diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 697d0df..d606061 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ jobs:
 
           is_youtube_latest() {
             t=$(toml_get_table YouTube)
-            v=$(toml_get "$t" "version") || v=
-            if [ "$v" = latest ]; then
+            v=$(toml_get "$t" "version") || v=""
+            if isoneof "$v" latest beta; then
               cur_yt=$(sed -n 's/.*YouTube: \(.*\)/\1/p' build.md | xargs)
               [ -z "$cur_yt" ] && return 1 # empty, fail=>dont build
-              aav=$(toml_get "$t" "allow-alpha-version") || aav=false
+              if [ "$v" = beta ]; aav="true"; else aav="false"; fi
               last_ver=$(get_apkmirror_vers youtube "$aav" | get_largest_ver)
               [ -z "$last_ver" ] && return 1 # cant fetch, dont build
               echo "current yt version: '$cur_yt'"
diff --git a/CONFIG.md b/CONFIG.md
index 149b118..664401f 100755
--- a/CONFIG.md
+++ b/CONFIG.md
@@ -32,14 +32,16 @@ integrations-version = "v0.95.0" # locks the integrations version. default: late
 [Some-App]
 app-name = "SomeApp" # if set, release name becomes SomeApp instead of Some-App. default is same as table name, which is 'Some-App' here.
 enabled = true # whether to build the app. default: true
+version = "auto" # 'auto', 'latest', 'beta' or a custom one e.g. '17.40.41'. default: auto
+# 'auto' option gets the latest possible version supported by all the included patches
+# 'latest' gets the latest stable without checking patches support. 'beta' gets the latest beta/alpha
 build-mode = "both" # 'both', 'apk' or 'module'. default: apk
-allow-alpha-version = false # allow downloading alpha versions from apkmirror. default: false
-excluded-patches = "some-patch" # whitespace seperated list of patches to exclude. default: "" (empty)
+excluded-patches = "some-patch some-other-path" # whitespace seperated list of patches to exclude. default: "" (empty)
 included-patches = "patch-name" # whitespace seperated list of patches to include, all default patches are included by default. default: "" (empty)
-version = "auto" # 'auto', 'latest' or a custom one e.g. '17.40.41'. 'auto' option gets the latest version that is supported by the patches. default: auto
 exclusive-patches = false # exclude all patches by default. default: false
 apkmirror-dlurl = "https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/inc/app" # download url. if not set, uptodown dl url is used.
 uptodown-dlurl = "https://spotify.en.uptodown.com/android" # uptodown url. if not set, apkmirror dl url is used. apkmirror is prioritized
+apkmonk-dlurl = "https://www.apkmonk.com/app/com.app.app/" # apkmonk url.
 module-prop-name = "some-app-magisk" # magisk module prop name. not required.
 merge-integrations = false # set false to never merge even when needed default: true
 dpi = "360-480dpi" # used to select apk variant from apkmirror. default: nodpi
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 003f5dc..e96db88 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ for table_name in $(toml_get_table_names); do
 	app_args[exclusive_patches]=$(toml_get "$t" exclusive-patches) && vtf "${app_args[exclusive_patches]}" "exclusive-patches" || app_args[exclusive_patches]=false
 	app_args[version]=$(toml_get "$t" version) || app_args[version]="auto"
 	app_args[app_name]=$(toml_get "$t" app-name) || app_args[app_name]=$table_name
-	app_args[allow_alpha_version]=$(toml_get "$t" allow-alpha-version) && vtf "${app_args[allow_alpha_version]}" "allow-alpha-version" || app_args[allow_alpha_version]=false
 	app_args[build_mode]=$(toml_get "$t" build-mode) && {
 		if ! isoneof "${app_args[build_mode]}" both apk module; then
 			abort "ERROR: build-mode '${app_args[build_mode]}' is not a valid option for '${table_name}': only 'both', 'apk' or 'module' is allowed"
diff --git a/config.toml b/config.toml
index bb9911e..f1b8f86 100755
--- a/config.toml
+++ b/config.toml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ build-mindetach-module = true
 [YouTube]
 enabled = true
 build-mode = "both"                                                   # 'both', 'apk' or 'module'
-excluded-patches = "debugging"                                        # whitespace seperated list of patches to exclude (multiline strings are not supported)
-included-patches = ""                                                 # whitespace seperated list of patches to include
+excluded-patches = "debugging"                                        # space-seperated patches to exclude (multiline strings are not supported)
+included-patches = ""                                                 # space-seperated patches to include (non-excluded patches are included by default)
 version = "auto"                                                      # 'auto', 'latest' or a custom one like '17.40.41'
 exclusive-patches = false                                             # excludes all patches by default
 apkmirror-dlurl = "https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/youtube/"
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ arch = "arm-v7a"
 
