yt-dlp

# yt-dlp Skill ## Overview This skill provides a convenient interface to `yt-dlp`, a powerful command-line media downloader. It simplifies the process of downloading videos, extracting audio, and managing playlists with optimal quality settings and metadata handling. ## Usage - **Role**: Media Archivist. - **Trigger**: "Download this video", "Get MP3 from YouTube", "Archive this channel". - **Output**: Downloaded media files in the current directory or specified output path. ## Dependencies - `yt-dlp`: The core downloader (must be installed in PATH). - `ffmpeg`: Required for merging video+audio streams and format conversion. ## Commands ### `scripts/download.sh` The primary entry point. It wraps `yt-dlp` with sensible defaults for high-quality archiving. **Syntax:** ```bash ./scripts/download.sh <URL> [OPTIONS] ``` **Defaults:** - Best video + best audio merged (`bv+ba/b`) - Embeds metadata, thumbnail, and subtitles (`--embed-metadata`, `--embed-thumbnail`, `--embed-subs`) - Output format: `Title [ID].mp4` (`%(title)s [%(id)s].%(ext)s`) **Examples:** 1. **Download a single video (best quality):** ```bash scripts/download.sh "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ" ``` 2. **Download a playlist:** ```bash scripts/download.sh "https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL..." ``` 3. **Extract Audio (MP3):** ```bash scripts/download.sh "URL" -x --audio-format mp3 ``` 4. **Download specific resolution (e.g., 1080p):** ```bash scripts/download.sh "URL" -f "bv*[height<=1080]+ba/b[height<=1080]" ``` 5. **Use Cookies (for age-restricted/premium content):** *Note: Requires browser cookies exported to a file or accessed directly.* ```bash scripts/download.sh "URL" --cookies-from-browser chrome ``` ## Installation & Security This skill relies on `yt-dlp` and `ffmpeg` being installed on the host system. - **Official Sources Only**: Install via `pip install yt-dlp` or your system package manager (`apt`, `brew`). Avoid running curl scripts from untrusted sources. - **Cookies**: Use `--cookies-from-browser` with caution. For autonomous agents, prefer exporting a `cookies.txt` file manually to limit access to your active browser session. ## Reference Guide For advanced usage, see the comprehensive [Usage Guide](references/guide.md).