1. A computer-implemented method for encoding content, comprising: determining, by a content producing device, a root manifest, wherein a manifest indicates a set of content objects and their corresponding digests, wherein a respective content object is a data object or another manifest, and is associated with a name that is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier (HSVLI) which comprises contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level; and generating an index associated with the root manifest, wherein the index allows the set of content objects indicated in the root manifest to be searched and accessed directly, thereby facilitating a content consumer to seek to a desired location in the content represented by the root manifest.