youtube-backup

A single-user command-line tool that exports its owner's own YouTube subscriptions and playlists to CSV files on their own computer.

What it does

It reads the signed-in account's subscription list and playlists through the YouTube Data API v3 and writes them to CSV files on the local disk. It runs on a weekly timer. A new dated file is written only when something has actually changed, so the files double as a change history.

Why it exists

A YouTube account can be lost without warning, and deleting or losing a channel takes its subscriptions, playlists and history with it irreversibly. These CSVs mean that rebuilding starts from a list rather than from memory.

What it does not do

• It requests read-only access (youtube.readonly) and cannot change, upload, delete or post anything.
• It sends no data anywhere. Everything it writes stays on the machine it runs on.
• It has no server, no analytics, no telemetry and no third-party services.
• It is not a public service. It has exactly one user: its author.

Privacy

See the privacy policy.