No expert but I believe they access the API directly.
Comment on YouTube is slowing down for users with ad blockers in new wave
HolyDiver@aussie.zone 9 months agohow do those youtube clients work? i thought YouTube was very closed source
Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 9 months ago
anon5621@lemmy.ml 9 months ago
No,it’s exactly parser. github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipeExtractor
FrameXX@discuss.tchncs.de 9 months ago
Some probably use an API of some sort, because SmartTube for Android TV even synchronises your watch history, subscriptions, you login with your google account etc…
puppy@lemmy.world 9 months ago
AFAIK NewPipe parses the regular YouTube website and only extracts the useful bits.