Skip to main content
shortkit delivers video content through a global CDN network, ensuring fast playback and low latency for users worldwide.

​
Architecture

Content flows through three tiers: users request from edge nodes, which pull from the origin shield, which pulls from origin storage. Cache hits at any tier return content immediately without hitting the next tier.

​
Edge caching

Popular content is cached at 200+ edge locations closest to users:
  • Cache duration: Based on content popularity and freshness
  • Purge on update: Automatic invalidation when content changes
  • Regional optimization: Popular content stays at regional edges

​
Origin shield

A mid-tier cache layer reduces origin load:
  • Aggregates requests from multiple edge nodes
  • Prevents origin overload during traffic spikes
  • Reduces egress costs

​
Branded domains

Configure custom CNAME domains for CDN delivery:

​
Setup

1

Add domain in Admin Portal

Go to Settings → Branded CDN Domain and enter your domain:
video.yourcompany.com
2

Create DNS CNAME record

Create a CNAME record pointing to shortkit’s CDN:
TypeNameValue
CNAMEvideocdn.shortkit.dev
3

Verify domain

Click Verify in the Admin Portal. Verification typically completes within minutes.
4

Enable SSL

SSL certificates are automatically provisioned via Let’s Encrypt. This may take up to 24 hours.
Once configured, all video URLs use your branded domain: 
https://video.yourcompany.com/v1/streams/cnt_abc123/manifest.m3u8

​
Signed URLs

All CDN URLs are signed with time-limited tokens to prevent unauthorized access.

​
How it works

  1. Feed API returns content with signed streaming URLs
  2. URLs include expiry timestamp and signature
  3. CDN validates signature before serving content
  4. Expired tokens return 403; SDK automatically refreshes

​
URL format

https://video.yourcompany.com/v1/streams/cnt_abc123/manifest.m3u8
  ?token=eyJhbGc...
  &expires=1707048000

​
Token expiry

Configure in Admin Portal (Settings → CDN URL Expiry) or via API: 
curl -X PUT https://api.shortkit.dev/v1/config/cdn \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "urlExpiry": 21600
  }'
SettingDefaultRangeDescription
urlExpiry6 hours1-24 hoursToken validity duration
Shorter expiry improves security but may cause issues for users with very long viewing sessions. The SDK handles token refresh automatically.

​
Key rotation

Signing keys rotate automatically every 90 days with overlap periods to prevent playback interruption.

​
Playback restrictions

Restrict video playback to authorized domains.

​
Domain allowlist

Only requests from allowed domains can play video content: 
curl -X PUT https://api.shortkit.dev/v1/config/playback-restrictions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "allowedDomains": [
      "yourcompany.com",
      "*.yourcompany.com",
      "staging.yourcompany.com"
    ],
    "allowNoReferrer": false,
    "allowHighRiskUserAgents": false
  }'

​
Configuration options

​
allowedDomains
string[]
required
List of allowed domains. Supports exact matches and wildcards (*.example.com).
​
allowNoReferrer
boolean
default:"false"
Whether to allow requests with no referrer header. Some mobile apps and direct URL access don’t send referrers.
​
allowHighRiskUserAgents
boolean
default:"false"
Whether to allow requests from known scraping/bot user agents.

​
Development environments

localhost and 127.0.0.1 are automatically allowed in staging/development environments.

​
Admin Portal

Configure in Settings → Playback Restrictions.

​
Streaming manifests

The platform generates optimized manifests for each protocol:

​
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)

Master playlist with variant streams: 
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:7
#EXT-X-INDEPENDENT-SEGMENTS

#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=5000000,RESOLUTION=1920x1080,CODECS="avc1.64002a,mp4a.40.2"
1080p/playlist.m3u8

#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=2800000,RESOLUTION=1280x720,CODECS="avc1.64001f,mp4a.40.2"
720p/playlist.m3u8

#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=1400000,RESOLUTION=854x480,CODECS="avc1.640028,mp4a.40.2"
480p/playlist.m3u8

​
DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP)

MPD manifest with adaptation sets: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<MPD type="static" mediaPresentationDuration="PT45.2S">
  <Period>
    <AdaptationSet mimeType="video/mp4" segmentAlignment="true">
      <Representation id="1080p" bandwidth="5000000" width="1920" height="1080">
        <SegmentTemplate media="1080p/segment_$Number$.m4s" />
      </Representation>
      <Representation id="720p" bandwidth="2800000" width="1280" height="720">
        <SegmentTemplate media="720p/segment_$Number$.m4s" />
      </Representation>
    </AdaptationSet>
  </Period>
</MPD>

​
Multi-codec manifests

When AV1 is available, manifests include both codec options: 
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=2800000,CODECS="av01.0.08M.08"
720p_av1/playlist.m3u8

#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=4000000,CODECS="avc1.64001f"
720p_h264/playlist.m3u8
The SDK selects the appropriate codec based on device capabilities.

​
Performance metrics

​
Target metrics

MetricTarget
Edge cache hit ratio> 95%
First byte (cache hit)< 50ms
First byte (cache miss)< 200ms
Global availability99.99%

​
Monitoring

View CDN performance in Admin Portal (Analytics → Playback Quality):
  • Cache hit ratio over time
  • Regional latency breakdown
  • Bandwidth usage by rendition
  • Error rates by region

​
Geographic distribution

Content is served from the nearest edge location:
RegionEdge Locations
North America50+
Europe40+
Asia Pacific35+
South America15+
Africa10+
Middle East10+

​
Delivery usage

Track bandwidth and delivery metrics: 
curl https://api.shortkit.dev/v1/analytics/delivery \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_secret_key" \
  -G -d "startDate=2024-01-01" -d "endDate=2024-01-31"
Response: 
{
  "data": {
    "totalDeliveredSeconds": 15420000,
    "totalBandwidthGB": 2450.5,
    "byRendition": {
      "1080p": { "seconds": 3200000, "bandwidthGB": 1200 },
      "720p": { "seconds": 5800000, "bandwidthGB": 850 },
      "480p": { "seconds": 4200000, "bandwidthGB": 300 },
      "360p": { "seconds": 2220000, "bandwidthGB": 100 }
    }
  }
}
View in Admin Portal: Analytics → Delivery Usage

​
Next steps

Feed ranking

Learn how content is ranked and ordered.

Playback restrictions

Configure domain restrictions and security.