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A/B-Tests

When YouTube introduces a new feature, it does so gradually. When a user creates a new session, YouTube decided randomly which new features should be enabled.

YouTube sessions are identified by the visitor data cookie. This cookie is sent with every API request using the context.client.visitor_data JSON parameter. It is also returned in the responseContext.visitorData response parameter and stored as the __SECURE-YEC cookie.

By sending the same visitor data cookie, A/B tests can be reproduced, which is important for testing alternative YouTube clients.

This page lists all A/B tests that were encountered while maintaining the RustyPipe client.

Impact rating:

The impact ratings shows how much effort it takes to adapt alternative YouTube clients to the new feature.

  • 🟢 Low Minor incompatibility (e.g. parameter name change)
  • 🟡 Medium Extensive changes to the response data model OR removal of parameters
  • 🔴 High Changes to the functionality of YouTube that will require API changes for alternative clients

Status:

  • Discontinued (0%)
  • Experimental (<3%)
  • Common (>3%)
  • Frequent (>40%)
  • Stabilized (100%)

If you want to check how often these A/B tests occur, you can use the codegen tool with the following command: rustypipe-codegen ab-test <id>.

[1] Attributed text description

  • Encountered on: 24.09.2022
  • Impact: 🟡 Medium
  • Endpoint: next (video details)
  • Status: Stabilized

A/B test 1 screenshot

YouTube shows internal links (channels, videos, playlists) in the video description as buttons with the YouTube icon. To accomplish this, they completely changed the underlying data model.

The new format uses a string with the entire plaintext content along with a list of "commandRuns" which include the link data and the position of the links within the text.

Note that the position and length parameter refer to the number of UTF-16 characters. If you are implementing this in a language which does not use UTF-16 as its internal string representation, you have to iterate over the unicode codepoints and keep track of the UTF-16 index seperately.

OLD

{
  "videoSecondaryInfoRenderer": {
    "description": {
      "runs": [
        {
          "text": "🎧Listen and download aespa's debut single \"Black Mamba\": "
        },
        {
          "navigationEndpoint": {
            "commandMetadata": {
              "webCommandMetadata": {
                "rootVe": 83769,
                "url": "https://www.youtube.com/redirect?...",
                "webPageType": "WEB_PAGE_TYPE_UNKNOWN"
              }
            },
            "urlEndpoint": {
              "nofollow": true,
              "target": "TARGET_NEW_WINDOW",
              "url": "https://www.youtube.com/redirect?..."
            }
          },
          "text": "https://smarturl.it/aespa_BlackMamba"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

NEW

{
  "videoSecondaryInfoRenderer": {
    "attributedDescription": {
      "content": "🎧Listen and download aespa's debut single \"Black Mamba\": https://smarturl.it/aespa_BlackMamba\n🐍The Debut Stage...",
      "commandRuns": [
        {
          "startIndex": 58,
          "length": 36,
          "onTap": {
            "innertubeCommand": {
              "commandMetadata": {
                "webCommandMetadata": {
                  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/redirect?...",
                  "webPageType": "WEB_PAGE_TYPE_UNKNOWN",
                  "rootVe": 83769
                }
              },
              "urlEndpoint": {
                "url": "https://www.youtube.com/redirect?...",
                "target": "TARGET_NEW_WINDOW",
                "nofollow": true
              }
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

[2] 3-tab channel layout

A/B test 2 screenshot

YouTube changed their channel page layout, putting livestreams and short videos into separate tabs.

Fetching the videos page now only returns a subset of a channel's videos. To get all videos from a channel, you would have to run up to 3 queries.

Even though it has its disadvantages, the RSS feed is now probably the best way for keeping track of a channel's new uploads.

Additionally the channel tab response model was slightly changed, now using a "RichGridRenderer". Short videos also have their own data models ("reelItemRenderer").

RichGrid

{
  "tabRenderer": {
    "content": {
      "richGridRenderer": {
        "contents": [
          {
            "richItemRenderer": {
              "content": {
                "videoRenderer": {}
              }
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Short video

