OpenSkillIndex← back to search
claude-code

Clawfu-skills youtube-downloader

Download and process YouTube content for research. Use when: downloading competitor videos for analysis; extracting audio for podcasts; getting transcripts for content repurposing; archiving webinars; research content curation

install
source · Clone the upstream repo
git clone https://github.com/guia-matthieu/clawfu-skills
Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/
T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/guia-matthieu/clawfu-skills "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/skills/automation/youtube-downloader" ~/.claude/skills/guia-matthieu-clawfu-skills-youtube-downloader && rm -rf "$T"
manifest: skills/automation/youtube-downloader/SKILL.md
source content

YouTube Downloader

Download YouTube videos, extract audio, and get transcripts using yt-dlp - the most reliable YouTube extraction tool.

When to Use This Skill

  • Competitor research - Download and analyze competitor videos
  • Content repurposing - Extract audio for podcasts or transcripts for blogs
  • Training material - Archive webinars and tutorials
  • Quote extraction - Get transcripts for pulling quotable moments
  • Offline access - Save videos for travel or presentations

What Claude Does vs What You Decide

Claude DoesYou Decide
Structures production workflowFinal creative direction
Suggests technical approachesEquipment and tool choices
Creates templates and checklistsQuality standards
Identifies best practicesBrand/voice decisions
Generates script outlinesFinal script approval

Dependencies

pip install yt-dlp click
# Optional for transcription:
pip install openai-whisper

Commands

Download Video

python scripts/main.py download "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..." --format mp4
python scripts/main.py download "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..." --quality 1080p

Extract Audio

python scripts/main.py audio "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..." --format mp3
python scripts/main.py audio "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..." --format wav

Get Transcript

python scripts/main.py transcript "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..."
python scripts/main.py transcript "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..." --translate en

Download Playlist

python scripts/main.py playlist "https://youtube.com/playlist?list=..." --limit 10
python scripts/main.py playlist "https://youtube.com/playlist?list=..." --audio-only

Get Metadata

python scripts/main.py info "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..."
python scripts/main.py info "https://youtube.com/watch?v=..." --format json

Examples

Example 1: Research Competitor Content

# Get video metadata
python scripts/main.py info "https://youtube.com/watch?v=ABC123"

# Output:
# Title: How We Grew to $1M ARR
# Channel: SaaS Founder
# Duration: 15:32
# Views: 45,230
# Published: 2024-01-15
# Tags: saas, growth, startup

# Download transcript for analysis
python scripts/main.py transcript "https://youtube.com/watch?v=ABC123"
# Output: how-we-grew-to-1m-arr.txt

Example 2: Create Podcast from Webinar

# Download audio only
python scripts/main.py audio "https://youtube.com/watch?v=WEBINAR" --format mp3 --quality best

# Output: webinar-title.mp3 (ready for podcast editing)

# Get transcript for show notes
python scripts/main.py transcript "https://youtube.com/watch?v=WEBINAR"
# Output: webinar-title.txt

Example 3: Archive Training Playlist

# Download entire playlist
python scripts/main.py playlist "https://youtube.com/playlist?list=TRAINING" \
  --output ./training-videos/ \
  --limit 20

# Output:
# ./training-videos/
# ├── 01-introduction.mp4
# ├── 02-getting-started.mp4
# └── ...

Quality Options

OptionResolutionFile SizeUse Case
best
Highest availableLargestArchival
1080p
1920x1080~1GB/hourStandard
720p
1280x720~500MB/hourBalance
480p
854x480~250MB/hourMobile
audio
N/A~100MB/hourPodcasts

Audio Formats

FormatQualitySizeCompatibility
mp3
GoodSmallUniversal
m4a
BetterMediumApple/Modern
wav
LosslessLargeEditing
opus
BestSmallestModern apps

Legal Considerations

⚠️ Important: Only download content you have rights to use.

Generally OK:

  • Your own videos
  • Creative Commons content
  • Content for personal research/reference
  • Content with explicit download permission

Check First:

  • Competitor content (fair use analysis)
  • Content for derivative works
  • Anything for commercial use

Skill Boundaries

What This Skill Does Well

  • Structuring audio production workflows
  • Providing technical guidance
  • Creating quality checklists
  • Suggesting creative approaches

What This Skill Cannot Do

  • Replace audio engineering expertise
  • Make subjective creative decisions
  • Access or edit audio files directly
  • Guarantee commercial success

Related Skills

Skill Metadata

  • Mode: cyborg
category: automation
subcategory: content-extraction
dependencies: [yt-dlp]
difficulty: beginner
time_saved: 4+ hours/week