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YouTube

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Comprehensive YouTube API integration for video management, Shorts creation, and analytics.

Source Code

YouTube MCP Server

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A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implementation for YouTube, enabling AI language models to interact with YouTube content through a standardized interface.

Features

Video Information

  • Get video details (title, description, duration, etc.)
  • List channel videos
  • Get video statistics (views, likes, comments)
  • Search videos across YouTube

Transcript Management

  • Retrieve video transcripts
  • Support for multiple languages
  • Get timestamped captions
  • Search within transcripts

Channel Management

  • Get channel details
  • List channel playlists
  • Get channel statistics
  • Search within channel content

Playlist Management

  • List playlist items
  • Get playlist details
  • Search within playlists
  • Get playlist video transcripts

Installation

Installing via Smithery

To install YouTube MCP Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:
npx -y @smithery/cli install @ZubeidHendricks/youtube --client claude

Manual Installation

npm install @modelcontextprotocol/server-youtube

Configuration

Set the following environment variables:
  • YOUTUBE_API_KEY
    : Your YouTube Data API key
  • YOUTUBE_TRANSCRIPT_LANG
    : Default language for transcripts (optional, defaults to 'en')

Using with MCP Client

Add this to your MCP client configuration (e.g. Claude Desktop):
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "youtube": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-youtube"],
      "env": {
        "YOUTUBE_API_KEY": "<YOUR_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using with VS Code

For one-click installation, click one of the install buttons below:
Install with NPX in VS Code Install with NPX in VS Code Insiders

Manual Installation

If you prefer manual installation, first check the install buttons at the top of this section. Otherwise, follow these steps:
Add the following JSON block to your User Settings (JSON) file in VS Code. You can do this by pressing 
Ctrl + Shift + P
and typing 
Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)
.
{
  "mcp": {
    "inputs": [
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "id": "apiKey",
        "description": "YouTube API Key",
        "password": true
      }
    ],
    "servers": {
      "youtube": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-youtube"],
        "env": {
          "YOUTUBE_API_KEY": "${input:apiKey}"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
Optionally, you can add it to a file called 
.vscode/mcp.json
in your workspace:
{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "apiKey",
      "description": "YouTube API Key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "youtube": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-youtube"],
      "env": {
        "YOUTUBE_API_KEY": "${input:apiKey}"
      }
    }
  }
}

YouTube API Setup

  1. Go to Google Cloud Console
  2. Create a new project or select an existing one
  3. Enable the YouTube Data API v3
  4. Create API credentials (API key)
  5. Copy the API key for configuration

Examples

Managing Videos

// Get video details
const video = await youtube.videos.getVideo({
  videoId: "video-id"
});

// Get video transcript
const transcript = await youtube.transcripts.getTranscript({
  videoId: "video-id",
  language: "en"
});

// Search videos
const searchResults = await youtube.videos.searchVideos({
  query: "search term",
  maxResults: 10
});

Managing Channels

// Get channel details
const channel = await youtube.channels.getChannel({
  channelId: "channel-id"
});

// List channel videos
const videos = await youtube.channels.listVideos({
  channelId: "channel-id",
  maxResults: 50
});

Managing Playlists

// Get playlist items
const playlistItems = await youtube.playlists.getPlaylistItems({
  playlistId: "playlist-id",
  maxResults: 50
});

// Get playlist details
const playlist = await youtube.playlists.getPlaylist({
  playlistId: "playlist-id"
});

Development

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run tests
npm test

# Build
npm run build

# Lint
npm run lint

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for information about contributing to this repository.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.# YouTube MCP Server
A YouTube API integration using the Model Context Protocol.

Setup

  1. Clone the repository
  2. Install dependencies: 
    npm install
  3. Copy 
    .env.example
    to 
    .env
    : 
    cp .env.example .env
  4. Edit 
    .env
    and add your YouTube API key
  5. Start the server: 
    npm start

Environment Variables

  • YOUTUBE_API_KEY
    : Your YouTube Data API v3 key (get it from Google Cloud Console)

Development

  1. To run in development mode with auto-reload: 
    npm run dev
  2. To build: 
    npm run build

Security Note

Always keep your API keys secure and never commit them to version control.

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