Customizing manifest file for enhancing media streaming

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps including:

• receiving, from a user of an online system, a request for streaming media content of a media file;
• encoding, by the online system, the media file into one or more media representations of the media content, each of the one or more media representations of the media content describing a streaming quality of the media content;
• generating a manifest file for each of the one or more media representations of the media content, each manifest file comprising information describing a location of a media representation of the one or more media representations of the media content, and a plurality of media segments for the media representation;
• analyzing a plurality of user features describing the user and conditions associated with streaming the media content to the user, the plurality of user features including a history of streaming services received by the user, the history of streaming services identifying a quality of media representation preferred by the user;
• generating a customized manifest file for the media file for the user based on the analysis of the user features and conditions associated with streaming the media content to the user, the customized manifest file comprising information describing a location of a media representation of the one or more media representations having the quality of media representation preferred by the user;
• and
• providing the customized manifest file to user for streaming the media content of the media file.