How to Build a Full‑Featured Live Streaming System on Alibaba Cloud from Scratch

Overview of Alibaba Cloud Live Service

Alibaba Cloud Video Live (ApsaraVideo Live) provides high‑performance live streaming based on content ingestion, CDN distribution, and large‑scale real‑time transcoding. The typical workflow is:

Devices (Android/iOS) capture audio‑video and push the stream to the Alibaba Cloud live center; CDN edge nodes accelerate upstream transmission.

The live center can transcode, record, snapshot, and audit streams according to business needs.

CDN delivers the stream to viewers in real time.

Replay policies generate VOD files stored in the video‑on‑demand system.

Push‑Pull Configuration on Alibaba Cloud

Add Push and Pull Domains

In the console go to Video Live > Domain Management and add a separate push domain and a pull domain.

Configure CNAME

Bind each custom domain to the CNAME assigned by Alibaba Cloud so that requests are forwarded to the live nodes.

Domain Association

After both domains are added, associate them in the domain configuration page to enable streaming.

URL Authentication

Enable URL authentication to protect stream URLs. Two modes are available:

Default : random key, 30‑minute validity.

Custom : specify primary/secondary keys, validity period, AppName and StreamName.

Push Callback

Set a push‑callback URL in the domain configuration to receive real‑time push status notifications.

Stream Address Testing

Generate test push/pull URLs in the console Address Generator and verify with the following commands:

ffmpeg -re -i <local_video_file> -vcodec libx264 -acodec aac -f flv <push_url>

ffplay <pull_url>