{
  "reelItemRenderer": {
    "accessibility": {
      "accessibilityData": {
        "label": "being smart was my personality trait - 56 seconds - play video"
      }
    },
    "headline": {
      "simpleText": "being smart was my personality trait"
    },
    "navigationEndpoint": {
      "clickTrackingParams": "CLcCEIf2BBgAIhMImuP85t-D-wIVd-sRCB2r6gl7",
      "commandMetadata": {
        "webCommandMetadata": {
          "rootVe": 37414,
          "url": "/shorts/glyJWxp7a5g",
          "webPageType": "WEB_PAGE_TYPE_SHORTS"
        }
      },
      "reelWatchEndpoint": {
        "overlay": {
          "reelPlayerOverlayRenderer": {
            "reelPlayerHeaderSupportedRenderers": {
              "reelPlayerHeaderRenderer": {
                "timestampText": {
                  "simpleText": "2 days ago"
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "thumbnail": {
      "thumbnails": [
        {
          "height": 720,
          "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/glyJWxp7a5g/hq720_2.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEdCJUDENAFSFXyq4qpAw8IARUAAIhCcAHAAQbQAQE=&rs=AOn4CLCUzo9AlrNh4n4cZfTOB8_Gf5aAkw",
          "width": 405
        }
      ]
    },
    "videoId": "glyJWxp7a5g",
    "viewCountText": {
      "simpleText": "593K views"
    }
  }
}

[3] Channel handles in search results

  • Encountered on: 20.11.2022
  • Impact: 🟡 Medium
  • Endpoint: search
  • Status: Stabilized

A/B test 3 screenshot

Instead of subscriber count / video count, a channel item from the search result now displays the channel handle and the subscriber count. The video count was removed.

The implementation looks pretty quick and dirty, as they did not even bother to rename their response parameters. So this might change again in the future.

Note that channels without handles still use the old data model, even on the same page.

OLD

{
  "subscriberCountText": {
    "accessibility": {
      "accessibilityData": {
        "label": "2.92 million subscribers"
      }
    },
    "simpleText": "2.92M subscribers"
  },
  "videoCountText": {
    "runs": [
      {
        "text": "219"
      },
      {
        "text": " videos"
      }
    ]
  }
}

NEW

{
  "videoCountText": {
    "accessibility": {
      "accessibilityData": {
        "label": "4.03 million subscribers"
      }
    },
    "simpleText": "4.03M subscribers"
  },
  "subscriberCountText": {
    "simpleText": "@MusicTravelLove"
  }
}

[4] Video tab on the Trending page

  • Encountered on: 1.04.2023
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: browse (trending videos)
  • Status: Discontinued

YouTube moved the list of trending videos from the main trending page to a separate tab (Videos).

The video tab is fetched with the params 4gIOGgxtb3N0X3BvcHVsYXI%3D.

This new tab contains two shelves (video lists), the first one labeled "Trending videos" which contains the regular trends and the second one named "Recently trending".

The data model for the video shelves did not change.

OLD

A/B test 4 old screenshot

NEW

A/B test 4 new screenshot

[5] Page header renderer on the Trending page

  • Encountered on: 1.05.2023
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: browse (trending videos)
  • Status: Stabilized

YouTube changed the header renderer type on the trending page to a pageHeaderRenderer.

OLD

{
  "c4TabbedHeaderRenderer": {
    "avatar": {
      "thumbnails": [
        {
          "height": 100,
          "url": "https://www.youtube.com/img/trending/avatar/trending_avatar.png",
          "width": 100
        }
      ]
    },
    "title": "Trending",
    "trackingParams": "CBAQ8DsiEwiXi_iUht76AhVM6hEIHfgTB2g="
  }
}

NEW

{
  "pageHeaderRenderer": {
    "pageTitle": "Trending",
    "content": {
      "pageHeaderViewModel": {
        "title": {
          "dynamicTextViewModel": { "text": { "content": "Trending" } }
        },
        "image": {
          "contentPreviewImageViewModel": {
            "image": {
              "sources": [
                {
                  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/img/trending/avatar/trending.png",
                  "width": 100,
                  "height": 100
                }
              ]
            },
            "style": "CONTENT_PREVIEW_IMAGE_STYLE_CIRCLE"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

[6] New Music Discography page

  • Encountered on: 13.05.2023
  • Impact: 🟡 Medium
  • Endpoint: browse (music artist)
  • Status: Stabilized

YouTube merged the 2 sections for singles and albums on artist pages together. Now there is only a Top Releases section.

YouTube also changed the way the full discography page is fetched, surprisingly making it easier for alternative clients. The discography page now has its own content ID in the format of MPAD<channel id> (Music Page Artist Discography). This page can be fetched with a regular browse request without requiring parameters to be parsed or a visitor data cookie to be set, as it was the case with the old system.

OLD

A/B test 6 old screenshot

NEW

A/B test 6 screenshot

[7] Short timeago format

  • Encountered on: 28.05.2023
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Status: Discontinued

YouTube changed their date format from the long format (21 hours ago, 3 days ago) to a short format (21h ago, 3d ago).

