MeTube

MeTube is a self-hosted web application that provides a graphical user interface for yt-dlp. It allows users to download video, audio, captions, and thumbnails from YouTube and various other websites through a browser-based interface. This removes the need to interact with a command line for every individual download task.

The software is deployed as a server, typically via Docker or docker-compose. It manages the download queue and saves files to a specified directory on the host system. This architecture makes it suitable for users who want to archive media on their own hardware while accessing the control panel from any device on their network.

Key features

• Download videos, audio, captions, and thumbnails via a web UI
• Support for downloading entire playlists and channels
• Subscription system to automatically queue new uploads from channels
• Configurable output templates for filenames and directory structures
• Support for custom yt-dlp options and presets
• Ability to separate audio and video downloads into different directories
• Concurrent download management to limit simultaneous tasks
• Integration with Docker for simplified deployment

Administrators can configure the application using a wide array of environment variables to control download behavior, storage paths, and web server settings. The system supports the automatic creation of custom directories and can be configured to use nightly yt-dlp builds to ensure compatibility with changing site structures. It also includes options for HTTPS certificates and CORS settings, which facilitate integration with browser extensions, bookmarklets, or reverse proxies. Users can define specific templates for how files are named when they are part of a playlist or a specific channel, ensuring organized storage.

Performance can be tuned by directing the temporary directory to an SSD or a RAM filesystem. The application also manages persistent state files for the queue, pending items, and subscriptions, ensuring that the download history and automated tasks persist across server restarts.

MeTube serves as a management layer for users who require a visual interface for media archiving and automated channel subscriptions.