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Overview

yt-dlp-ejs provides external JavaScript support for yt-dlp, enabling it to process YouTube player code across multiple JavaScript runtimes including Deno, Bun, and Node.js.

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Requirements

Python Version: Requires Python 3.10 or higherSupported Python implementations:
  • CPython 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14
  • PyPy

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Installation

1

Install with pip

Install yt-dlp-ejs into the same Python environment as yt-dlp:
pip install -U yt-dlp-ejs
The -U flag ensures you get the latest version.
2

Verify installation

Verify the installation by importing the module in Python:
import yt_dlp_ejs
from yt_dlp_ejs import version

print(f"yt-dlp-ejs version: {version}")
You should see the installed version number without any errors.
3

Test solver functions

Verify that the solver bundles are accessible:
import yt_dlp_ejs.yt.solver

# Check if core bundle is available
core_js = yt_dlp_ejs.yt.solver.core()
print(f"Core bundle size: {len(core_js)} bytes")

# Check if lib bundle is available
lib_js = yt_dlp_ejs.yt.solver.lib()
print(f"Lib bundle size: {len(lib_js)} bytes")

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Dependencies

yt-dlp-ejs has zero runtime dependencies. All required JavaScript code is bundled within the package, including:
  • meriyah - JavaScript parser (ISC License)
  • astring - JavaScript code generator (MIT License)
The package itself is licensed under the Unlicense, but prebuilt wheels include third-party dependencies under their respective licenses (ISC and MIT).

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What Gets Installed

When you install yt-dlp-ejs, you get:

Python API

Python functions to access the JavaScript solver bundles

Core Bundle

Minified JavaScript solver for processing player code (core.min.js)

Library Bundle

Minified JavaScript library bundle for extended functionality (lib.min.js)

Version Info

Version metadata for tracking installed releases

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Troubleshooting

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Python Version Issues

If you encounter errors about Python version compatibility: 
# Check your Python version
python --version

# Ensure you're using Python 3.10 or higher
python3.10 -m pip install -U yt-dlp-ejs

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Import Errors

If you get import errors, ensure yt-dlp-ejs is installed in the correct environment: 
# Check where yt-dlp-ejs is installed
pip show yt-dlp-ejs

# Reinstall if needed
pip uninstall yt-dlp-ejs
pip install yt-dlp-ejs

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Next Steps

Quickstart

Get started with a working example

API Reference

Explore the full API documentation

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