deezer.js

A simple Node.js package to interact with the Deezer API with track decryption support.

Installation

npm install @loganlatham/deezer.js

Features

Search for tracks, albums, artists, and playlists
Get detailed information about entities by ID or URL
Download and decrypt tracks (MP3 and FLAC)
ARL cookie authentication required for all API requests
Premium account ARL required for FLAC quality

API Reference

Constructor

new Deezer(arl?: string)

arl (optional): Deezer ARL cookie required for all API requests. Premium account ARL required for FLAC quality.

Methods

`search(query: string, type?: EntityType): Promise<Array<Record<string, any>>>`

Searches for entities on Deezer. Requires ARL cookie authentication.

query: Search query string
type (optional): Entity type to search for ("track", "album", "artist", "playlist"). Defaults to "track"

Returns an array of search results matching the entity type.

`get(idOrURL: string, type?: EntityType): Promise<Entity | null>`

Gets detailed information about an entity by ID or URL. Requires ARL cookie authentication.

idOrURL: Entity ID or Deezer URL
type (optional): Entity type. If not provided, will be inferred from the URL

Returns an Entity object with:

type: The entity type
info: Entity metadata
tracks: Array of tracks (1 track for single tracks, multiple for albums/artists/playlists)

`getAndDecryptTrack(track: Record<string, any>, flac?: boolean): Promise<Buffer>`

Downloads and decrypts a track. Requires ARL cookie authentication.

track: Track object from search or get results
flac (optional): Whether to download in FLAC format (Premium account ARL required). Defaults to false

Returns a Buffer containing the decrypted audio data.

`api(method: string, body: Record<string, any>): Promise<Record<string, any>>`

Makes direct API calls to Deezer's internal API.

method: Deezer API method name
body: Request body object

Examples

Basic Usage

const { writeFile } = require("fs/promises");
const Deezer = require("@loganlatham/deezer.js");

// Initialize with your ARL cookie (required for all API requests)
const deezer = new Deezer("your_arl_cookie_here");

(async () => {
    try {
        // Search for tracks
        const tracks = await deezer.search("Bohemian Rhapsody");
        console.log("Found tracks:", tracks.length);
        if (tracks[0]) {
            console.log("First track:", tracks[0].SNG_TITLE, "by", tracks[0].ART_NAME);
        }

        // Search for albums
        const albums = await deezer.search("A Night at the Opera", "album");
        console.log("Found albums:", albums.length);

        // Search for artists
        const artists = await deezer.search("Queen", "artist");
        console.log("Found artists:", artists.length);

        // Search for playlists
        const playlists = await deezer.search("Rock Classics", "playlist");
        console.log("Found playlists:", playlists.length);
    } catch (error) {
        console.error("Error:", error.message);
    }
})();

Getting Entity Details

const Deezer = require("@loganlatham/deezer.js");

// Initialize with your ARL cookie (required for all API requests)
const deezer = new Deezer("your_arl_cookie_here");

(async () => {
    try {
        // Get track by ID
        const trackEntity = await deezer.get("3135556", "track");
        if (trackEntity) {
            console.log("Track:", trackEntity.info.SNG_TITLE);
            console.log("Artist:", trackEntity.info.ART_NAME);
            console.log("Tracks array length:", trackEntity.tracks.length); // Should be 1
        }

        // Get album by ID
        const albumEntity = await deezer.get("302127", "album");
        if (albumEntity) {
            console.log("Album:", albumEntity.info.ALB_TITLE);
            console.log("Artist:", albumEntity.info.ART_NAME);
            console.log("Number of tracks:", albumEntity.tracks.length);
        }

        // Get artist by ID
        const artistEntity = await deezer.get("412", "artist");
        if (artistEntity) {
            console.log("Artist:", artistEntity.info.ART_NAME);
            console.log("Top tracks:", artistEntity.tracks.length);
        }

        // Get playlist by ID
        const playlistEntity = await deezer.get("1234567890", "playlist");
        if (playlistEntity) {
            console.log("Playlist:", playlistEntity.info.PLAYLIST_TITLE);
            console.log("Number of tracks:", playlistEntity.tracks.length);
        }

        // Get entity from URL (type will be auto-detected)
        const entity = await deezer.get("https://www.deezer.com/en/album/302127");
        if (entity) {
            console.log("Entity type:", entity.type);
            console.log("Entity info:", entity.info.ALB_TITLE || entity.info.SNG_TITLE);
        }
    } catch (error) {
        console.error("Error:", error.message);
    }
})();