 [Twitter]
 build-mode = "apk"
-excluded-patches = ""
+excluded-patches = "hide-views-stats"
 version = "auto"
 apkmirror-dlurl = "https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/twitter-inc/twitter/"
 
diff --git a/utils.sh b/utils.sh
index 70dd0ae..3a26a5a 100755
--- a/utils.sh
+++ b/utils.sh
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ UNINSTALL_SH=$(cat $MODULE_SCRIPTS_DIR/uninstall.sh)
 
 # -------------------- json/toml --------------------
 json_get() { grep -o "\"${1}\":[^\"]*\"[^\"]*\"" | sed -E 's/".*".*"(.*)"/\1/'; }
-toml_prep() { __TOML__=$(echo "$1" | tr -d '\t\r' | tr "'" '"' | grep -o '^[^#]*' | grep -v '^$' | sed -r 's/(\".*\")|\s*/\1/g; 1i []'); }
+toml_prep() { __TOML__=$(tr -d '\t\r' <<<"$1" | tr "'" '"' | grep -o '^[^#]*' | grep -v '^$' | sed -r 's/(\".*\")|\s*/\1/g; 1i []'); }
 toml_get_table_names() {
 	local tn
-	tn=$(echo "$__TOML__" | grep -x '\[.*\]' | tr -d '[]') || return 1
-	if [ "$(echo "$tn" | sort | uniq -u | wc -l)" != "$(echo "$tn" | wc -l)" ]; then
+	tn=$(grep -x '\[.*\]' <<<"$__TOML__" | tr -d '[]') || return 1
+	if [ "$(sort <<<"$tn" | uniq -u | wc -l)" != "$(wc -l <<<"$tn")" ]; then
 		abort "ERROR: Duplicate tables in TOML"
 	fi
 	echo "$tn"
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ toml_get_table_names() {
 toml_get_table() { sed -n "/\[${1}]/,/^\[.*]$/p" <<<"$__TOML__"; }
 toml_get() {
 	local table=$1 key=$2 val
-	val=$(grep -m 1 "^${key}=" <<<"$table") && echo "${val#*=}" | sed -e "s/^\"//; s/\"$//"
+	val=$(grep -m 1 "^${key}=" <<<"$table") && sed -e "s/^\"//; s/\"$//" <<<"${val#*=}"
 }
 # ---------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ get_prebuilts() {
 	log "Integrations: ${rv_integrations_url##*/}"
 
 	rv_patches=$(gh_req "$rv_patches_rel" -)
-	rv_patches_changelog=$(echo "$rv_patches" | json_get 'body' | sed 's/\(\\n\)\+/\\n/g')
+	rv_patches_changelog=$(json_get 'body' <<<"$rv_patches" | sed 's/\(\\n\)\+/\\n/g')
 	rv_patches_dl=$(json_get 'browser_download_url' <<<"$rv_patches")
 	RV_PATCHES_JSON="${PREBUILTS_DIR}/patches-$(json_get 'tag_name' <<<"$rv_patches").json"
 	rv_patches_url=$(grep 'jar' <<<"$rv_patches_dl")
@@ -147,7 +147,14 @@ semver_validate() {
 	[ ${#ac} = 0 ]
 }
 get_patch_last_supported_ver() {
-	jq -r ".[] | select(.compatiblePackages[].name==\"${1}\" and .excluded==false) | .compatiblePackages[].versions" "$RV_PATCHES_JSON" |
+	local inc_sel exc_sel
+	inc_sel=$(list_args "$2" | sed 's/.*/\.name == "&"/; N;s/\n/ and /' || :)
+	exc_sel=$(list_args "$3" | sed 's/.*/\.name != "&"/; N;s/\n/ and /' || :)
+	jq -r ".[]
+			| select(.compatiblePackages[].name==\"${1}\" and .excluded==false)
+			| select(${inc_sel:-true})
+			| select(${exc_sel:-true})
+			| .compatiblePackages[].versions" "$RV_PATCHES_JSON" |
 		tr -d ' ,\t[]"' | grep -v '^$' | sort | uniq -c | sort -nr | head -1 | xargs | cut -d' ' -f2 || return 1
 }
 
