UTF-8 M3U Playlist
General Information
| Title | M3U8 File Extension |
| Extension | .m3u8 |
| Full Form | UTF-8 M3U Playlist |
| File Type | Playlist File |
| Developer | Apple |
| MIME Type | application/vnd.apple.mpegurl |
File Function
| Primary Function | Streaming media |
| Additional Functions | Indexing segments |
| Features | Unicode support, Extensible |
File Characteristics
| Quality | Varies |
| Supports Layers | No |
| Supports Transparency | No |
| Editable | Yes |
Use Cases
| Live Streaming | Yes |
| Video on Demand | Yes |
| Adaptive Streaming | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | URL hijacking |
| Best Practices | TLS encryption, Token authentication |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | 2009 |
| Latest Version | As part of HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .m3u, .pls, .xspf |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
 VLC Media Player |
Free | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android |
 iTunes |
Free | Windows, Mac |
 QuickTime Player |
Free | Mac |