# cobalt api
this directory includes the source code for cobalt api. it's made with [express.js](https://www.npmjs.com/package/express) and love!

## running your own instance
if you want to run your own instance for whatever purpose, [follow this guide](/docs/run-an-instance.md).
we recommend to use docker compose unless you intend to run cobalt for developing/debugging purposes.

## accessing the api
there is currently no publicly available pre-hosted api.
we recommend [deploying your own instance](/docs/run-an-instance.md) if you wish to use the cobalt api.

you can read [the api documentation here](/docs/api.md).

> [!WARNING]
> the v7 public api (/api/json) will be shut down on **november 11th, 2024**.
> you can access documentation for it [here](https://github.com/imputnet/cobalt/blob/7/docs/api.md).

## supported services
this list is not final and keeps expanding over time. if support for a service you want is missing, create an issue (or a pull request 👀).

| service           | video + audio | only audio | only video | metadata | rich file names |
| :--------         | :-----------: | :--------: | :--------: | :------: | :-------------: |
| bilibili          | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| bluesky           | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| dailymotion       | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ✅         | ✅              |
| instagram         | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| facebook          | ✅            | ❌         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| loom              | ✅            | ❌         | ✅         | ✅         | ➖              |
| ok.ru             | ✅            | ❌         | ✅         | ✅         | ✅              |
| pinterest         | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| reddit            | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ❌         | ❌              |
| rutube            | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ✅         | ✅              |
| snapchat          | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| soundcloud        | ➖            | ✅         | ➖         | ✅         | ✅              |
| streamable        | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| tiktok            | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ❌         | ❌              |
| tumblr            | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| twitch clips      | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ✅         | ✅              |
| twitter/x         | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| vimeo             | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ✅         | ✅              |
| vine              | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ➖         | ➖              |
| vk videos & clips | ✅            | ❌         | ✅         | ✅         | ✅              |
| youtube           | ✅            | ✅         | ✅         | ✅         | ✅              |

| emoji   | meaning                 |
| :-----: | :---------------------- |
| ✅      | supported               |
| ➖      | impossible/unreasonable |
| ❌      | not supported           |

### additional notes or features (per service)
| service    | notes or features                                                                                                    |
| :--------  | :-----                                                                                                               |
| instagram  | supports reels, photos, and videos. lets you pick what to save from multi-media posts.                               |
| facebook   | supports public accessible videos content only.                                                                      |
| pinterest  | supports photos, gifs, videos and stories.                                                                           |
| reddit     | supports gifs and videos.                                                                                            |
| snapchat   | supports spotlights and stories. lets you pick what to save from stories.                                            |
| rutube     | supports yappy & private links.                                                                                      |
| soundcloud | supports private links.                                                                                              |
| tiktok     | supports videos with or without watermark, images from slideshow without watermark, and full (original) audios.      |
| twitter/x  | lets you pick what to save from multi-media posts. may not be 100% reliable due to current management.               |
| vimeo      | audio downloads are only available for dash.                                                                         |
| youtube    | supports videos, music, and shorts. 8K, 4K, HDR, VR, and high FPS videos. rich metadata & dubs. h264/av1/vp9 codecs. |

## license
cobalt api code is licensed under [AGPL-3.0](LICENSE).

this license allows you to modify, distribute and use the code for any purpose
as long as you:
- give appropriate credit to the original repo when using or modifying any parts of the code,
- provide a link to the license and indicate if changes to the code were made, and
- release the code under the **same license**

## acknowledgements
### ffmpeg
cobalt heavily relies on ffmpeg for converting and merging media files. it's an absolutely amazing piece of software offered for anyone for free, yet doesn't receive as much credit as it should.

you can [support ffmpeg here](https://ffmpeg.org/donations.html)!

#### ffmpeg-static
we use [ffmpeg-static](https://github.com/eugeneware/ffmpeg-static) to get binaries for ffmpeg depending on the platform.

you can support the developer via various methods listed on their github page! (linked above)

### youtube.js
cobalt relies on [youtube.js](https://github.com/LuanRT/YouTube.js) for interacting with the innertube api, it wouldn't have been possible without it.

you can support the developer via various methods listed on their github page! (linked above)

### many others
cobalt also depends on:

- [content-disposition-header](https://www.npmjs.com/package/content-disposition-header) to simplify the provision of `content-disposition` headers.
- [cors](https://www.npmjs.com/package/cors) to manage cross-origin resource sharing within expressjs.
- [dotenv](https://www.npmjs.com/package/dotenv) to load environment variables from the `.env` file.
- [esbuild](https://www.npmjs.com/package/esbuild) to minify the frontend files.
- [express](https://www.npmjs.com/package/express) as the backbone of cobalt servers.
- [express-rate-limit](https://www.npmjs.com/package/express-rate-limit) to rate limit api endpoints.
- [hls-parser](https://www.npmjs.com/package/hls-parser) to parse `m3u8` playlists for certain services.
- [ipaddr.js](https://www.npmjs.com/package/ipaddr.js) to parse ip addresses (for rate limiting).
- [nanoid](https://www.npmjs.com/package/nanoid) to generate unique (temporary) identifiers for each requested stream.
- [node-cache](https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-cache) to cache stream info in server ram for a limited amount of time.
- [psl](https://www.npmjs.com/package/psl) as the domain name parser.
- [set-cookie-parser](https://www.npmjs.com/package/set-cookie-parser) to parse cookies that cobalt receives from certain services.
- [undici](https://www.npmjs.com/package/undici) for making http requests.
- [url-pattern](https://www.npmjs.com/package/url-pattern) to match provided links with supported patterns.

...and many other packages that these packages rely on.
