What it is

Xiu is an open-source live media server written in pure Rust under the MIT license. It supports RTMP, RTSP, WebRTC through Whip and Whep, HTTP-FLV, and HLS, and it runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It belongs to the Rust media-server ecosystem and targets live audio and video distribution.

The project solves the problem of accepting live media in one protocol and delivering it in another. A publisher can send H.264 or AAC over RTMP, H.265, H.264, or AAC over RTSP, and WebRTC media through Whip, while viewers can receive HTTP-FLV, HLS, or protocol-specific playback. Xiu also provides cluster support, GOP caching, token authentication, HTTP APIs, stream notifications, and HLS recording.

Key capabilities

• It supports RTMP publishing and subscribing, including cluster mode.
• It supports RTSP publishing and subscribing for H.265, H.264, and AAC over TCP interleaved and UDP.
• It supports WebRTC ingest with Whip and playback with Whep, and converts WHIP to RTMP, HLS, and HTTP-FLV.
• It converts RTMP and RTSP inputs into HTTP-FLV and HLS outputs.
• It records live streams into HLS files composed of m3u8 and ts segments.
• It provides configurable GOP cache behavior.
• It exposes HTTP APIs for stream information and status notifications, supports token authentication, and can be configured from the command line or a configuration file.

Who uses it and how

• Self-hosted media operators run it on Linux, macOS, or Windows to ingest and distribute live audio and video.
• RTMP broadcasters publish H.264 and AAC streams, then serve HTTP-FLV or HLS to downstream players.
• RTSP publishers and subscribers use H.265, H.264, and AAC streams, with conversion to RTMP, HLS, or HTTP-FLV.
• WebRTC publishers use Whip, viewers use Whep, and other players can consume converted streams.
• Application developers use HTTP APIs, notifications, and token authentication to integrate stream control and access management.

Getting started

The README identifies crates.io packages for the server and protocol components, and it states that configuration can be done through command-line options or a configuration file. The listed supported platforms are Linux, macOS, and Windows.

When to use it — and when not to

Xiu is useful when an operator needs a self-hosted Rust media server covering RTMP, RTSP, WebRTC, HTTP-FLV, and HLS with protocol conversion, cluster support, GOP cache, token authentication, HTTP APIs, and HLS recording. The provided facts do not name paid products that Xiu replaces, so no direct comparison is available. The facts also do not list Docker images, a hosted option, database requirements, storage requirements, or SMTP requirements, so a self-hoster must plan its own packaging and supporting infrastructure; the metadata shows 41 open issues and no contributor count, which warrants independent maintenance review.