Are resistance bands effective for hypertrophy as a warm-up or even as main lifts?

Morning, everyone.

I've been seeing a lot more talk lately about resistance bands, not just for rehab or activation, but actually for hypertrophy training. I've used them for warm-ups and some accessory work, like face pulls or banded push-ups, but never really considered them for primary lifts.

Some articles suggest they can provide accommodating resistance, meaning the tension increases as the muscle contracts, which sounds great for muscle stimulus. But can you really get a comparable level of muscle breakdown and growth with bands alone compared to free weights or machines?

Has anyone here successfully built significant muscle mass or overcome plateaus by incorporating bands as a main training tool, not just an add-on? Or are they mostly just good for activation, warm-ups, and maybe some pump work at the end of a session?

I'm curious to hear practical experiences. Thinking about adding more band work into my routine, especially for arms and shoulders, but I want to make sure it's actually going to contribute to hypertrophy and not just be a time-filler. What's your take?