Video Streaming Platform Design

Functional Requirements

• Upload and store videos
• Stream videos to users
• Search and discovery
• User profiles and subscriptions
• Recommendations
• Analytics and metrics

Video Processing Pipeline

1. Upload: Chunked upload for large files
2. Validation: File format, size, content checks
3. Encoding: Multiple resolutions (360p, 720p, 1080p, 4K)
4. Storage: Distributed file system
5. CDN Distribution: Push to edge servers globally

Streaming Architecture

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming:

• HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)
• DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming)
• Multiple quality levels
• Client adjusts based on bandwidth

Content Delivery Network (CDN)

• Edge Servers: Close to users geographically
• Caching Strategy: Popular content cached at edge
• Load Balancing: Distribute requests across servers

Recommendation System

Collaborative Filtering:

• User-based: Similar users' preferences
• Item-based: Similar content recommendations

Content-Based Filtering:

• Video metadata (genre, tags, duration)
• User viewing history analysis

Machine Learning Models:

• Deep learning for personalization
• Real-time feature processing
• A/B testing for algorithm optimization