By skyforbes 
You’re on the train heading home after a long day. You open TikTok for “just five minutes” to unwind. Two hours later, you’re still scrolling, having ventured from cooking tutorials to obscure history facts to dog videos — all perfectly aligned with your interests.
We’ve all been there. But have you ever wondered what’s happening behind the scenes? How does TikTok seem to know what you want to watch before you do?
As a developer who’s spent years analyzing recommendation systems, I’m going to break down the mysterious TikTok algorithm — not with vague generalizations, but with technical specifics that explain how this digital crystal ball actually functions.
The Secret Behind the Most Addictive Feed on the Internet
The magic of TikTok lies in what they call the “For You Page” (FYP) — a hyper-personalized stream of content that adapts with remarkable precision to your preferences. Unlike traditional social media platforms that prioritize content from accounts you follow, TikTok’s recommendation engine is designed to surface content from anywhere on the platform.
What makes TikTok’s algorithm different is its extraordinary efficiency at content discovery. While Facebook might take weeks to learn your…