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Use Case

Content Archiving

Content archiving is essential for preserving important video content across social media and video platforms. Our API enables you to systematically download and archive videos before they disappear due to deletions, policy changes, or platform shutdowns. Build comprehensive archives for research, journalism, or historical preservation with reliable, high-quality downloads.

Key Benefits

  • Preserve important video content before it's deleted
  • Create backups of viral or trending content
  • Build searchable archives for research purposes
  • Maintain historical records of social media content
  • Protect against platform policy changes

How It Works

  1. 1

    Send the video URL to our API endpoint

  2. 2

    Receive a download ID for tracking the download

  3. 3

    Poll the download endpoint until the file is ready

  4. 4

    Download the video file from the provided secure URL

  5. 5

    Store in your preferred archival system

Example Implementation

Production-ready TypeScript code using the REST API, with your key from the dashboard

archive-video.ts
const API = "https://videodownloadapi.com/api/v1";
const headers = {
  Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.VIDEO_API_KEY}`,
  "Content-Type": "application/json",
};

type Download = { download_id: string; status: string; title: string; download_url?: string };

async function download(url: string, options: { format?: string; quality?: string } = {}) {
  const res = await fetch(`${API}/downloads`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers,
    body: JSON.stringify({ url, ...options }),
  });
  if (res.status === 402) throw new Error("Not enough minutes");
  if (res.status === 429) throw new Error("Too many requests: retry in a few seconds");
  let item: Download = await res.json();

  // Poll until the file is ready (or failed: minutes are refunded automatically)
  while (item.status !== "ready" && item.status !== "failed") {
    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 3000));
    item = await fetch(`${API}/downloads/${item.download_id}`, { headers }).then((r) => r.json());
  }
  if (item.status === "failed") throw new Error(`Download failed: ${url}`);
  return item;
}

// Archive a video in the best available quality before it disappears
async function archiveVideo(videoUrl: string) {
  const item = await download(videoUrl, { quality: "best" });
  console.log(`Archived "${item.title}": ${item.download_url}`);
  return item;
}

archiveVideo("https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID");
  • TypeScript
  • Async/Await
  • Automatic polling
  • Error Handling
How it runs

Built for production

One API for every platform, with predictable costs and nothing to host.

Async jobs

Start a download, poll its progress, get a link: long videos never time out

Refunds on failure

Private, deleted or unreadable videos cost nothing

Private storage

Files stay private to your account and are deleted after 48 hours

Secure API keys

Personal, revocable API keys for every integration

AI assistants

The same key works from Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor through MCP

European team

Built and run by a team based in Europe

1 min
Billing unit, rounded up
4
Formats: MP4, MP3, M4A, WAV
48 h
File storage
10
Free minutes a month

Ideal For

  • Journalists and news organizations
  • Academic researchers
  • Legal professionals
  • Digital archivists
  • Content moderators

Supported Platforms

View all supported platforms

Other Use Cases

Ready to Get Started?

Start using our Video Download API for content archiving today. Pay per minute of media, no hidden fees.