yt5downloaderlink

A simple Python command-line video downloader built with yt-dlp.

The script accepts a video URL, downloads the best available video and audio, attempts to merge them into an MP4 file, displays download progress, and can automatically open the downloaded video using your system's default media player.

Features

• Download videos using yt-dlp
• Supports websites supported by yt-dlp
• Downloads the best available video and audio
• Automatically merges video and audio into MP4 when necessary
• Live download progress display
• Automatically creates the output directory
• Optional automatic video playback after downloading
• Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Simple command-line interface

Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• yt-dlp
• FFmpeg

Python

Check that Python is installed:

python --version

or:

python3 --version

Install yt-dlp

pip install yt-dlp

If your system uses pip3:

pip3 install yt-dlp

Install FFmpeg

FFmpeg is recommended because some websites provide video and audio as separate streams. yt-dlp needs FFmpeg to merge them into a single video file.

Check whether FFmpeg is installed:

ffmpeg -version

If the command is not found, install FFmpeg for your operating system and make sure it is available in your system PATH.

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/ben041/yt5downloader.git

Enter the project directory:

cd yt5downloader

Install the Python dependency:

pip install yt-dlp

You can also install the dependencies from a requirements.txt file if one is included in the project:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

Run the script:

python downloader.py

On some systems:

python3 downloader.py

The program will ask for two values:

enter video link / url(tiktok , facebook, youtube):
enter output name (without extension):

Example

enter video link / url(tiktok , facebook, youtube): https://example.com/video
enter output name (without extension): my_video

The downloaded file will be saved using the name:

my_video.mp4

Output

The script displays download progress in the terminal:

[#########################-------------------------] 50.00% - Speed: 2.35 MB/s

After the download finishes:

Download completed!!
Video downloaded successfully: ./my_video.mp4

If autoplay is enabled, the downloaded video will then be opened automatically.

How It Works

The script has three main parts.

1. Video playback

The play_video() function detects the operating system and attempts to open the downloaded video.

• Windows: uses os.startfile()
• macOS: uses open
• Linux/Unix: looks for xdg-open, vlc, or mpv

2. Video downloading

The download_video() function uses yt-dlp to:

1. Create the output directory if it doesn't exist.
2. Configure the output filename.
3. Select the best available video/audio combination.
4. Download the media.
5. Merge the streams into MP4 when required.
6. Display download progress.
7. Optionally open the downloaded file.

3. Progress tracking

The hook() function receives progress information from yt-dlp and displays:

• Download percentage
• Download speed
• A progress bar
• Completion status

Custom Usage

The downloader can also be imported into another Python program:

from downloader import download_video

result = download_video(
    "https://example.com/video",
    output_name="my_video",
    output_dir="downloads",
    autoplay=False
)

print(result["title"])
print(result["filepath"])

The function returns a dictionary containing information about the downloaded video:

{
    "title": "...",
    "ext": "mp4",
    "filepath": "/path/to/video.mp4"
}

Replace downloader with the actual Python filename containing the functions.

Supported Websites

This project uses yt-dlp, which supports a large number of websites and services.

However, website support can change over time. A URL working today does not guarantee that it will continue to work if the website changes its video delivery system or access requirements.

For the current list of supported sites, see the official yt-dlp documentation:

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/blob/master/supportedsites.md

Troubleshooting

yt-dlp is not installed

Install it with:

pip install yt-dlp

Then try running the script again.

FFmpeg errors

Install FFmpeg and make sure the ffmpeg command works from your terminal:

ffmpeg -version

The video does not download

First update yt-dlp:

pip install -U yt-dlp

Then try again.

Website changes, login requirements, geo-restrictions, age restrictions, or other access restrictions can prevent a download.

Video downloads but does not play automatically

The script depends on a media player being available on your system.

On Linux, it checks for:

xdg-open
vlc
mpv

You can still open the downloaded file manually if no compatible player is detected.

Project Structure

A simple project structure can look like this:

yt5downloaderlink/
│
├── downloader.py
├── README.md
└── requirements.txt

Your actual Python filename can be different.

Dependencies

The main Python dependency is:

• yt-dlp

The project may also require:

• FFmpeg

Legal and Responsible Use

This software is provided as a technical tool for downloading online media.

Users are responsible for complying with:

• Copyright laws
• The terms of service of the websites they use
• Applicable local laws and regulations
• Any restrictions associated with the content they download

Only download content that you have permission or legal rights to download.

The project does not grant users permission to download copyrighted material.

Disclaimer

This project is not affiliated with YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, or any other website supported by yt-dlp.

Third-party websites may change their systems at any time, which can cause downloading to stop working until yt-dlp is updated.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome.

If you find a bug or have an idea for improving the project:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch.
3. Make your changes.
4. Test the changes.
5. Open a pull request.

For bugs, please include:

• Operating system
• Python version
• yt-dlp version
• FFmpeg version
• The error message
• Steps to reproduce the problem

Avoid posting private URLs, authentication tokens, cookies, or other sensitive information in issues.

License

MIT License

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Made with Python and yt-dlp.