yt
Scannednpx machina-cli add skill ZeroPointRepo/youtube-skills/yt --openclawyt
Quick YouTube lookup via TranscriptAPI.com.
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.
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js register --email USER_EMAIL
→ OTP sent to email. Ask user: "Check your email for a 6-digit verification code."
Step 2 — Verify: Once user provides the OTP:
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js verify --token TOKEN_FROM_STEP_1 --otp CODE
API key saved to your shell profile and agent config. Ready to use.
Manual option: transcriptapi.com/signup → Dashboard → API Keys.
API Reference
Full OpenAPI spec: transcriptapi.com/openapi.json — consult this for the latest parameters and schemas.
Transcript — 1 credit
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/transcript\
?video_url=VIDEO_URL&format=text&include_timestamp=true&send_metadata=true" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
Search — 1 credit
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/search?q=QUERY&type=video&limit=10" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
| Param | Default | Values |
|---|---|---|
q | — | 1-200 chars (required) |
type | video | video, channel |
limit | 20 | 1-50 |
Channel latest — FREE
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/latest?channel=@TED" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
Returns last 15 videos with exact view counts and publish dates. Accepts @handle, channel URL, or UC... ID.
Resolve handle — FREE
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/resolve?input=@TED" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
Use to convert @handle to UC... channel ID.
Errors
| Code | Action |
|---|---|
| 402 | No credits — transcriptapi.com/billing |
| 404 | Not found / no captions |
| 408 | Timeout — retry once |
Free tier: 100 credits. Search and transcript cost 1 credit. Channel latest and resolve are free.
Source
git clone https://github.com/ZeroPointRepo/youtube-skills/blob/main/skills/yt/SKILL.mdView on GitHub Overview
yt is a quick YouTube lookup tool powered by TranscriptAPI.com. It fetches video transcripts, searches YouTube, and pulls the latest videos from a channel. Use it when someone shares a YouTube link, asks about content, or wants to find related content.
How This Skill Works
yt uses TranscriptAPI endpoints to access YouTube data: transcript for a video_url, search for queries, and channel latest or resolve for handles. All requests require an API key (Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY). The free tier provides 100 credits; transcripts and searches cost 1 credit each; channel latest and handle resolution are free.
When to Use It
- When someone shares a YouTube link and you want a transcript or quick summary.
- When you’re asked what a video is about or need a quick content summary.
- When you need to find videos about a topic or question.
- When you want the latest videos from a channel (handle, URL, or ID).
- When you need to convert a @handle to a UC... channel ID.
Quick Start
- Step 1: If $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY is not set, register at transcriptapi.com and verify (see SKILL).
- Step 2: Fetch a transcript for a YouTube URL using the curl example in the docs.
- Step 3: Use search or channel endpoints to find videos or get latest from a channel.
Best Practices
- Check credits before running transcript or search (1 credit per transcript/search; channel latest and resolve are free).
- Prefer channel latest for fresh content and free updates.
- Use channel/resolve to map @handle to a UC channel ID before fetching data.
- Validate video URLs and handles; retry once on 408 timeout.
- Consult the OpenAPI docs for the latest parameters and schemas.
Example Use Cases
- Transcript a product demo video to pull quotes for a report.
- Search for 'quantum computing' videos and compare top results.
- Fetch the latest 15 videos from @TED and inspect titles and publish dates.
- Resolve @TED to UC... ID to ensure correct channel data.
- If captions are missing, verify the video URL and retry the transcript request.
