// Download endpoint app.post("/download", (req, res) => const url = req.body; if (!url) return res.status(400).json( error: "URL required" );
YD.download(videoId, outputFile: "my-cool-song.mp3" ); The package uses FFmpeg’s -ab (audio bitrate) flag. Insert it via the ffmpegParams option: youtube-mp3-downloader npm
Run it:
const YD = new YoutubeMp3Downloader( outputPath: "./downloads", requestOptions: headers: cookie: "YOUR_SESSION_COOKIE" ); Let’s elevate this from a script to a web service. We’ll create an API endpoint that accepts a YouTube URL and returns the MP3. Step 1: Install Express and other helpers npm install express cors uuid Step 2: Create server.js const express = require("express"); const cors = require("cors"); const YoutubeMp3Downloader = require("youtube-mp3-downloader"); const v4: uuidv4 = require("uuid"); const fs = require("fs"); const path = require("path"); const app = express(); app.use(cors()); app.use(express.json()); // Download endpoint app
// Listen for finished event YD.once(`finished-$videoId`, (err, data) => if (err) return res.status(500).json( error: err.message ); const filePath = path.join(DOWNLOAD_DIR, data.file); res.download(filePath, data.file, (err) => if (err) console.error("File send error:", err); // Optionally delete the file after download to save space // fs.unlinkSync(filePath); ); ); Step 1: Install Express and other helpers npm
Run: node cli.js dQw4w9WgXcQ The youtube-mp3-downloader npm package is a testament to the power of Node.js – transforming complex multimedia operations into a few lines of event-driven code. Whether you’re building a personal podcast archiver, a study tool for educational lectures, or automating backups of your own creative work, this library provides a robust foundation.
| Package | Approach | Pros | Cons | |---------|----------|------|------| | | High-level wrapper | Easy events, progress, metadata | Less control, relies on FFmpeg path | | ytdl-core + fluent-ffmpeg | Manual streaming | Total control, lighter | More boilerplate code | | yt-dlp (Python + Node wrapper) | External binary | Supports 1000+ sites | Heavy, Python dependency | | play-dl | Discord-focused | Good for bots, no FFmpeg for info | Limited MP3 conversion |