You-get: Dumb downloader that scrapes the web

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Project issue policy and contributor requirements

  • Main controversy: maintainers require bug reports to come as pull requests containing at least one failing test, not just an issue.
  • Supporters say this:
    • Acts as a hard filter against low-effort, noisy issues and support requests.
    • A failing test is a strong, non-gamable proof of a bug and focuses scarce maintainer time.
    • For this project, adding such tests can be relatively simple (often a URL-based case).
  • Critics argue:
    • Many competent users cannot code or do not know Python, git, or the project’s test setup.
    • Good bug reports can be written without writing code; this gate keeps out valuable feedback.
    • Some of the “good example” commits already look too complex for casual users.
  • There is debate over whether this is a justified survival tactic for overburdened maintainers or an exclusionary barrier.

Spam, issue abuse, and project sustainability

  • The policy is partly framed as protection against GitHub spam and support-style questions.
  • Some point to rising spam and entitled behavior in OSS issue trackers, including off-topic and abusive reports.
  • Suggested alternatives include better issue templates and more aggressive closing of low-quality issues.
  • Others say ignoring/closing isn’t enough; pre-emptive gates are needed to prevent burnout.

Comparison to yt-dlp and functionality

  • Multiple commenters ask why one would use this over yt-dlp, which already supports many sites.
  • you-get appears extractor-based and functionally similar but “less sophisticated” in some eyes.
  • Some note minor implementation curiosities (e.g., its own MP4 joiner despite ffmpeg dependency).
  • Overall, the thread does not reach a clear consensus on unique advantages versus yt-dlp.

Use cases and user experience

  • People discuss adjacent workflows: downloading audio-only streams, integrating with players (mpv, mobile apps, browser extensions), and automation scripts.
  • One user reports a specific Python TypeError when running you-get, even with non–age-restricted videos; others confirm similar failures and suggest checking Python versions or using containers.

Ethics, copyright, and platform responses

  • Debate over tools that bypass ads, paywalls, and DRM-like measures:
    • Some justify them due to intrusive advertising and content preservation needs.
    • Others worry this behavior drives platforms toward stricter client attestation and DRM.
  • Bandcamp support is questioned ethically since the platform already offers paid downloads; others counter that tooling and automation convenience still matter.