yt-x lets you search and browse YouTube from a terminal or launcher such as fzf or rofi, then play, queue, or download results using tools including yt-dlp and mpv. It is a POSIX shell interface, not a video-hosting service: the available media and many fetch or download operations depend on yt-dlp’s support for the site.
What yt-x does—and what you need
yt-x wraps command-line and desktop utilities to provide an interactive way to browse YouTube and other sites supported by yt-dlp. You can search videos, playlists, channels, shorts, and movies; open channel sections and feeds; and act on results without using YouTube in a browser. The project describes itself as a POSIX script for browsing YouTube and other yt-dlp-supported sites from a terminal or app launcher, with optional previews (yt-x project README).
Install the required tools before using it:
- Required: yt-dlp, fzf, jq, curl, and a POSIX-compliant shell.
- Recommended: a Nerd Font if you want the interface’s icons.
- Optional: mpv, VLC, or tplay for playback; rofi as an app launcher; and image tools such as chafa, icat, or imgcat for previews. Kitty, Ghostty, WezTerm, gum, and bat are also listed as optional components.
Which optional tools are useful depends on how you want to browse and play media. You do not need a desktop launcher or preview renderer to use the terminal interface.
How to install yt-x
The project README documents a universal install route, Arch Linux AUR packages, and Nix/NixOS options. These are the project’s documented methods; check the README for the current commands and package details because release assets and package recipes can change.
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- Suitable for terminal operations, command-line input,and graphical interface browsing
- Supports seamless switching between Batt and external power,enhancing system reliability. Supports handheld gaming, compatible with the RetroPie system
Universal installation
The universal route downloads a release script into ~/.local/bin and marks it executable. Use the exact command shown in the current project README. Make sure ~/.local/bin is on your shell’s PATH so that yt-x can be launched by name.
Arch Linux
The README lists these AUR commands:
yay -S yt-x-gitparu -S yt-x-git
Nix and NixOS
The README documents installation through a GitHub flake or a package declaration. Follow its current Nix instructions for the method that matches your configuration.
How to search and browse
Run yt-x to open the interactive interface. You can also start with a search mode from the command line; the project documents short and long forms for video search, plus modes for playlists, channels, shorts, and movies. Consult the README for the complete current flag syntax.
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- The PocketTerm35 is a handheld computer designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi 4B and Pi 5.
- It provides a complete Linux desktop experience, enabling you to enter commands, run development tools, or execute daily computing tasks directly in the terminal at any time.
- Features a compact 93.5 × 168.5 × 37 mm design, equipped with a 3.5inch 640 × 480 optical bonding touch display. Portable and lightweight, it is an ideal tool for geeks, developers, and electronics enthusiasts.
- Suitable for terminal operations, command-line input,and graphical interface browsing
- Supports seamless switching between Batt and external power,enhancing system reliability. Supports handheld gaming, compatible with the RetroPie system
Search terms can include inline filters. For example, time filters include :today and :week; type filters include :live and :short; feature filters include :4k, :hd, and :subtitles; and sorting filters include :newest and :views. The documented filter set also includes hour, month, and year ranges; video, movie, and long formats; HDR, 360, VR, 3D, and local features; and rating sort. Use the filters supported by the current project version.
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Bang syntax recalls previous searches—for example, !1 recalls the most recent search. The interface also supports pagination and search history, which can make a terminal session useful for more than one-off queries.
Feeds, channels, and saved items
Beyond search results, yt-x’s documented features include personal feeds for Home, Trending, Watch Later, Liked Videos, Watch History, and Clips. Channel browsing can expose videos, featured content, playlists, shorts, streams, and podcasts, as well as search within a channel. The README also lists saved videos, custom playlists, and generated mixes. Availability of account-specific material can depend on cookies and the underlying site access provided through yt-dlp.
Rank #3
- The PocketTerm35 is a handheld computer designed specifically for the Raspb Pi 4B and Pi 5
- It provides a complete Linux desktop experience, enabling you to enter commands, run development tools, or execute daily computing tasks directly in the terminal at any time
- Features a compact 93.5 × 168.5 × 37 mm design, equipped with a 3.5inch 640 × 480 optical bonding touch display
- Portable and lightweight, it is an ideal tool for geeks, developers, and electronics enthusiasts
- MCU：Built-in RP2040 MCU for controlling functions such as the keyboard, brightness, and volume
Play videos, queue playlists, or download media
yt-x can hand playback to mpv, VLC, or tplay. Its documented actions include playing an individual video, queueing or playing a complete playlist, and listening to playlist items in audio-only mode. It can also download individual videos or playlists and extract MP3 audio.
A download archive records previously downloaded media to help reduce duplicate downloads. Files can be organized into video or audio directories by channel and playlist. These are local-management features; yt-x does not host the media.
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Use cookies for account-specific content
The README describes passing browser cookies to yt-dlp through a configured browser. This can be relevant for age-restricted, private, or other account-specific content. Configure the browser setting using the project’s instructions and ensure you understand the security implications of granting a local tool access to browser cookies. Cookies do not guarantee access: permissions, account status, and yt-dlp’s support for the site still matter.
Rank #4
- Compatible With: RJ45 Keyboard to USB Converter v1.0 cable Compatible with IBM Model M Terminal keyboards
- Applicable scenarios:RJ45 to USB Converter v1.0 uses Soarer’s Converter firmware so you can use your old IBM Model M Terminal and compatible keyboards on a modern computer with USB support
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- No Power Required:Plug and play, more convenient connection
Configure the interface and extend it
The default configuration file is ~/.config/yt-x/config, with the XDG configuration directory respected when XDG_CONFIG_HOME is set. Environment variables prefixed with YT_X_ can override settings for a session. Documented settings cover the launcher, player, previews, image renderer, browser, download directory, pagination, enumeration, and related interface behavior.
Extensions are POSIX shell scripts sourced from ~/.config/yt-x/extensions/. Project examples include a downloads browser, Dailymotion support, language files, a Catppuccin theme, and custom menus. Extensions can add commands, sites, themes, interface behavior, and languages. Because scripts are sourced into yt-x’s shell context, follow the project’s extension model; in particular, use a function return where appropriate rather than calling exit, which can terminate the running process.
What can fail, and where to troubleshoot
yt-x depends on yt-dlp and other external programs rather than implementing site extraction itself. When a site cannot be fetched or downloaded, first determine whether yt-dlp is the failing component and update it as the project FAQ recommends. Issues with yt-x navigation, saved state, interface behavior, or previews are more directly within the project’s own troubleshooting boundary.
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- The PocketTerm35 is a handheld computer designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi 4B and Pi 5.
- It provides a complete Linux desktop experience, enabling you to enter commands, run development tools, or execute daily computing tasks directly in the terminal at any time.
- Features a compact 93.5 × 168.5 × 37 mm design, equipped with a 3.5inch 640 × 480 optical bonding touch display. Portable and lightweight, it is an ideal tool for geeks, developers, and electronics enthusiasts.
- Suitable for terminal operations, command-line input,and graphical interface browsing
- Supports seamless switching between Batt and external power,enhancing system reliability. Supports handheld gaming, compatible with the RetroPie system
The README also cautions that some metadata—such as preview channel, view count, live status, or follower count—may not appear normally, and mentions PO-token configuration as a possible remedy. That is not a guarantee that all YouTube metadata will be available.
yt-x is a good fit if you want keyboard-driven browsing, terminal playback handoff, playlist actions, or a launcher workflow. If you rely on a polished web interface, expect every piece of YouTube metadata to display, or need a feature beyond yt-dlp’s site support, a browser may be the more dependable choice.
Quick Recap
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