---
name: youtube-data-5cdf3d700eab
description: Access YouTube video data — transcripts, metadata, channel info, search, and playlists. A lightweight alternative to Google's YouTube Data API with no quota limits. Use when the user needs structured data from YouTube videos, channels, or playlists without dealing with Google API setup, OAuth, or daily quotas.
homepage: https://transcriptapi.com
metadata:
  {
    "moltbot":
      {
        "emoji": "📊",
        "requires": { "env": ["TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"] },
        "primaryEnv": "TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY",
      },
  }
---

# YouTube Data

YouTube data access via [TranscriptAPI.com](https://transcriptapi.com) — lightweight alternative to Google's YouTube Data API.

## Setup

If `$TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY` is not set, help the user create an account (100 free credits, no card):

**Step 1 — Register:** Ask user for their email, generate a secure password.

```bash
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js register --email USER_EMAIL --password SECURE_PASS --json
```

→ OTP sent to email. Ask user: _"Check your email for a 6-digit verification code."_
⚠️ **SAVE THE PASSWORD** — you need it again in Step 2!

**Step 2 — Verify:** Once user provides the OTP (use SAME password from Step 1):

```bash
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js verify --email USER_EMAIL --password SECURE_PASS --otp CODE --json
```

→ Returns `api_key` (starts with `sk_`).

**Step 3 — Save:** Store the key (auto-configures agent + shell):

```bash
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js save-key --key API_KEY --json
```

→ Ready to use. Agent runtime picks up the key automatically.

Manual option: [transcriptapi.com/signup](https://transcriptapi.com/signup) → Dashboard → API Keys.

## Video Data (transcript + metadata) — 1 credit

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/transcript\
?video_url=VIDEO_URL&format=json&include_timestamp=true&send_metadata=true" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

**Response:**

```json
{
  "video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "language": "en",
  "transcript": [
    { "text": "We're no strangers to love", "start": 18.0, "duration": 3.5 }
  ],
  "metadata": {
    "title": "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up",
    "author_name": "Rick Astley",
    "author_url": "https://www.youtube.com/@RickAstley",
    "thumbnail_url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dQw4w9WgXcQ/maxresdefault.jpg"
  }
}
```

## Search Data — 1 credit

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/search?q=QUERY&type=video&limit=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

**Video result fields:** `videoId`, `title`, `channelId`, `channelTitle`, `channelHandle`, `channelVerified`, `lengthText`, `viewCountText`, `publishedTimeText`, `hasCaptions`, `thumbnails`

**Channel result fields** (`type=channel`): `channelId`, `title`, `handle`, `url`, `description`, `subscriberCount`, `verified`, `rssUrl`, `thumbnails`

## Channel Data

**Resolve handle to ID (free):**

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/resolve?input=@mkbhd" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

Returns: `{"channel_id": "UCBcRF18a7Qf58cCRy5xuWwQ", "resolved_from": "@mkbhd"}`

**Latest 15 videos with exact stats (free):**

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/latest?channel_id=UC_ID" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

Returns: `channel` info, `results` array with `videoId`, `title`, `published` (ISO), `viewCount` (exact number), `description`, `thumbnail`

**All channel videos (paginated, 1 credit/page):**

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/videos?channel_id=UC_ID" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

Returns 100 videos per page + `continuation_token` for pagination.

**Search within channel (1 credit):**

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/search\
?channel_id=UC_ID&q=QUERY&limit=30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

## Playlist Data — 1 credit/page

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/playlist/videos?playlist_id=PL_ID" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

Returns: `results` (videos), `playlist_info` (`title`, `numVideos`, `ownerName`, `viewCount`), `continuation_token`, `has_more`

## Credit Costs

| Endpoint        | Cost     | Data returned              |
| --------------- | -------- | -------------------------- |
| transcript      | 1        | Full transcript + metadata |
| search          | 1        | Video/channel details      |
| channel/resolve | **free** | Channel ID mapping         |
| channel/latest  | **free** | 15 videos + exact stats    |
| channel/videos  | 1/page   | 100 videos per page        |
| channel/search  | 1        | Videos matching query      |
| playlist/videos | 1/page   | 100 videos per page        |

## Errors

| Code | Action                                 |
| ---- | -------------------------------------- |
| 402  | No credits — transcriptapi.com/billing |
| 404  | Not found                              |
| 408  | Timeout — retry once                   |
| 422  | Invalid param format                   |

Free tier: 100 credits, 300 req/min.


---
Source attribution: kbarbel640-del
Original project: https://github.com/kbarbel640-del/skills/blob/e7e336ac628c3e3bd771aff1aaa469c93778f94a/skills/therohitdas/youtube-data/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 clawdbot

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: kbarbel640-del
Original project: https://github.com/kbarbel640-del/skills/blob/e7e336ac628c3e3bd771aff1aaa469c93778f94a/skills/therohitdas/youtube-data/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Data & Analytics, Marketing
Roles: Content Marketer, Data Analyst, Influencer Marketer, Marketing Analyst, SEO Specialist
Specialties: API
Tools: Transcriptapi
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 1274c4d540971ec8705fa30b99cec756fe0bee9e6d33320271f72dbe59d9d66a