Downloading Tracks

const { writeFile } = require("fs/promises");
const Deezer = require("@loganlatham/deezer.js");

// Initialize with your ARL cookie (required for all API requests)
const deezer = new Deezer("your_arl_cookie_here");

(async () => {
    try {
        // Search for a track
        const tracks = await deezer.search("Bohemian Rhapsody");
        if (tracks.length === 0) {
            console.log("No tracks found");
            return;
        }

        const track = tracks[0];
        console.log(`Downloading: ${track.ART_NAME} - ${track.SNG_TITLE}`);

        // Download as MP3 (default)
        const trackBuffer = await deezer.getAndDecryptTrack(track);
        
        // Save to file
        const filename = `${track.ART_NAME} - ${track.SNG_TITLE}.mp3`;
        await writeFile(filename, trackBuffer);
        console.log(`Downloaded: ${filename}`);
    } catch (error) {
        console.error("Error:", error.message);
    }
})();

Premium Account Usage (FLAC Downloads)

const { writeFile } = require("fs/promises");
const Deezer = require("@loganlatham/deezer.js");

// Initialize with your Premium account ARL cookie (required for all API requests, Premium for FLAC)
const deezer = new Deezer("your_premium_arl_cookie_here");

(async () => {
    try {
        const tracks = await deezer.search("Bohemian Rhapsody");
        if (tracks.length === 0) {
            console.log("No tracks found");
            return;
        }

        const track = tracks[0];
        console.log(`Downloading FLAC: ${track.ART_NAME} - ${track.SNG_TITLE}`);

        // Download as FLAC (Premium accounts only)
        const trackBuffer = await deezer.getAndDecryptTrack(track, true);
        
        // Save to file
        const filename = `${track.ART_NAME} - ${track.SNG_TITLE}.flac`;
        await writeFile(filename, trackBuffer);
        console.log(`Downloaded: ${filename}`);
    } catch (error) {
        console.error("Error:", error.message);
    }
})();

Error Handling

const Deezer = require("@loganlatham/deezer.js");

// ARL cookie required for all API requests
const deezer = new Deezer("your_arl_cookie_here");

(async () => {
    try {
        // Handle search errors
        const tracks = await deezer.search("", "track"); // Empty query
        console.log("Search results:", tracks);

        // Handle invalid entity IDs
        const entity = await deezer.get("999999999999", "track");
        if (entity === null) {
            console.log("Entity not found");
        }

        // Handle FLAC download without Premium
        const track = await deezer.get("3135556", "track");
        if (track) {
            try {
                await deezer.getAndDecryptTrack(track.info, true); // Will throw error
            } catch (error) {
                console.log("FLAC error:", error.message);
            }
        }
    } catch (error) {
        console.error("Error:", error.message);
    }
})();

How to Find Your ARL Cookie

The ARL cookie is required for all API requests. Here's how to find it:

Login to deezer.com in your browser
Press Fn+F12 to open Developer Tools
In the top bar where it says "Elements", "Console", "Sources", etc., click the arrow pointing to the right and select "Application"
On the left side, under "Storage", look for the "Cookies" dropdown
Click on the Cookies dropdown and you'll find the ARL code there
Copy the ARL value - this is what you need for the library

Important Notes

Keep your ARL cookie secure: Don't share it publicly or commit it to version control
ARL expires: The cookie may expire periodically, requiring you to get a new one
Premium accounts: For FLAC downloads, you need an ARL from a Premium account
Account-specific: Each account has its own unique ARL cookie

Environment Variable (Recommended)

Store your ARL cookie in an environment variable for security:

# Add to your .env file or shell profile
export DEEZER_ARL="your_arl_cookie_here"

Then use it in your code:

const deezer = new Deezer(process.env.DEEZER_ARL);

Notes

ARL Cookie Required: All API requests (search, get, download) require a Deezer ARL cookie. Provide it to the constructor.
Premium Account Required: FLAC downloads require a Deezer Premium account ARL cookie.
Rate Limiting: Be mindful of Deezer's rate limits when making multiple requests.
Audio Quality: Available audio quality depends on your account type and the track's availability.
Fallback Tracks: Some tracks may have fallback versions if the original is unavailable.