[8] Track playback count in search results and artist views

  • Encountered on: 29.06.2023
  • Impact: 🟡 Medium
  • Status: Stabilized

YouTube added the track playback count to search results and top artist tracks. In exchange, they removed the "Song" type identifier from search results.

A/B test 8 old screenshot

A/B test 8 screenshot

[9] Playlists for Shorts

  • Encountered on: 26.06.2023
  • Impact: 🟡 Medium
  • Endpoint: browse (playlist)
  • Status: Stabilized

A/B test 9 screenshot

Original issue: https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipeExtractor/issues/10774

YouTube added a filter system for playlists, allowing users to only see shorts/full videos.

When shorts filter is enabled or when there are only shorts in a playlist, YouTube return shorts UI elements instead of standard video ones, the ones that are also used for shorts shelves in searches and suggestions and shorts in the corresponding channel tab.

Since the reel items dont include upload date information you can circumvent this new UI by using the mobile client. But that may change in the future.

[10] Channel About modal

  • Encountered on: 03.11.2023
  • Impact: 🟡 Medium
  • Endpoint: browse (channel info)
  • Status: Stabilized

A/B test 10 screenshot

YouTube replaced the About channel tab with a modal. This changes the way additional channel metadata has to be fetched.

The new modal uses a continuation request with a token which can be easily generated. Attempts to fetch the old about tab with the A/B test enabled will lead to a redirect to the main tab.

[11] Like-Button viewmodel

  • Encountered on: 03.11.2023
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: next
  • Status: Stabilized

YouTube introduced an updated data model for the like/dislike buttons. The new model looks needlessly complex but contains the same parsing-relevant data as the old model (accessibility text to get like count).

{
  "segmentedLikeDislikeButtonViewModel": {
    "likeButtonViewModel": {
      "likeButtonViewModel": {
        "toggleButtonViewModel": {
          "toggleButtonViewModel": {
            "defaultButtonViewModel": {
              "buttonViewModel": {
                "iconName": "LIKE",
                "title": "4.2M",
                "accessibilityText": "like this video along with 4,209,059 other people"
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

[12] New channel page header

  • Encountered on: 29.01.2024
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: browse
  • Status: Stabilized

YouTube introduced a new data model for channel headers, based on a "pageHeaderRenderer". The new model comes with more needless complexity that needs to be accomodated. There are also no mobile/TV header images available any more.

{
  "pageHeaderViewModel": {
    "title": {
      "dynamicTextViewModel": {
        "text": {
          "content": "Doobydobap",
          "attachmentRuns": [
            {
              "startIndex": 10,
              "length": 0,
              "element": {
                "type": {
                  "imageType": {
                    "image": {
                      "sources": [
                        {
                          "clientResource": {
                            "imageName": "CHECK_CIRCLE_FILLED"
                          },
                          "width": 14,
                          "height": 14
                        }
                      ]
                    }
                  }
                }
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    "image": {
      "decoratedAvatarViewModel": {
        "avatar": {
          "avatarViewModel": {
            "image": {
              "sources": [
                {
                  "url": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/dm5Aq93xvVJz0NoVO88ieBkDXmuShCujGPlZ7qETMEPTrXvPUCFI3-BB6Xs_P-r6Uk3mnBy9zA=s72-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj",
                  "width": 72,
                  "height": 72
                }
              ]
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "metadata": {
      "contentMetadataViewModel": {
        "metadataRows": [
          {
            "metadataParts": [
              {
                "text": {
                  "content": "@Doobydobap"
                }
              },
              {
                "text": {
                  "content": "3.74M subscribers"
                }
              },
              {
                "text": {
                  "content": "345 videos",
                  "styleRuns": [
                    {
                      "startIndex": 0,
                      "length": 10
                    }
                  ]
                }
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "banner": {
      "imageBannerViewModel": {
        "image": {
          "sources": [
            {
              "url": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/BvnAqgiursrXpmS9AgDLtkOSTQfOG_Dqn0KzY5hcwO9XrHTEQTVgaflI913f9KRp7d0U2qBp=w1060-fcrop64=1,00005a57ffffa5a8-k-c0xffffffff-no-nd-rj",
              "width": 1060,
              "height": 175
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

[13] Music album/playlist 2-column layout

  • Encountered on: 29.02.2024
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: browse
  • Status: Stabilized

A/B test 13 screenshot

YouTube Music updated the layout of album and playlist pages. The new layout shows the cover on the left side of the playlist content.

