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Examples of Embedding yt-dlp

This page provides various examples of how to embed yt-dlp functionality in your Python scripts. These examples cover a range of common use cases and demonstrate the flexibility of yt-dlp's API.

1. Basic Video Download​

Download a single video with default options:

import yt_dlp

def download_video(url):
    ydl_opts = {}
    with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
        ydl.download([url])

# Usage
download_video('https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ')

2. Download Audio Only​

Extract audio from a video and save it as an MP3:

import yt_dlp

ydl_opts = {
    'format': 'bestaudio/best',
    'postprocessors': [{
        'key': 'FFmpegExtractAudio',
        'preferredcodec': 'mp3',
        'preferredquality': '192',
    }],
    'outtmpl': '%(title)s.%(ext)s'
}

with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
    ydl.download(['https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ'])

3. Extract Video Information​

Get metadata about a video without downloading it:

import yt_dlp

def get_video_info(url):
    ydl_opts = {}
    with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
        info = ydl.extract_info(url, download=False)
    return info

# Usage
info = get_video_info('https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ')
print(f"Title: {info['title']}")
print(f"Duration: {info['duration']} seconds")

4. Download Playlist​

Download all videos from a playlist:

import yt_dlp

def download_playlist(url):
    ydl_opts = {
        'outtmpl': '%(playlist)s/%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s',
    }
    with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
        ydl.download([url])

# Usage
download_playlist('https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrEnWoR732-BHrPp_Pm8_VleD68f9s14-')

5. Custom Output Template​

Use a custom output template to organize downloads:

import yt_dlp

ydl_opts = {
    'outtmpl': '%(uploader)s/%(playlist)s/%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s'
}

with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
    ydl.download(['https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ'])

6. Download with Progress Callback​

Implement a progress callback to track download progress:

import yt_dlp

def my_hook(d):
    if d['status'] == 'finished':
        print('Done downloading, now converting ...')
    elif d['status'] == 'downloading':
        print(f"Downloading: {d['filename']} - {d['_percent_str']} complete")

ydl_opts = {
    'progress_hooks': [my_hook],
}

with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
    ydl.download(['https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ'])

7. Error Handling​

Implement error handling for robustness:

import yt_dlp
from yt_dlp.utils import DownloadError

def safe_download(url):
    ydl_opts = {}
    try:
        with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
            ydl.download([url])
    except DownloadError as e:
        print(f"Error downloading {url}: {str(e)}")

# Usage
safe_download('https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ')

8. Batch Download from File​

Download videos listed in a text file:

import yt_dlp

def batch_download(file_path):
    with open(file_path, 'r') as f:
        urls = [line.strip() for line in f]

    ydl_opts = {}
    with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
        ydl.download(urls)

# Usage
batch_download('video_urls.txt')

9. Download with Authentication​

Download content that requires authentication:

import yt_dlp

ydl_opts = {
    'username': 'your_username',
    'password': 'your_password',
}

with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
    ydl.download(['https://www.example.com/private_video'])

10. Custom Format Selection​

Select a specific format for download:

import yt_dlp

ydl_opts = {
    'format': 'bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio/best[height<=1080]'
}

with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
    ydl.download(['https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ'])

These examples demonstrate various ways to embed yt-dlp functionality in your Python scripts. You can combine and modify these examples to suit your specific needs. Remember to handle exceptions, respect website terms of service, and consider performance implications when working with large numbers of videos or playlists.