A streaming protocol is a standardized set of rules that defines how video and audio data is packaged, transmitted across a network, and received and reassembled at the destination. Different protocols make different tradeoffs between latency, reliability, security, and compatibility. Common live streaming protocols include RTMP for ingest, SRT for reliable low-latency transport over unpredictable networks, HLS and DASH for adaptive delivery to viewers, and WebRTC for ultra-low-latency peer-to-peer applications.