How frenzy8/tt-dl works
TikTok Downloader is an Express API that extracts TikTok video or photo metadata, exposes search results, and provides a tokenized endpoint for streaming media. The main workflow is a client request to download metadata, extraction from TikTok’s page or item-detail response, and a returned watch link that proxies the media stream. Search and photo-carousel retrieval are separate browser-driven paths. The graph reflects sampled route and service code; the search excerpt is partial, and the README documents capabilities beyond the sampled implementation.
Main entry points: search.js Search route · download.js Download route · watch.js Watch route · index.js Express app
Components 13
API routes
- Express app
index.js - Download route
routes/download.js - Search route
routes/search.js
TikTok acquisition
- Photo extraction
services/tiktokPhoto.js - Video extraction
services/tiktokVideo.js - Browser launcher
lib/browser.js
Media delivery
- Watch route
routes/watch.js
Shared internals
- Media helpers
lib/media.js - Token crypto
lib/crypto.js - Response helpers
lib/response.js
Other components
- API client
- TikTok
- TikTok media host
Connections 23
- API client → Express app: requests API
- Express app → Download route: dispatches
- Express app → Search route: dispatches
- Express app → Watch route: dispatches
- Download route → TikTok: fetches page
- Download route → Photo extraction: calls for photos
- Download route → Token crypto: encodes stream URL
- Download route → Response helpers: formats replies
- Photo extraction → Browser launcher: creates browser
- Photo extraction → TikTok: loads item detail
- Photo extraction → Media helpers: creates watch link
- Browser launcher → TikTok: browses pages
- Search route → Browser launcher: creates browser
- Search route → TikTok: captures search data
- Search route → Token crypto: encodes stream URLs
- Search route → Watch route: creates watch links
- Search route → Response helpers: formats replies
- Video extraction → TikTok: fetches page
- Video extraction → Media helpers: cleans video item
- Media helpers → Token crypto: encodes media URL
- Watch route → Token crypto: decodes token
- Watch route → TikTok media host: streams media
- Watch route → Response helpers: formats errors