -map 0:v -map 0:a \
  -c:v:0 libx264 -b:v:0 2M -s:v:0 1280x720 \
  -c:v:1 libx264 -b:v:1 500k -s:v:1 640x360 \
  -c:a copy \
  -f hls -hls_time 10 -hls_list_size 0 \
  -master_pl_name master.m3u8 \
  -var_stream_map "v:0,a:0 v:1,a:1" output_%v.m3u8

Command Breakdown

Parameter Description -i "input_video.mp4" Input video file path -codec: copy Copy video/audio streams without re-encoding (faster processing) -start_number 0 Start segment numbering from 0 -hls_time 10 Each segment duration is 10 seconds -hls_list_size 0 Keep all segments in playlist (0 = unlimited) -f hls Output format is HLS "output_playlist.m3u8" Output playlist file name

Processing Steps

1. Segmentation

FFmpeg splits the input video into 10-second segments:

video_segment_0.ts
video_segment_1.ts
video_segment_2.ts
...

2. Playlist Creation

Creates an M3U8 playlist file containing:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXTINF:10.0,
video_segment_0.ts
#EXTINF:10.0,
video_segment_1.ts
#EXTINF:10.0,
video_segment_2.ts
#EXT-X-ENDLIST

3. Stream Copy Benefits

Using -codec: copy means:

No Quality Loss: Original video/audio quality preserved

Fast Processing: No re-encoding, just segmentation

Resource Efficient: Minimal CPU usage

Quick Turnaround: Processing completes in seconds vs minutes

File Structure After Processing(without adaptive bit rates)

output_folder/
├── playlist.m3u8          # Main playlist file
├── video_segment_0.ts     # First 10-second segment
├── video_segment_1.ts     # Second 10-second segment
├── video_segment_2.ts     # Third 10-second segment
└── ...                    # Additional segments

How Video Players Use HLS

Load Playlist: Player fetches the .m3u8 file

Parse Segments: Reads segment list and durations

Sequential Download: Downloads segments in order

Buffering: Maintains buffer of upcoming segments

Playback: Plays segments seamlessly while downloading next ones

Advantages of This Approach

Speed

No transcoding = faster processing

10-second segments = quick initial load

Compatibility

Works with original video codec

Standard HLS format supported everywhere

Simplicity

Single quality stream (no adaptive bitrate complexity)

Straightforward implementation

Technical Details

Transport Stream (.ts)

Container format for video segments

Designed for streaming applications

Resilient to transmission errors

Self-contained segments

M3U8 Playlist

UTF-8 encoded M3U playlist

Contains metadata and segment information

Updated dynamically for live streams

Static for video-on-demand (VOD)

This approach provides efficient, fast HLS conversion suitable for most video streaming applications.

Prerequisites

Java 21

Maven 3.6+

FFmpeg installed and in PATH

Setup

Clone repository

Install FFmpeg:

Ubuntu: sudo apt install ffmpeg

macOS: brew install ffmpeg

Windows: Download from ffmpeg.org and add to PATH

Req. setup of MySQL Db and it's config in application.properties file

Run:

mvn spring-boot:run

API Endpoints

Upload Video

POST /api/videos/upload
Content-Type: multipart/form-data
Body: 
- file (video file)
- title (string)
- description (string)

Stream Video

Returns the main M3U8 playlist file that video players use to initiate streaming. This endpoint sets the correct MIME type (application/vnd.apple.mpegurl) so browsers know how to handle the response.

GET /api/videos/stream/{videoId}

Segment Streaming Endpoint

This is where the magic happens. The wildcard pattern captures requests for individual video segments (.ts files) and additional playlist files.

GET /api/videos/stream/{videoId}/**

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Posted Jun 24, 2025

Developed HLS video streaming platform using Java, Spring Boot, and FFmpeg.

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