The "navigation map" of DASH streaming: easy to understand analysis of MPD files. As a developer, when you want to integrate smooth adaptive video streaming functionality into your application or website, you are likely to encounter the terms DASH and MPD. DASH is the mainstream efficient streaming protocol today, and MPD is its core and soul. Simply put, MPD is a navigation map that tells the player where the video is, what versions are available, and how to play it.