@@ -220,7 +227,7 @@ get_uptodown_vers() { sed -n 's;.*version">\(.*\)</span>$;\1;p' <<<"$1"; }
 dl_uptodown() {
 	local uptwod_resp=$1 version=$2 output=$3
 	local url
-	url=$(echo "$uptwod_resp" | grep "${version}<\/span>" -B 2 | head -1 | sed -n 's;.*data-url="\(.*\)".*;\1;p') || return 1
+	url=$(grep "${version}<\/span>" -B 2 <<<"$uptwod_resp" | head -1 | sed -n 's;.*data-url="\(.*\)".*;\1;p') || return 1
 	url=$(req "$url" - | sed -n 's;.*data-url="\(.*\)".*;\1;p') || return 1
 	req "$url" "$output"
 }
@@ -237,7 +244,7 @@ get_apkmonk_vers() { grep -oP 'download_ver.+?>\K([0-9,\.]*)' <<<"$1"; }
 dl_apkmonk() {
 	local apkmonk_resp=$1 version=$2 output=$3
 	local url
-	url="https://www.apkmonk.com/down_file?pkg="$(echo "$apkmonk_resp" | grep "$version</a>" | grep -oP 'href=\"/download-app/\K.+?(?=/?\">)' | sed 's;/;\&key=;') || return 1
+	url="https://www.apkmonk.com/down_file?pkg="$(grep "$version</a>" <<<"$apkmonk_resp" | grep -oP 'href=\"/download-app/\K.+?(?=/?\">)' | sed 's;/;\&key=;') || return 1
 	url=$(req "$url" - | grep -oP 'https.+?(?=\",)')
 	req "$url" "$output"
 }
@@ -284,8 +291,8 @@ build_rv() {
 
 	local get_latest_ver=false
 	if [ "$version_mode" = auto ]; then
-		version=$(get_patch_last_supported_ver "$pkg_name") || get_latest_ver=true
-	elif [ "$version_mode" = latest ]; then
+		version=$(get_patch_last_supported_ver "$pkg_name" "${args[included_patches]}" "${args[excluded_patches]}") || get_latest_ver=true
+	elif isoneof "$version_mode" latest beta; then
 		get_latest_ver=true
 		p_patcher_args+=("--experimental")
 	else
@@ -293,9 +300,10 @@ build_rv() {
 		p_patcher_args+=("--experimental")
 	fi
 	if [ $get_latest_ver = true ]; then
-		local apkmvers uptwodvers
+		local apkmvers uptwodvers aav
 		if [ "$dl_from" = apkmirror ]; then
-			apkmvers=$(get_apkmirror_vers "${args[apkmirror_dlurl]##*/}" "${args[allow_alpha_version]}")
+			if [ "$version_mode" = beta ]; then aav="true"; else aav="false"; fi
+			apkmvers=$(get_apkmirror_vers "${args[apkmirror_dlurl]##*/}" "$aav")
 			version=$(get_largest_ver <<<"$apkmvers") || version=$(head -1 <<<"$apkmvers")
 		elif [ "$dl_from" = uptodown ]; then
 			uptwodvers=$(get_uptodown_vers "$uptwod_resp")
@@ -461,9 +469,8 @@ build_rv() {
 	done
 }
 
-join_args() {
-	echo "$1" | tr -d '\t\r' | tr ' ' '\n' | grep -v '^$' | sed "s/^/${2} /" | paste -sd " " - || :
-}
+list_args() { tr -d '\t\r' <<<"$1" | tr ' ' '\n' | grep -v '^$' || :; }
+join_args() { list_args "$1" | sed "s/^/${2} /" | paste -sd " " - || :; }
 
 uninstall_sh() {
 	local s="${UNINSTALL_SH//__PKGNAME/$1}"