OT: How to install apps from GitHub

[TS-12]

I read many reddit posts and watched lots of videos, but still can't understand how GitHub works. Well, I understand that you have to clone a repository into github app and then run it somehow.

Here I'm trying to use this YouTube download GitHub app
https://github.com/yt-dlp

I "cloned' it to my github desktop app, but there is still nothing showing up to tun the program.

I just cant wrap this aorunf my head, I know how top doublw click on an app and it will install, aand how to install audio plugins. But this doesnt make sense for me.

Here I took a screnshot of how this Yt_Dlp Github app opens up for me

Screen Shot 2025-04-23 at 2.03.50 PM.png

[Karbon L. Forms]

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp#installation

[whyterabbyt]

I read many reddit posts and watched lots of videos, but still can't understand how GitHub works. Well, I understand that you have to clone a repository into github app and then run it somehow.

Erm, not really.

Git is a set of source code management tools for software developers. A project's code is contained in what's called a repository.
Github is a website which has the primary function of hosting Git repositories, to allow software developers to manage their source code. As a side effect, it can allow them to share their source code with others.
Optionally, it can allow them to share final compiled applications.
A Github repository can be accessed via a regular browser as a set of webpages. Sure you can use the Github app, or the Git tools or whatever, but you dont need to, unless you're intending to manage further software development you yourself do with that source code.

'Normal' end-users who want to get final compiled applications from Github should have a look for a 'Releases' webpage. That's where dlls, executables, installers, etc live. And you dont need any app to download them, they'll just be regular downloads.

If there's no final compiled application, then you'll need to compile the application from the source code. And use a command line interface.
The github app wont do that. Its just a tool for accessing repositories, and you dont even need it to download one.

Getting the source code is easy, you dont need an app, or even any of the Git tools, or know how to clone the repository to do that; you just need your browser. You can literally just download a zipped-up file of the repository and unpack it.

Compiling that into a working application, though, may mean you'll need to know/work out/decipher for yourself exactly what compiler tools and libraries and other things you need to download, to build the application yourself. This is the hard way, but if you've never had to work out a compiler toolchain, dependencies, that weird packaging tool, and some random-but-specific flavour of python and/or node.js package then... deciphering that is not a process for most folk.

Or it may mean you can get away with following a set of instructions from the developer as to exactly what compiler tools and libraries and other things you need to download, to build the application yourself. This is an easier way, but not necessarily immediate.
If you've never installed a compiler toolchain, dependencies, that weird packaging tool, and some random-but-specific flavour of python and/or node.js package then... it could/might tell you exactly where to get them and exactly what command-line options you have to type to get things in place and installed, and get the code compiled and usable
but... still not a process for everyone.

[whyterabbyt]

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp#installation

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases

[BertKoor]

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Installation
Then Ctrl-F your OS name for detailed instructions.

[TS-12]

I have Git Desktop application installed already

[TS-12]

I read many reddit posts and watched lots of videos, but still can't understand how GitHub works. Well, I understand that you have to clone a repository into github app and then run it somehow.

Erm, not really.

Git is a set of source code management tools for software developers. A project's code is contained in what's called a repository.
Github is a website which has the primary function of hosting Git repositories, to allow software developers to manage their source code. As a side effect, it can allow them to share their source code with others.
Optionally, it can allow them to share final compiled applications.
A Github repository can be accessed via a regular browser as a set of webpages. Sure you can use the Github app, or the Git tools or whatever, but you dont need to, unless you're intending to manage further software development you yourself do with that source code.

'Normal' end-users who want to get final compiled applications from Github should have a look for a 'Releases' webpage. That's where dlls, executables, installers, etc live. And you dont need any app to download them, they'll just be regular downloads.

If there's no final compiled application, then you'll need to compile the application from the source code. And use a command line interface.
The github app wont do that. Its just a tool for accessing repositories, and you dont even need it to download one.

Getting the source code is easy, you dont need an app, or even any of the Git tools, or know how to clone the repository to do that; you just need your browser. You can literally just download a zipped-up file of the repository and unpack it.

Compiling that into a working application, though, may mean you'll need to know/work out/decipher for yourself exactly what compiler tools and libraries and other things you need to download, to build the application yourself. This is the hard way, but if you've never had to work out a compiler toolchain, dependencies, that weird packaging tool, and some random-but-specific flavour of python and/or node.js package then... deciphering that is not a process for most folk.

Or it may mean you can get away with following a set of instructions from the developer as to exactly what compiler tools and libraries and other things you need to download, to build the application yourself. This is an easier way, but not necessarily immediate.
If you've never installed a compiler toolchain, dependencies, that weird packaging tool, and some random-but-specific flavour of python and/or node.js package then... it could/might tell you exactly where to get them and exactly what command-line options you have to type to get things in place and installed, and get the code compiled and usable
but... still not a process for everyone.

Thank you so much for detailed explanation. You explained so much better than 20+ videos I watched on GitHub

[lobanov]

I have Git Desktop application installed already

You don't need it. If you can install something from Github you just download it as whyterabbyt have described it and then install it as usual.

[TS-12]

I have Git Desktop application installed already

You don't need it. If you can install something from Github you just download it as whyterabbyt have described it and then install it as usual.

What about something like this YouTube download app: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp

there's no app download version, only GitHub code looks like, or am I misunderstanding ?

[AsPeeXXXVIII]

Well, I understand that you have to clone a repository

Only if you want to build the application from source or modify the source code, which is probably something that's best left undone in your particular case.

What you want to do is click on the yt-dlp 2025.03.31 thing under Releases to the right, find the appropriate file in the list according to your OS and click on it to download it.

[whyterabbyt]

What about something like this YouTube download app: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp

there's no app download version, only GitHub code looks like, or am I misunderstanding ?

Yes there is, on the Releases page, like I mentioned and already linked to. You can download executables for different OSes there. And also from the 'Installation' page link that BertKoor and Karbon L. Forms linked to.
Did you not look at those pages?

[TS-12]

What about something like this YouTube download app: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp

there's no app download version, only GitHub code looks like, or am I misunderstanding ?

Yes there is, on the Releases page, like I mentioned and already linked to. You can download executables for different OSes there. And also from the 'Installation' page link that BertKoor and Karbon L. Forms linked to.
Did you not look at those pages?

thank you so much.
I downloaded it, but when I try to tun it it opens as textedit

Screen Shot 2025-04-24 at 9.13.33 AM.png

I also installed it thu this: https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/yt-dlp

looks like it installed successfully, but now I dont know where to open the actual program if its installed

[BertKoor]

A feature-rich command-line audio/video downloader

It's a CLI, which means it doesn't have a GUI.
So you open a terminal, and then, as the manual states, you can type

Code: Select all

yt-dlp --help

To figure out where exactly it is installed, type

Code: Select all

where yt-dlp

and it should report something alike /opt/homebrew/bin/

[TS-12]

A feature-rich command-line audio/video downloader

It's a CLI, which means it doesn't have a GUI.
So you open a terminal, and then, as the manual states, you can type

Code: Select all

yt-dlp --help

To figure out where exactly it is installed, type

Code: Select all

where yt-dlp

and it should report something alike /opt/homebrew/bin/

you guys here are geniuses!!!

I typed those commands and it returned the results!

[BertKoor]

You can be a genius too!
Just rtfm