Live edge

Published At: July 24, 2025

The live edge represents the furthest point in a live stream where content is available for playback. In technical terms, it's the boundary between processed, encoded segments that are ready for delivery and the real-time content still being captured and encoded.

For HLS streams, the live edge is determined by the most recently completed segment in the manifest playlist. The exact position depends on the streaming protocol's configuration — HLS typically places the live edge a few target durations behind the actual encoding point to ensure segment availability and maintain stream stability.

The live edge moves forward continuously as new segments are created and added to the playlist. Players use this reference point to determine where "live" playback should occur, and it serves as the furthest seek position for viewers wanting to catch up to real-time. Understanding the live edge is crucial for implementing features like "go live" buttons, determining stream latency, and managing the transition between live and time-shifted viewing experiences.

Related Terms:

• HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)
• Latency
• LL-HLS (Low-latency HTTP Live Streaming)