[Python] How do apps like Snaptube and VidMate extract direct MP4 links instead of M3U8?

I'm developing a media downloader app similar to Snaptube, VidMate, and 1DM, where users enter a URL (e.g., YouTube, Instagram) and download videos or audio files.

The Problem:

Many platforms (e.g., DailyMotion, Facebook, TikTok) use HLS (M3U8) or DASH streaming, instead of providing direct MP4 links. When using yt-dlp, I often get M3U8 URLs instead of direct MP4 files, which mobile devices cannot download directly.

What I’ve Tried:

✔ Using yt-dlp to extract links → Returns M3U8 instead of MP4 for some platforms.

✔ Manually downloading and converting M3U8 to MP4 on the server → Works, but inefficient for large files (e.g., 5GB videos).

✔ Looking for a way to force yt-dlp to return direct MP4 links, but no success yet.

Key Questions:

1️⃣ How do Snaptube, VidMate, or 1DM bypass HLS/DASH and extract direct MP4 links without server-side processing?

2️⃣ Is there a way to configure yt-dlp (or another tool) to prioritize progressive MP4 streams instead of HLS?

3️⃣ Are these apps reverse-engineering platform-specific APIs to get direct URLs? If so, how can I replicate this approach?

4️⃣ What are the best practices to achieve this functionality efficiently without relying on server-side FFmpeg processing?

What I Need:

Alternative approaches to fetch direct MP4 links efficiently.

On-device solutions to handle M3U8 without downloading and converting on the server.

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