[14] Comments Framework update

  • Encountered on: 31.01.2024
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: next
  • Status: Stabilized

YouTube changed the data model for YouTube comments, now putting the content into a seperate framework update object

{
  "frameworkUpdates": {
    "onResponseReceivedEndpoints": [
      {
        "clickTrackingParams": "CAAQg2ciEwi64q3dmKGFAxWvy0IFHc14BKM=",
        "reloadContinuationItemsCommand": {
          "targetId": "comments-section",
          "continuationItems": [
            {
              "commentThreadRenderer": {
                "replies": {
                  "commentRepliesRenderer": {
                    "contents": [
                      {
                        "continuationItemRenderer": {
                          "trigger": "CONTINUATION_TRIGGER_ON_ITEM_SHOWN",
                          "continuationEndpoint": {
                            "clickTrackingParams": "CHgQvnUiEwi64q3dmKGFAxWvy0IFHc14BKM=",
                            "commandMetadata": {
                              "webCommandMetadata": {
                                "sendPost": true,
                                "apiUrl": "/youtubei/v1/next"
                              }
                            },
                            "continuationCommand": {
                              "token": "Eg0SC1FpcDFWa1R1TTcwGAYygwEaUBIaVWd5TlRUOHV4REVqZ1lxeWJJRjRBYUFCQWciAggAKhhVQ3lhZmx6ek9IMEdDNjgzRGxRLWZ6d2cyC1FpcDFWa1R1TTcwQAFICoIBAggBQi9jb21tZW50LXJlcGxpZXMtaXRlbS1VZ3lOVFQ4dXhERWpnWXF5YklGNEFhQUJBZw%3D%3D",
                              "request": "CONTINUATION_REQUEST_TYPE_WATCH_NEXT"
                            }
                          }
                        }
                      }
                    ],
                    "trackingParams": "CHgQvnUiEwi64q3dmKGFAxWvy0IFHc14BKM=",
                    "viewReplies": {
                      "buttonRenderer": {
                        "text": { "runs": [{ "text": "220 replies" }] },
                        "icon": { "iconType": "ARROW_DROP_DOWN" },
                        "trackingParams": "CHoQosAEIhMIuuKt3ZihhQMVr8tCBR3NeASj",
                        "iconPosition": "BUTTON_ICON_POSITION_TYPE_LEFT_OF_TEXT"
                      }
                    },
                    "hideReplies": {
                      "buttonRenderer": {
                        "text": { "runs": [{ "text": "220 replies" }] },
                        "icon": { "iconType": "ARROW_DROP_UP" },
                        "trackingParams": "CHkQ280EIhMIuuKt3ZihhQMVr8tCBR3NeASj",
                        "iconPosition": "BUTTON_ICON_POSITION_TYPE_LEFT_OF_TEXT"
                      }
                    },
                    "targetId": "comment-replies-item-UgyNTT8uxDEjgYqybIF4AaABAg"
                  }
                },
                "trackingParams": "CHYQwnUYywEiEwi64q3dmKGFAxWvy0IFHc14BKM=",
                "renderingPriority": "RENDERING_PRIORITY_PINNED_COMMENT",
                "isModeratedElqComment": false,
                "commentViewModel": {
                  "commentViewModel": {
                    "commentId": "UgyNTT8uxDEjgYqybIF4AaABAg"
                  }
                }
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    ],
    "entityBatchUpdate": {
      "mutations": [
        {
          "entityKey": "EhpVZ3lOVFQ4dXhERWpnWXF5YklGNEFhQUJBZyAoKAE%3D",
          "type": "ENTITY_MUTATION_TYPE_REPLACE",
          "payload": {
            "commentEntityPayload": {
              "key": "EhpVZ3lOVFQ4dXhERWpnWXF5YklGNEFhQUJBZyAoKAE%3D",
              "properties": {
                "commentId": "UgyNTT8uxDEjgYqybIF4AaABAg",
                "content": {
                  "content": "⚠️ Important notice: if you put any symbol immediately after markup, it will not work: *here is the comma*, without space.\n\nYou should leave space before and after , to make it work.\n\nSame for _underscore_, and -hyphen-.\n\nLeave space before opening and after closing underscore and hyphen. Put all dots and commas inside markup.",
                  "styleRuns": [
                    {
                      "startIndex": 135,
                      "length": 28,
                      "weightLabel": "FONT_WEIGHT_MEDIUM"
                    },
                    {
                      "startIndex": 267,
                      "length": 10,
                      "weightLabel": "FONT_WEIGHT_NORMAL",
                      "italic": true
                    },
                    {
                      "startIndex": 282,
                      "length": 7,
                      "weightLabel": "FONT_WEIGHT_NORMAL",
                      "strikethrough": "LINE_STYLE_SINGLE"
                    }
                  ]
                },
                "publishedTime": "2 years ago (edited)",
                "replyLevel": 0,
                "authorButtonA11y": "@kibizoid",
                "toolbarStateKey": "EhpVZ3lOVFQ4dXhERWpnWXF5YklGNEFhQUJBZyAsKAE%3D",
                "translateButtonEntityKey": "EhpVZ3lOVFQ4dXhERWpnWXF5YklGNEFhQUJBZyD_ASgB"
              },
              "author": {
                "channelId": "UCUJfyiofeHQTmxKwZ6cCwIg",
                "displayName": "@kibizoid",
                "avatarThumbnailUrl": "https://yt3.ggpht.com/ytc/AIdro_nY2PkIyojDqs9Bk5RY6J90-U7wePswTYl799DNJQ=s88-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj",
                "isVerified": false,
                "isCurrentUser": false,
                "isCreator": false,
                "isArtist": false
              },
              "avatar": {
                "image": {
                  "sources": [
                    {
                      "url": "https://yt3.ggpht.com/ytc/AIdro_nY2PkIyojDqs9Bk5RY6J90-U7wePswTYl799DNJQ=s88-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj",
                      "width": 88,
                      "height": 88
                    }
                  ]
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

