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When it was just YouTube Vanced they got DMCA'd for redistributing "stolen software"

So instead of "stolen software" they distribute "patches" and a patching framework.

Legally distinct and modding is a much grayer area.

It's code you run locally to company the file, change the bytecode and repack it.

I haven't used it myself, but my understanding was that revanced was patching the offical youtube app, while the other two are from scratch reimplementations. You wouldn't be allowed to distribute the full version of revanced, you can only distribute the patch.

Because no matter how much the YouTube app may suck in various ways, it's still vastly better than NewPipe and LibreTube in UX and much more enjoyable to use. So I'd rather use a patched version where the bad parts are removed over something like NewPipe which is just nowhere as polished.