youtube-dl

youtube-dl is a powerful open-source command-line utility for downloading video and audio from YouTube, Vimeo, and thousands of other platforms. It supports custom formats, quality settings, batch downloads, and extracting subtitles/metadata. Lightweight and cross-platform (including Mac), it’s favored by power users for flexibility and regular updates to bypass site changes. While lacking a GUI, its docs and community support help terminal-savvy users. Free and open-source, it adheres to open principles and is constantly improved by contributors.