There's something interesting about video players on the web. Most people use them all the time, yet it's uncommon to think about how they actually work. You click play on a demo, a tutorial, or a viral clip, and usually the UI quietly fades into the background.

That simplicity takes a lot of engineering to pull off.

Today's developers expect players to be lightweight, flexible, easy to style, and easy to embed in any stack. The reality, however, is a little different. Most video players were built in different eras, with different assumptions, by different teams that were all solving similar problems in independent silos.

Over time, that has created a crowded space with overlapping ideas. Video.js, Media Chrome, Plyr, Vidstack, and Mux Player were all shaped by a specific need and carry strong opinions about what a modern player should be.

But at the end of the day, all of them have been circling the same question: how do we make video on the web feel great?

This month is about a shift that's been building for a while. The ideas that used to sit in separate projects are starting to land in one place, forming a shared foundation that's more cohesive than anything we've ever had before: Video.js v10.

Let’s get to it.

Video.js nation

Steve wrote about the next iteration of Video.js and what it means for the future of video players on the internet.

Wes took a look back at lessons learned from media-chrome and how it informs future development of Video.js

Sam shared the path that made Plyr an open-source hit and the best parts that will be making their way to Video.js

In motion at Mux

Mux DRM is now generally available to all customers. Learn why DRM matters and how to know if it's the right solution for you.

Mux and Supabase combine feature sets to bring you SupaSearch, a semantic video search demo app.

Read how Mux customer Send uses Mux to power fast, reliable video playback at scale with no additional maintenance.

What’s playing on our channel

Watch Mux CEO Jon Dahl and WorkOS CEO Michael Grinich share an in-depth conversation all about MCP.

Dylan shows a demo of the all-new @mux/supabase adapter, making it easy to connect Mux functionality with the ease of Supabase.

Dave shows off SupaSearch, an example solution for searching the contents of a video to find specific clips within.

The work happening across Mux and the various video players represents a big change for video on the web. Instead of parallel efforts solving the same problems in different ways, we're moving toward one coherent foundation that's easier to build on, easier to maintain, and far more capable than any single project on its own.

This consolidation will simplify how developers approach player architecture and set a clear path for the next decade of web video. It also gives teams more flexibility and control, so the players they build can match the needs of their products without unnecessary complexity.

We see this as the start of a long-term modernization of the entire player ecosystem. Join us, and let's shape the future of video on the web together.

Until next issue,
Dave and the Mux video player crew