Tell me, in general terms, how is a web video player like HLS.js structured? What are the main components?

The HLS.js type web video player consists of several main blocks:

1. Demuxer — parses the HLS stream (m3u8 playlist and ts segments), extracts audio and video data.
2. Decoder — converts compressed audio and video data into a playable format.
3. Buffer — stores loaded segments for smooth playback and to prevent interruptions.
4. Playlist manager — monitors playlist updates, loads new segments as needed.
5. Media Source Extensions (MSE) — browser API through which the player feeds data into the video stream for playback.

Overall, the player continuously loads segments, processes them, and feeds them into MSE, ensuring adaptive and smooth video playback in the browser.