yt-dlp can show a rich progress bar by default if you set 'quiet': False and 'progress_hooks' . Or you can use the built-in --progress style. Let’s implement a custom hook:
# Get the best progressive stream (video + audio combined) # Progressive streams max out at 720p for most videos stream = video.streams.get_highest_resolution()
The search term "free downloader" is the hook. Here is the reality of the cost:
If you want to provide a "Getting Started" section, use these steps: Install Python 3.10+. Install Library: pip install yt-dlp or pip install pytube . Run: Execute the .py file and follow the terminal prompts. youtube playlist free downloader python script
Create a new file named playlist_downloader.py and paste the following code:
Open your terminal (macOS/Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows) and run the following command to install the library via pip : pip install yt-dlp Use code with caution. 3. Install FFmpeg (Highly Recommended)
If the script throws an error during the post-processing phase, it means your operating system cannot locate the FFmpeg binary execution path. yt-dlp can show a rich progress bar by
Create a file named playlist_downloader.py and paste the following comprehensive script. This code includes error handling, progress tracking, and custom directory routing. Use code with caution. ⚙️ How the Script Works Under the Hood
python playlist_downloader.py "https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=..." --quality 720
if not stream: print(f" ✗ No suitable stream found. Skipping.") fail_count += 1 continue Here is the reality of the cost: If
# Alternatively, to get the highest resolution regardless (may require merging): # stream = video.streams.filter(progressive=False, file_extension='mp4').first()
logging.warning(f"Failed to download video_url: str(e)")
| Feature | pytube | yt-dlp | |------------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------------| | | Simple, intuitive API | Slightly steeper learning curve | | Playlist support | Yes, but sometimes buggy | Excellent, robust | | Maintenance | Slower updates, breaks often | Actively maintained | | Format selection | Good | Superior (HDR, AV1, etc.) | | Speed | Moderate | Fast with fragmentation support | | Dependencies | None (pure Python) | Optional FFmpeg for merging |
Select quality: