@lcamtuf@infosec.exchange So I should note that my background is in teaching software development and all the associated practices (not just architecture but also eg. interpersonal stuff). With that said:

I've found that videos are exceptionally good at making people *feel* like they've achieved something, learning-wise, but the actual retention is disastrously bad. In other words: it's a dopamine machine. Which probably also explains their popularity.

I've actually tested this with quite a few students, polling their understanding after watching a tutorial video vs. after reading a technical article. Pretty much without exception, retention after the video was nearly zero. Best case they could repeat some of the points verbatim, but showed no conceptual understanding of them.

To some degree, this seems to have to do with "do X, then Y" tutorials themselves, regardless of whether they are videos ("following an IKEA instruction manual makes you feel accomplished but doesn't actually teach you any furniture design"), but video as a format definitely seems to worsen this problem further.

There's a special case here for videos that explain specific topics (!= tutorials) that requires heavy visualization - here, videos seem to do better than typical written articles. However, written articles with interactive in-article visualizations seem to be optimal here.

(This is the short version of my answer; I have... feelings about the way software development is taught, and how depressingly few people seem to actually be interested in the didactic aspects of it...)