[15] Channel shorts: shortsLockupViewModel

  • Encountered on: 10.09.2024
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: browse
  • Status: Stabilized

YouTube changed the data model for the channel shorts tab

{
  "richItemRenderer": {
    "content": {
      "shortsLockupViewModel": {
        "entityId": "shorts-shelf-item-ovaHmfy3O6U",
        "accessibilityText": "hangover food, 17 million views - play Short",
        "thumbnail": {
          "sources": [
            {
              "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ovaHmfy3O6U/oar2.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEdCJUDENAFSFWQAgHyq4qpAwwIARUAAIhCcAHAAQY=&rs=AOn4CLBg-kG4rAi-BQ8Xkp2hOtOu-oXDLQ",
              "width": 405,
              "height": 720
            }
          ]
        },
        "overlayMetadata": {
          "primaryText": {
            "content": "hangover food"
          },
          "secondaryText": {
            "content": "17M views"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

[16] New playlist header renderer

  • Encountered on: 11.10.2024
  • Impact: 🟢 Low
  • Endpoint: browse
  • Status: Common (99%)
{
  "pageHeaderRenderer": {
    "pageTitle": "LilyPichu",
    "content": {
      "pageHeaderViewModel": {
        "title": {
          "dynamicTextViewModel": {
            "text": {
              "content": "LilyPichu"
            }
          }
        },
        "metadata": {
          "contentMetadataViewModel": {
            "metadataRows": [
              {
                "metadataParts": [
                  {
                    "avatarStack": {
                      "avatarStackViewModel": {
                        "avatars": [
                          {
                            "avatarViewModel": {
                              "image": {
                                "sources": [
                                  {
                                    "url": "https://yt3.ggpht.com/ytc/AIdro_kcjhSY2e8WlYjQABOB65Za8n3QYycNHP9zXwxjKpBfOg=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj",
                                    "width": 48,
                                    "height": 48
                                  }
                                ]
                              }
                            }
                          }
                        ],
                        "text": {
                          "content": "by Kevin Ramirez",
                          "commandRuns": [
                            {
                              "startIndex": 0,
                              "length": 16,
                              "onTap": {
                                "innertubeCommand": {
                                  "browseEndpoint": {
                                    "browseId": "UCai7BcI5lrXC2vdc3ySku8A",
                                    "canonicalBaseUrl": "/@XxthekevinramirezxX"
                                  }
                                }
                              }
                            }
                          ]
                        }
                      }
                    }
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "metadataParts": [
                  {
                    "text": {
                      "content": "Playlist"
                    }
                  },
                  {
                    "text": {
                      "content": "10 videos"
                    }
                  },
                  {
                    "text": {
                      "content": "856 views"
                    }
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "actions": {},
        "description": {
          "descriptionPreviewViewModel": {
            "description": { "content": "Hello World" }
          }
        },
        "heroImage": {
          "contentPreviewImageViewModel": {
            "image": {
              "sources": [
                {
                  "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DXuNJ267Vss/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEWCKgBEF5IWvKriqkDCQgBFQAAiEIYAQ==&rs=AOn4CLAHp6V96b70x4SWm9Pe6WEHnQhP6A",
                  "width": 168,
                  "height": 94
                }
              ]
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}