Streaming glossary
55 words you’ll meet in streaming news and in chat, in plain English. For whole ideas, read Streaming 101; to find a streamer’s channels, see Where to watch.
Watching
- IRL stream #
- A livestream “in real life” — walking a city, traveling, visiting events or just living — instead of playing a game, usually shot on a phone or a backpack setup. Stories
- Just Chatting #
- Twitch’s category for streams built around talking with chat. IRL streams have their own category, but many streamers move between the two. Stories
- Live chat #
- The scrolling text conversation beside a stream, where viewers talk to the streamer and each other. Stories
- VOD #
- Short for video on demand: a recording of a past stream that you can watch later, if the streamer keeps it up. Stories
- Clip #
- A short excerpt cut from a stream. Clips spread fast, but they can leave out what came before and after. Stories
- Co-stream #
- Streaming an event or another creator’s show on your own channel, live, usually with permission, so your audience can watch it with you. Stories
- Multistream (simulcast) #
- Streaming to several platforms at once, such as Twitch, Kick and YouTube. Stories
Stream formats
- Subathon #
- A stream that gets longer as viewers subscribe or donate: each new sub adds time to an on-screen timer, so it keeps going until the timer runs out. Stories
- Marathon stream #
- A very long stream planned in advance, sometimes running for days, often for an event or a charity. Stories
- World tour #
- An IRL streamer traveling from country to country and streaming along the way, often meeting fans in each city. Stories
Support & money
- Subscription (sub) #
- A monthly payment from a viewer to support a channel, usually with perks like badges and emotes. The platform and the streamer split the money. Stories
- Gifted subs #
- Subscriptions one viewer buys for others in chat — often dozens or hundreds at once during big moments. Stories
- Bits and Cheers #
- Twitch’s virtual currency. Viewers buy Bits and “cheer” them in chat to support a streamer. Stories
- TikTok LIVE gifts #
- Virtual gifts viewers buy with coins and send during a TikTok LIVE. Creators can earn money from the gifts they receive. Stories
- Donation (tip) #
- Money a viewer sends a streamer directly, often through a third-party service, sometimes with a message shown on screen. Stories
- Sub split (revenue split) #
- How subscription money is divided between the platform and the streamer. It differs by platform and by deal. Stories
- Exclusive contract #
- A deal in which a streamer agrees to stream only on one platform, usually for a guaranteed payment. Stories
- Sponsorship (brand deal) #
- A company paying a streamer to feature its product. In the U.S., the FTC requires paid endorsements to be clearly disclosed. Stories
- Affiliate and Partner #
- Twitch’s two levels of channels that can earn money, with Partner the higher tier and more features. Stories
- Hype Train #
- A Twitch event set off by a burst of subs or Bits in a short time, with levels that climb as support keeps coming. Stories
The numbers
- Peak viewers #
- The highest number of concurrent viewers a stream reached. Records are usually counted this way. Stories
- Average viewers #
- The typical number of people watching across a whole stream — a steadier measure than the peak. Stories
- Hours watched #
- The total time everyone spent watching. Rankings of the “most-watched” streamers often use it. Stories
- Followers #
- People who follow a channel to be told when it goes live. Following is free; subscribing is paid. Stories
Rules & safety
- Terms of service (TOS) #
- A platform’s rules. Breaking them can mean a warning, a temporary suspension or a permanent ban. Stories
- Ban and suspension #
- A suspension takes a channel down for a set time; a ban can be permanent. Platforms don’t always say why. Stories
- Timeout #
- A short block that stops a viewer from chatting, set by the streamer or a moderator. Stories
- Moderator (mod) #
- A person the streamer trusts to keep chat in line — deleting messages, timing out or banning viewers. Stories
- DMCA takedown #
- A copyright removal request under U.S. law, often over music in streams or clips. Repeated ones can get a channel suspended. Stories
- Doxxing #
- Publishing someone’s private information, such as a home address or real name, without consent. It puts people in danger, and platforms ban it. Stories
- Swatting #
- Making a false emergency report so armed police rush to someone’s address. It is a crime and can be deadly. Stories
- Stream sniping #
- Watching someone’s live stream to find or follow them — in a game, or in person on an IRL stream, which can turn into harassment. Stories
Gear & tech
- Backpack setup #
- The portable rig many IRL streamers carry: a camera, a battery and an encoder that combines several mobile connections. Stories
- Bonded cellular #
- Combining several mobile data connections at once, so a stream stays up when one network drops. Stories
- Bitrate #
- How much video data a stream sends each second. Higher looks sharper but needs a stronger connection. Stories
- OBS #
- OBS Studio, free open-source software many streamers use to mix cameras, screens and overlays and send them to a platform. Stories