YouTube Video Downloader - Ultra-Fast CLI

Simple • Fast • Local-Only

Download YouTube videos at maximum speed using this lightweight command-line tool. Runs entirely on your computer with no web browser or server required.

✨ Features

• ⚡ Ultra-Fast Downloads - Uses aria2c for 5-15x speed boost (16 parallel connections)
• 📁 Custom Save Location - Choose where to save your videos
• 🎯 MP4 Format - Downloads clean, compatible MP4 files
• 🏠 100% Local - Runs offline, no cloud, no tracking
• 🎨 Simple CLI - Easy interactive prompts
• 🚀 Optimized - Automatic speed optimization with fallback modes

📋 Requirements

Required:

• Python 3.8 or newer
• Internet connection (for downloading)

Optional (for maximum speed):

• aria2c - Enables 5-15x faster downloads

🚀 Quick Start

1. Install Python

Download and install Python 3.8+ from python.org

Important: During installation, check "Add Python to PATH"

Verify installation:

python --version

2. Clone or Download This Project

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/videocode.git
cd videocode

Or download as ZIP and extract.

3. Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

This installs yt-dlp (the YouTube download engine).

4. Run the Downloader

python downloader.py

💨 Enable Maximum Speed (Highly Recommended)

Install aria2c for 5-15x faster downloads:

Windows

1. Download from GitHub Releases
2. Extract aria2c.exe
3. Add to PATH or place in C:\Windows\System32

Linux

sudo apt update
sudo apt install aria2

macOS

brew install aria2

Verify Installation

aria2c --version

📖 Usage Example

======================================================================
  YOUTUBE VIDEO DOWNLOADER - Ultra-Fast CLI
======================================================================
  [SPEED MODE] aria2c detected - Maximum speed enabled!
======================================================================

Enter YouTube URL:
> https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

[FETCHING] Getting video information...

[VIDEO TITLE] Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
[DURATION] 3m 33s

Available MP4 qualities:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
  1) 1080p [with audio]   (ID: 22    ) - 45.2 MB
  2) 720p  [with audio]   (ID: 136   ) - 28.5 MB
  3) 480p  [video only]   (ID: 135   ) - 15.3 MB
  4) Best quality available
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Choose quality number: 2
[SELECTED] 720p

Enter download folder path:
(Leave empty to use current directory)
> C:\Users\YourName\Videos

[USING] Download folder: C:\Users\YourName\Videos

======================================================================
  STARTING DOWNLOAD
======================================================================

[SPEED BOOST] Using aria2c (16 parallel connections)

[DOWNLOADING] Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
[SAVING TO] C:\Users\YourName\Videos

Progress:  100.00% | Speed:  12.34 MB/s | ETA:   0s
[PROCESSING] Finalizing download...

======================================================================
  DOWNLOAD COMPLETE!
======================================================================

[SUCCESS] Video saved to:
  C:\Users\YourName\Videos\Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up.mp4

[FILE SIZE] 28.50 MB

======================================================================

🎯 Supported URLs

• Standard: https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
• Short: https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID
• Shorts: https://youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID
• Embed: https://youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID

🔧 Troubleshooting

Slow Downloads (1-3 MB/s)?

Solution: Install aria2c (see Enable Maximum Speed)

Speed comparison:

• Without aria2c: 1-3 MB/s (single connection)
• With aria2c: 10-20+ MB/s (16 parallel connections)

"No MP4 formats available"

Cause: Video doesn't have MP4 format

Solution: Try a different video

"Video is unavailable or removed"

Causes:

• Video was deleted by creator
• Video is region-locked
• Video is age-restricted
• Video is private

Solution: Try a different public video

"Video is DRM-protected"

Cause: Video has digital rights management (premium content)

Solution: This downloader only works with free, public YouTube videos

"Invalid download folder"

Cause: Folder path doesn't exist or no write permission

Solution:

• Use full absolute path (e.g., C:\Users\Name\Videos)
• Or leave empty to use current directory
• Make sure folder is writable

"Network timeout - connection too slow"

Causes:

• Slow internet connection
• Network congestion
• ISP throttling

Solutions:

1. Install aria2c for better reliability
2. Try again later
3. Use wired connection instead of Wi-Fi
4. Choose lower quality (720p or 480p)

Python not found

Cause: Python not installed or not in PATH

Solution:

1. Reinstall Python from python.org
2. During installation, check "Add Python to PATH"
3. Restart terminal/command prompt

📊 Performance Tips

Maximum Speed Configuration

1. ✅ Install aria2c (5-15x speed boost)
2. ✅ Use wired Ethernet (faster than Wi-Fi)
3. ✅ Choose 720p (good balance of quality and speed)
4. ✅ Close other downloads (free up bandwidth)
5. ✅ Download during off-peak hours

Quality vs Speed

Quality	File Size (10min)	Download Time (with aria2c)
1080p	~200 MB	~15 seconds
720p	~100 MB	~8 seconds
480p	~50 MB	~4 seconds

*Times are approximate with 100 Mbps connection

📁 Project Structure

videocode/
├── downloader.py          # Main script (run this)
├── simple_downloader.py   # Core download functions
├── exceptions.py          # Error handling
├── requirements.txt       # Dependencies (yt-dlp)
├── README.md             # This file
└── HOW_TO_USE.md         # Detailed guide

❓ FAQ

Q: Is this legal?
A: Use only for personal purposes and videos you have permission to download. Respect copyright and YouTube's Terms of Service.

Q: Does it work offline?
A: You need internet to download videos, but the tool runs locally on your machine.

Q: Can I download playlists?
A: Not currently. Download videos one at a time.

Q: Does it save my data or track me?
A: No. Everything runs 100% locally. No analytics, no tracking, no cloud storage.

Q: Why do I need aria2c?
A: aria2c enables parallel downloading (16 connections), making downloads 5-15x faster. It's optional but highly recommended.

Q: Can I download 4K videos?
A: Yes, if the video has 4K MP4 format available, you'll see it in the quality list.

Q: Where are videos saved?
A: You choose the folder each time. If you leave it empty, videos save to the current directory.

Q: Can I cancel a download?
A: Yes, press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac) to cancel.

🆘 Getting Help

For detailed instructions, see HOW_TO_USE.md

For issues:

1. Check the Troubleshooting section
2. Make sure yt-dlp is updated: pip install --upgrade yt-dlp
3. Check your internet connection
4. Try a different video

🔄 Updates

Keep yt-dlp updated (YouTube changes frequently):

pip install --upgrade yt-dlp

📜 License

MIT License - Free for personal use

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Made with ❤️ for fast, simple, local video downloads

No web browser • No server • No complexity • Just speed