> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction to yt-dlp

> A feature-rich command-line audio/video downloader with support for thousands of sites

<img className="block" src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/master/.github/banner.svg" alt="yt-dlp Banner" />

## Welcome to yt-dlp

yt-dlp is a feature-rich command-line audio/video downloader with support for [thousands of sites](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/blob/master/supportedsites.md). It's a fork of youtube-dl based on the now inactive youtube-dlc, with additional features and fixes.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Install yt-dlp" icon="download" href="/installation">
    Get started by installing yt-dlp on your platform
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick start guide" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Download your first video in minutes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Format selection" icon="filter" href="/core-concepts/format-selection">
    Learn advanced format selection and quality control
  </Card>

  <Card title="Python API" icon="code" href="/api/overview">
    Embed yt-dlp in your Python applications
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Key features

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Download from thousands of sites" icon="globe">
    yt-dlp supports video downloads from thousands of websites including YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, Facebook, and many more. The extractor system is continuously updated with fixes and new site support.

    Key capabilities:

    * YouTube (including clips, stories, music, channels, and playlists)
    * Social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)
    * Video hosting platforms (Vimeo, Dailymotion, Twitch)
    * Educational sites (Coursera, Khan Academy, Udemy)
    * News and media outlets
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Advanced format selection" icon="sliders">
    Choose exactly the quality and format you want with powerful sorting and filtering options.

    Features:

    * Intelligent format sorting by resolution, codec, and bitrate
    * Custom format filters using `-S` option
    * Merge best video and audio automatically
    * Support for HDR, 4K, 8K, and high frame rate content
    * Download specific format combinations
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Audio extraction and conversion" icon="music">
    Extract audio from videos and convert to your preferred format.

    Capabilities:

    * Extract audio in original quality
    * Convert to MP3, M4A, FLAC, Opus, Vorbis, WAV
    * Automatic bitrate selection or custom bitrate
    * Embed metadata and thumbnails
    * Split by chapters for albums and podcasts
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="SponsorBlock integration" icon="forward">
    Automatically mark or remove sponsor segments from YouTube videos using the SponsorBlock API.

    Options:

    * Skip sponsor segments, intros, outros, self-promotion
    * Remove segments entirely during download
    * Mark chapters for manual skipping
    * Community-driven segment database
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Flexible output templates" icon="file">
    Control exactly how and where files are saved with powerful templating.

    Features:

    * Date-time formatting and numeric offsets
    * Metadata-based file naming
    * Separate paths for different file types
    * Playlist-aware numbering and organization
    * Regular expression replacement
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Post-processing with FFmpeg" icon="wand-magic-sparkles">
    Extensive post-processing capabilities using FFmpeg.

    Options:

    * Format conversion and remuxing
    * Embed subtitles, thumbnails, and metadata
    * Split or concatenate videos
    * Apply audio/video filters
    * Extract chapters and segments
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Plugin system" icon="puzzle-piece">
    Extend yt-dlp with custom extractors and post-processors.

    Capabilities:

    * Load extractors from external files
    * Custom post-processing plugins
    * Replace or extend built-in extractors
    * Install via pip or configuration directories
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Playlist and channel support" icon="list">
    Download entire playlists, channels, and feeds with ease.

    Features:

    * YouTube playlists and channels (including shorts and live)
    * Playlist item filtering and ranges
    * Archive file to avoid re-downloading
    * Random order or reverse download
    * Download from start for livestreams
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Why yt-dlp?

yt-dlp improves upon youtube-dl with:

* **Better performance**: Multi-threaded fragment downloads for faster speeds
* **More features**: SponsorBlock integration, cookies from browser, download time ranges
* **Active development**: Regular updates with new extractors and bug fixes
* **YouTube reliability**: Fix for throttling issues and enhanced YouTube support
* **Flexible updates**: Stable, nightly, and master release channels

## What's next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation" icon="download" href="/installation">
    Install yt-dlp using pip, binaries, or package managers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick start" icon="play" href="/quickstart">
    Download your first video and learn basic commands
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/core-concepts/configuration">
    Set up configuration files for your preferences
  </Card>

  <Card title="Browse guides" icon="book" href="/guides/downloading-videos">
    Explore detailed guides for common tasks
  </Card>
</CardGroup>