Hello, as someone who isn't a streamer, I'm curious about how Twitch allows live broadcasting. What technologies are used in the background? For example, how is the data streamed from the broadcaster to the viewers? Also, I'd like to know what determines the quality of these broadcasts.
How does Twitch allow live streaming?
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Before explaining how Twitch allows live streaming, the underlying infrastructure is truly impressive. Essentially, they use the RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol): the stream from the broadcaster is first sent to a server as RTMP, then converted into HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) or DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) formats before being distributed to viewers. For example, I did a small test myself, streaming from OBS as RTMP and saw how stable the protocol was until it reached Twitch.
Stream quality is dynamically determined, automatically adjusting based on the broadcaster's internet speed and the viewer's connection. Twitch uses a system called "adaptive bitrate": if the broadcaster is streaming at 1080p but the viewer's connection worsens, it automatically switches to 720p or lower quality. This minimizes buffering issues. I’ve even seen it drop to 480p while watching on mobile, proving just how intelligently the infrastructure works.