Introduction

Welcome to Moqtail - A TypeScript SDK for Media over QUIC Transport (MOQT)

What is Moqtail?

Moqtail is a Draft 14-compliant TypeScript client library for Media over QUIC Transport (MOQT) protocol, designed for seamless integration with WebTransport and MoQ relay servers. It enables efficient streaming of live and on-demand media content over modern QUIC connections.

Moqtail is under active development and the API is subject to change. Please use with caution in production environments.

Key Features

Type-Safe Development

Built with TypeScript for complete type safety and excellent IDE support

WebTransport Support

Leverages next-generation WebTransport protocol for high-performance media delivery

Dual-Mode Operation

Act as both publisher (content creator) and subscriber (content consumer)

Flexible Content Delivery

Support for live streaming, on-demand content, and hybrid modes

What is MOQT?

MOQT (Media over QUIC Transport) is a protocol for media delivery over QUIC connections, enabling efficient streaming of live and on-demand content. The protocol supports:

• Low-latency streaming: Real-time media delivery with minimal buffering
• Reliable transport: Built on QUIC’s reliable stream and datagram mechanisms
• Scalable distribution: Efficient relay-based architecture for content distribution
• Flexible delivery modes: Support for both push (subscribe) and pull (fetch) patterns

Architecture Overview

Moqtail operates in a client-relay architecture:

Client Roles

1. Publisher (Original Publisher)

   Creates and announces tracks, making content available to subscribers. Publishers package media data as MoqtObject instances and serve them through live streams or cached content.

2. Subscriber (End Subscriber)

   Discovers and consumes content from publishers via track subscriptions. Subscribers can request live streaming content or fetch historical data on-demand.

Core Concepts

Tracks

A track is a logical stream of media or data identified by:

• Namespace: Hierarchical path segments (e.g., ["live", "conference"])
• Track Name: Unique identifier within the namespace (e.g., "video")

Objects

Content is packaged as MoqtObject instances, which represent atomic units of data:

• Location: Identified by groupId and objectId (e.g., video frames within GOPs)
• Payload: The actual media data or content
• Metadata: Publisher priority, forwarding preferences, and extension headers
• Status: Normal data, end-of-group markers, or error conditions

Content Sources

Moqtail provides three content delivery patterns:

Live Content

import { LiveTrackSource } from 'moqtail/client'

// For real-time streaming (e.g., live video)
const liveSource = new LiveTrackSource(objectStream)

Use Cases

Moqtail is ideal for:

• Live video conferencing: Low-latency real-time communication
• Live streaming: Broadcasting events with minimal delay
• Video on demand: Efficient delivery of archived content
• Gaming: Real-time game state synchronization
• IoT data streams: Sensor data distribution with guaranteed delivery
• File transfers: Reliable large file distribution

Protocol Compliance

Moqtail implements MOQT Draft 14 specification, ensuring compatibility with:

• Standard MOQT relay servers
• Other Draft 14-compliant clients
• WebTransport-enabled browsers (Chrome, Edge, etc.)

System Requirements

Browser Compatibility

WebTransport support is required. Currently supported in:

• Chrome 97+
• Edge 97+
• Opera 83+

Safari and Firefox do not yet support WebTransport. Check caniuse.com/webtransport for the latest browser compatibility.

Next Steps

Installation

Install Moqtail in your project

Quick Start

Build your first MOQT application