---
title: Overview
url: https://docs.kaltura.com/docs/rich-media-cms-apis/content-management/content-delivery-overview
---

## Content Delivery Overview

This guide covers delivering content to viewers: constructing playManifest URLs for adaptive streaming (HLS/DASH), raw serve URLs for direct file access, download URLs, flavor asset selection, delivery profiles, and CDN configuration.

**Base URL:** `$KALTURA_SERVICE_URL` (default: `https://www.kaltura.com/api_v3`)  
**CDN Base:** `https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com` (or your account's CDN host)  
**Auth:** Public entries work without KS. Access-controlled entries require a KS appended to the URL.  
**Format:** Form-encoded request body; JSON response (format=1)

### When to Use


| Scenario | What to Use |
|----------|-------------|
| **Video player integration** — Adaptive streaming in a web or mobile player | `playManifest` with `format=applehttp` (HLS) or `format=mpegdash` (DASH) |
| **Progressive download** — Direct MP4 link for simple `<video>` tags | `playManifest` with `format=url` |
| **File download** — Download button that prompts "Save as..." | `playManifest` with `format=download` or `raw` URL |
| **Serve original source file** — Access the uploaded file as-is (SVG, PDF, data files) | Raw serve URL (`/raw/entry_id/...`) |
| **Serve a specific transcoded rendition** — Download a particular bitrate/resolution | `flavorAsset.getUrl` |
| **Restrict content delivery** — Geo-blocking, domain restrictions, IP whitelist, scheduling | Access control profiles (applied automatically to playManifest/thumbnail URLs) |
| **Multi-CDN delivery** — Route traffic through different CDN providers | Delivery profiles with CDN-specific tokenization |
| **Clipping and preview** — Play only a segment of a video | `playManifest` with `seekFrom` / `clipTo` parameters |




### Prerequisites


- **Partner ID:** Available from KMC > Settings > Integration Settings.  
- **Content:** Entries must be in READY status (status=2) for delivery. See [Upload & Ingestion Guide](/docs/rich-media-cms-apis/content-management/upload-ingestion-overview).  
- **KS (optional):** Only needed for access-controlled entries. See [Session Guide](/docs/getting-started/authentication/ks-overview).