Spark
Sign In
MCP Connector

Integrate with YouTube API

YouTube MCP Server lets AI assistants search videos and create, manage, and delete YouTube playlists directly.

Connect
Works with youtubegithubnpm
Amir Ardeshir, DVM, MPVM, PhD
Maintainer?
90
Spark score
out of 100
Updated 5 months ago
Version 1.0.0
Models
universal
Add to Favorites

Why it matters

Connect to the YouTube API to search for videos, manage playlists, and interact with YouTube content directly from MCP clients.

Outcomes

What it gets done

01

Search for videos on YouTube

02

Create and manage YouTube playlists

03

Add and remove videos from playlists

04

View user's existing playlists

Install

Add it to your toolbox

Run in your project directory:

curl -fsSL https://spark.entire.vc/get/vb-youtube-mcp | bash

Capabilities

Tools your agent gets

search_videos

Search for videos on YouTube by query

create_playlist

Create a new YouTube playlist

add_video_to_playlist

Add a video to a YouTube playlist

list_playlists

View user's YouTube playlists

delete_playlist

Delete a YouTube playlist

Overview

YouTube MCP Server

YouTube MCP Server lets an AI assistant search YouTube and manage playlists - creating, adding videos to, viewing, and deleting them - through the YouTube Data API. Use it for conversational YouTube search and playlist curation; requires a Google Cloud Console project with YouTube Data API v3 access and OAuth 2.0 credentials, and is subject to daily API quota limits.

What it does

YouTube MCP Server integrates the YouTube API with Claude Desktop or other MCP clients, letting an AI assistant search for videos and manage YouTube playlists on your behalf - creating playlists, adding videos to them, viewing your existing playlists, and deleting playlists you no longer need.

When to use - and when NOT to

Use this when you want an assistant to search YouTube for content or manage your playlists conversationally - building a themed playlist, adding found videos to an existing list, or reviewing what playlists you already have. It suits everyday YouTube curation tasks. It is not useful without a Google Cloud Console project providing a YouTube Data API v3 key plus OAuth 2.0 credentials (client ID, client secret, refresh token), and the YouTube Data API has daily quota limits that may need to be increased for heavy use.

Capabilities

  • Search for videos on YouTube.
  • Create and manage playlists.
  • Add videos to playlists.
  • View user playlists.
  • Delete playlists.

How to install

Install globally via npm:

npm install -g @a.ardeshir/youtube-mcp

Or clone from GitHub:

git clone https://github.com/aardeshir/youtube-mcp.git
cd youtube-mcp
npm install

For Claude Desktop, add an mcpServers entry with command: npx, args ["-y", "@a.ardeshir/youtube-mcp"], and environment variables YOUTUBE_API_KEY, YOUTUBE_CLIENT_ID, YOUTUBE_CLIENT_SECRET, and YOUTUBE_REFRESH_TOKEN. An OAuth setup wizard (youtube-mcp-setup) is included to help generate these credentials. Requires Node.js 18+ and a Google Cloud Console account.

Who it's for

Anyone who wants an AI assistant to search YouTube and manage playlists directly - building, updating, or cleaning up playlists through conversation instead of the YouTube app or website.

Source README

MCP server for integration with YouTube API that allows you to search videos, create and manage playlists, and interact with YouTube directly through Claude Desktop or other MCP clients.

Installation

Global installation via NPM

npm install -g @a.ardeshir/youtube-mcp

From GitHub

git clone https://github.com/aardeshir/youtube-mcp.git
cd youtube-mcp
npm install

Configuration

Claude Desktop (NPM installation)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "youtube-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@a.ardeshir/youtube-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "YOUTUBE_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
        "YOUTUBE_CLIENT_ID": "your-client-id",
        "YOUTUBE_CLIENT_SECRET": "your-client-secret",
        "YOUTUBE_REFRESH_TOKEN": "your-refresh-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop (GitHub installation)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "youtube-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/youtube-mcp/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "YOUTUBE_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
        "YOUTUBE_CLIENT_ID": "your-client-id",
        "YOUTUBE_CLIENT_SECRET": "your-client-secret",
        "YOUTUBE_REFRESH_TOKEN": "your-refresh-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

Features

  • Search for videos on YouTube
  • Create and manage playlists
  • Add videos to playlists
  • View user playlists
  • Delete playlists

Environment Variables

Required

  • YOUTUBE_API_KEY - YouTube Data API v3 key for read-only access
  • YOUTUBE_CLIENT_ID - OAuth 2.0 client ID from Google Cloud Console
  • YOUTUBE_CLIENT_SECRET - OAuth 2.0 client secret from Google Cloud Console
  • YOUTUBE_REFRESH_TOKEN - OAuth 2.0 refresh token for accessing user's YouTube data

Usage Examples

Search YouTube for "piano tutorials"

Create a YouTube playlist called "My Favorites"

Show my YouTube playlists

Notes

Requires Node.js 18+, access to YouTube Data API v3, and a Google Cloud Console account. Includes an OAuth setup wizard (youtube-mcp-setup command) for automatic credential generation. Has daily API limits that may require an increase with intensive use.

FAQ

Common questions

Discussion

Questions & comments · 0

Sign In Sign in to leave a comment.