Free Streaming Software for Linux: Server‑Side HLS You Can Deploy Today
Looking for free streaming software for Linux servers? This guide from CDNsun’s tech blog compares actively maintained, no‑cost server‑side engines for live HLS delivery—NGINX with RTMP Module, Red5, FFmpeg, SRS, MistServer, and Nimble Streamer—and shows minimal, reproducible setups. We focus strictly on origins and ingest/transmuxing on Linux, not web players, so you can get production results faster.
Choosing a Free Linux Streaming Server: Strengths, Trade‑offs, and When to Use Each
- NGINX with RTMP Module (open source)
- What it is: A lightweight RTMP ingest and basic HLS transmuxer via the community RTMP module.
- Pros: Tiny footprint, simple config, excellent as an HLS origin behind a web server; great with FFmpeg pipelines.
- Cons: Feature set is minimal (no LL‑HLS, limited DVR/ABR logic). Development pace is slow but stable.
- Best for: Budget‑friendly HLS origins, lab environments, or small live channels with RTMP ingest.
- SRS (Simple Realtime Server) (open source)
- What it is: A modern, actively developed live media server supporting RTMP ingest and HLS output, plus many protocols.
- Pros: Active project, solid HLS, clear configs, built‑in HTTP server, strong community.
- Cons: Feature‑rich, so initial config surface can feel broad; advanced features require careful tuning.
- Best for: Teams that want an up‑to‑date open source live server with a clean HLS path and room to grow.
- Red5 (Open Source)
- What it is: A Java‑based RTMP server. The open‑source edition is community‑driven; HLS often handled via add‑ons or external transmuxing.
- Pros: Mature RTMP stack; Java shops may prefer its architecture.
- Cons: Slower open‑source updates; HLS typically needs a helper (e.g., FFmpeg or a module).
- Best for: Legacy RTMP workflows or Java environments where Red5 is already standardized.
- FFmpeg (open source)
- What it is: The Swiss‑army knife for encoding/transcoding/packaging; not a streaming server by itself.
- Pros: Actively maintained; handles H.264/H.265, audio codecs, filters, GPU offload; produces HLS playlists/segments.
- Cons: Needs a web server or media server to publish playlists; more building‑block than turnkey origin.
- Best for: Creating ABR ladders and HLS packaging, feeding a simple HTTP server or a media server.
- MistServer (Free Edition available)
- What it is: A high‑performance media server with auto‑protocol conversion and low overhead.
- Pros: Efficient, straightforward ingest‑to‑HLS; intuitive management; production‑oriented.
- Cons: Advanced features may live in commercial options; confirm the free tier’s current capabilities.
- Best for: Teams wanting a polished, efficient origin with simple HLS delivery.
- Nimble Streamer (free to use, closed‑source)
- What it is: A very efficient proprietary engine; free core with optional paid add‑ons and a management panel.
- Pros: Low CPU/memory, strong HLS/DASH transmuxing, SRT/RTMP ingest, robust in production.
- Cons: Not open source; some features require paid components.
- Best for: Cost‑conscious production origins that value efficiency and a polished workflow.
Quick guidance: Need the simplest free HLS origin? Start with NGINX+RTMP or SRS. Need a versatile, efficient engine out‑of‑the‑box? MistServer or Nimble Streamer. Have legacy RTMP? Red5 plus FFmpeg for HLS. Need flexible transcoding? FFmpeg plus a static HTTP server.
Minimal HLS Setup Recipes (Server‑Side)
- NGINX with RTMP Module → HLS
- Install: Use a build including the RTMP module, or compile NGINX with the module.
- Configure (nginx.conf excerpt):
- rtmp { server { listen 1935; application live { live on; record off; hls on; hls_path /var/www/hls; hls_fragment 4s; } } }
- http { server { listen 80; location /hls { types { application/vnd.apple.mpegurl m3u8; video/mp2t ts; } root /var/www; add_header Cache-Control no-cache; } } }
- Publish (from encoder): ffmpeg -re -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -g 48 -sc_threshold 0 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -f flv rtmp://SERVER/live/stream
- Play HLS: http://SERVER/hls/stream.m3u8
- SRS → HLS
- Install: Use prebuilt binaries or container image.
- Configure (srs.conf excerpt):
- listen 1935;
- http_server { enabled on; listen 8080; }
- vhost __defaultVhost__ { hls on; hls_path ./objs/nginx/html; }
- Publish: ffmpeg -re -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -g 48 -sc_threshold 0 -c:a aac -f flv rtmp://SERVER/live/livestream
- Play HLS: http://SERVER:8080/live/livestream.m3u8
- FFmpeg + Web Server (pure packager) → HLS
- Create HLS: ffmpeg -re -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -g 48 -sc_threshold 0 -c:a aac -f hls -hls_time 4 -hls_list_size 6 -hls_flags delete_segments+independent_segments /var/www/hls/stream.m3u8
- Serve: Point NGINX/Apache to /var/www/hls and expose /hls/. Ensure m3u8/ts MIME types.
- Play HLS: http://SERVER/hls/stream.m3u8
- MistServer → HLS
- Install: Use distro packages or the official installer; start MistServer service.
- Configure: In the web UI, add a live stream (e.g., name “live”) with RTMP ingest; enable HLS output.
- Publish: ffmpeg -re -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -g 48 -c:a aac -f flv rtmp://SERVER/live/stream
- Play HLS: Typically http://SERVER:8080/live/stream.m3u8 (confirm exact path in the UI).
- Nimble Streamer → HLS
- Install: Install Nimble and start the service; use the management UI/API to add an application (e.g., “live”).
- Configure: Enable RTMP ingest and HLS output on the app; default HTTP usually listens on 8081.
- Publish: ffmpeg -re -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -g 48 -c:a aac -f flv rtmp://SERVER:1935/live/stream
- Play HLS: Commonly http://SERVER:8081/live/stream/playlist.m3u8 (verify your app/path).
- Red5 (Open Source) → HLS via FFmpeg
- Install: Deploy Red5 and the “live” application; ensure port 1935 is open.
- Publish to Red5: ffmpeg -re -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -g 48 -c:a aac -f flv rtmp://SERVER/live/stream
- Transmux to HLS: ffmpeg -i rtmp://SERVER/live/stream -c copy -f hls -hls_time 4 -hls_list_size 6 -hls_flags delete_segments+independent_segments /var/www/hls/red5.m3u8
- Serve and play: http://SERVER/hls/red5.m3u8
Quality and latency tips: Use a fixed GOP (e.g., 2s at 24/25/30 fps or 48–60 frames) aligned with hls_time. For ABR ladders, keep identical GOP across variants. Prefer HTTPS for HLS, enable CORS only as needed, and restrict RTMP ingest to encoder IPs.
Conclusion
For free, actively maintained server‑side streaming on Linux, NGINX+RTMP and SRS deliver fast HLS wins; MistServer and Nimble Streamer add polish and efficiency; FFmpeg is your indispensable packager; Red5 serves legacy RTMP well. Harden security, align GOP with segment duration, and monitor resource use. Expecting a big audience? Put a CDN like CDNsun on top of your origin for global scale and stability.