💡Feature request: Smart buffer management (preload entire video + gradually release watched parts) second request try

NOTE:
This feature request was already submitted earlier. However, the previous issue was marked as completed and closed after minor and unclear code changes from a new contributor who had not participated in the project before. No actual implementation of smart buffer management was done. Because the feature is still needed, I am submitting this request again.

PROBLEM:

On long videos, the browser keeps the entire buffered content in memory, even the parts that have already been watched. This leads to unnecessarily high RAM usage, especially when watching long-form content (lectures, podcasts, movies, etc.).

SOLUTION:

Add a "Smart Buffer Management" option.
When enabled, the player should:

• Try to preload the entire video into the buffer (for smooth playback and seeking).
• Gradually release the already watched parts of the buffer from memory, while keeping a small safety buffer behind the current playback position (e.g. last 30–60 seconds).

This would combine the benefits of full preloading with lower memory consumption.

ALTERNATIVES:

In my opinion, there are currently no good alternatives:

• Not preloading the full video reduces smoothness of playback and seeking.
• Relying on the browser’s default memory management is usually not aggressive enough on long videos.
• There is no built-in way to manually release already watched parts of the buffer.

RELEVANCE / SCOPE:

Would be useful for users who regularly watch long videos (20+ minutes). I estimate this could be relevant for 30–50% of active users, especially those watching educational content, podcasts, or long videos.

SIDE EFFECTS:

• Slightly higher CPU usage during buffer cleanup.
• On very unstable connections, aggressive buffer releasing might cause re-buffering if the user seeks backward far into the video.
• May require a clear explanation in the settings so users understand what the option does.

CONTEXT:

This is related to performance and memory optimization. Many users notice high RAM usage in the browser after watching YouTube for a long time, especially on long videos.

SHORT Table (Summary)