MoQ: Refactoring the Internet's real-time media stack

This post introduces Media over QUIC (MoQ) as a new protocol and Cloudflare's launch of a MoQ relay network. It details the historical compromises in real-time media streaming (RTMP, HLS/DASH, WebRTC) and positions MoQ as a solution that combines low-latency interactivity, broadcast scale, and architectural simplicity. The post explains MoQ's data model (tracks, groups, objects) and its network architecture (publishers, subscribers, relays). It highlights the benefits of building on QUIC, such as eliminating head-of-line blocking and enabling fast connection establishment. The core innovation is described as a publish/subscribe system for media, allowing for efficient fan-out of media tracks.