Streaming video in Safari: Why is it so difficult?

The blog post discusses the challenges of implementing video streaming that works seamlessly across different web browsers, specifically Chrome and Safari. While video streaming can be straightforward in Chrome, issues arise in Safari due to its requirement for HTTP range requests, which allow the browser to load video content in segments rather than streaming the entire file at once. This functionality enables features like rewinding without reloading the entire video. The post provides a technical guide on how to modify a Node.js and Express server to support these range requests, allowing for partial content streaming. It includes code examples demonstrating how to handle HTTP HEAD requests, configure response headers, and stream specific file portions. By following these steps, developers can create a video streaming service compatible with both browsers, ensuring a smoother user experience.