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YouTube Transcript + YouTube Search MCP

by com.getyoutubetranscript
OverviewDiscussionsAdmin

Get YouTube Transcript

get_youtube_transcript
Read-only

Use this when the user shares a YouTube video link or ID, or asks to summarize, explain, quote, translate, take notes on, or chat about a specific YouTube video, lecture, podcast, or talk. Returns the full spoken text (captions) as one block, plus the title and channel. Set timestamps to true when the user wants timestamps, wants to find or quote where something is said, or wants a timeline or chapter breakdown: each caption line then starts with its [m:ss] time. Accepts watch, youtu.be, Shorts, and live URLs. Do not use for non-YouTube videos or for files the user uploads. If a video has no captions, this returns an error: tell the user instead of guessing what the video says.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
languageNoLanguage code, e.g. 'en', 'es'. Defaults to 'en'.
translateNoLanguage code to machine-translate the transcript into, e.g. 'es', 'zh-CN'. Timestamps stay aligned. Use when the user wants the video's text in another language.
video_urlYesYouTube URL (full or short) or an 11-character video ID
timestampsNoOne line per caption, each starting with its [m:ss] start time. Defaults to false (one block of text).
send_metadataNoInclude title/author/thumbnail metadata. Defaults to true.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / translate
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Language code to machine-translate the transcript into, e.g. 'es', 'zh-CN'. Timestamps stay aligned. Use when the user wants the video's text in another language.",
+  "pattern": "^[a-zA-Z]{2,3}(-[a-zA-Z0-9]{2,8})?$",
+  "type": "string"
+}
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / timestamps
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "One line per caption, each starting with its [m:ss] start time. Defaults to false (one block of text).",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
  3. First observed

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the readOnly/openWorld annotations, the description discloses the return shape (one text block plus title/channel), the timestamps format ('[m:ss]' per line), accepted URL variants (watch, youtu.be, Shorts, live), and the no-captions error behavior with a directive not to guess. This is rich behavioral context that annotations do not cover.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the trigger condition, then return shape, then parameter guidance, then exclusions. Dense and mostly waste-free, though the timestamps explanation partly duplicates the schema.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description carries the burden of describing returns and does so (text block, title, channel), plus covers the error path and URL acceptance. Nothing an agent needs to call it correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all five parameters. The description reinforces the timestamps semantics and ties translate/language to user intent, but adds little syntax or format detail beyond the schema, so the baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb+resource ('Returns the full spoken text (captions) as one block, plus the title and channel') and the trigger conditions. An agent can distinguish it from siblings like get_transcript_languages or search_youtube without opening a schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicit when-to-use ('user shares a YouTube video link or ID, or asks to summarize, explain, quote...'), when-not ('Do not use for non-YouTube videos or for files the user uploads'), and conditional guidance for the timestamps flag. Only gap is that it never names a sibling alternative, but the routing conditions are unambiguous.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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