The DeepSRT MCP Server enables YouTube video summarization through MCP integration.
Generate summaries: Create narrative or bullet-point summaries for YouTube videos
Multi-language support: Summarize videos in various languages (default:
zh-tw)Caching mechanism: Fast retrieval through DeepSRT's CDN
Integration: Works seamlessly with MCP-enabled environments like Claude Desktop and Cline
Customizable parameters: Specify
videoId,lang, andmodefor tailored summariesMCP interface: Access via the
get_summarytool in MCP clients
Generates summaries for YouTube videos, supporting both narrative and bullet-point formats with multi-language capabilities
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@DeepSRT MCP Serversummarize https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ in Japanese with bullet points"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
DeepSRT MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides YouTube video summarization and transcript extraction functionality through integration with DeepSRT's API and direct YouTube caption access.
TL;DR
{
"mcpServers": {
"deepsrt": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "bunx",
"args": [
"@deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp@latest",
"--server"
]
}
}
}Related MCP server: mcp-ytTranscript
Architecture
graph TB
subgraph "MCP Client"
Client[Claude Desktop / Cline]
end
subgraph "DeepSRT MCP Server"
Server[MCP Server]
SummaryTool[get_summary]
TranscriptTool[get_transcript]
Server --> SummaryTool
Server --> TranscriptTool
end
subgraph "External APIs"
YouTube[YouTube InnerTube API]
DeepSRT[DeepSRT Worker API]
Captions[YouTube Caption API]
end
Client --> Server
SummaryTool --> YouTube
SummaryTool --> DeepSRT
TranscriptTool --> YouTube
TranscriptTool --> CaptionsSequence Flow
sequenceDiagram
participant User
participant MCP as MCP Client
participant Server as DeepSRT MCP Server
participant YouTube as YouTube InnerTube API
participant DeepSRT as DeepSRT Worker API
participant Captions as YouTube Caption API
Note over User,Captions: Summary Generation Flow
User->>MCP: Request video summary
MCP->>Server: get_summary(videoId, lang, mode)
Server->>Server: Extract video ID from URL
Server->>YouTube: POST /youtubei/v1/player
Note right of YouTube: Get video metadata<br/>and caption tracks
YouTube-->>Server: Video details + caption tracks
Server->>Server: Select best caption track<br/>(manual > auto-generated)
Server->>Server: Extract transcript argument<br/>from caption URL
par Summary Request
Server->>DeepSRT: GET /transcript2?action=summarize
Note right of DeepSRT: X-Transcript-Arg header<br/>contains caption URL params
DeepSRT-->>Server: Generated summary
and Title Translation
Server->>DeepSRT: GET /transcript2?action=translate
DeepSRT-->>Server: Translated title
end
Server->>Server: Format markdown response<br/>with metadata + summary
Server-->>MCP: Formatted summary response
MCP-->>User: Display summary
Note over User,Captions: Transcript Extraction Flow
User->>MCP: Request video transcript
MCP->>Server: get_transcript(videoId, lang)
Server->>Server: Extract video ID from URL
Server->>YouTube: POST /youtubei/v1/player
YouTube-->>Server: Video details + caption tracks
Server->>Server: Select best caption track<br/>for preferred language
Server->>Captions: GET caption XML from baseUrl
Captions-->>Server: Raw XML transcript
Server->>Server: Parse XML transcript<br/>- Extract timestamps<br/>- Decode HTML entities<br/>- Format text
Server->>Server: Generate markdown response<br/>with timestamps
Server-->>MCP: Formatted transcript
MCP-->>User: Display transcript with timestampsTechnical Architecture
Core Components
1. MCP Server Layer
Runtime Support: Both Node.js and Bun execution
Protocol Handling: Model Context Protocol (MCP) request/response management
Tool Registration:
get_summaryandget_transcripttoolsError Handling: Comprehensive error management with user-friendly messages
2. Video Processing Pipeline
URL Parser: Supports multiple YouTube URL formats and direct video IDs
InnerTube Integration: Direct YouTube API access without API keys
Caption Discovery: Automatic detection of available caption tracks
Quality Selection: Prioritizes manual captions over auto-generated ones
3. Transcript Processing
XML Parser: Handles YouTube's
<timedtext>formatEntity Decoder: Converts HTML entities to readable text
Timestamp Formatter: Converts milliseconds to
[MM:SS]formatContent Filter: Removes music notation and empty segments
4. Summary Generation
DeepSRT Integration: Direct API calls to
worker.deepsrt.comMulti-language Support: Supports zh-tw, en, ja, and other languages
Mode Selection: Narrative and bullet-point summary formats
Title Translation: Automatic title translation to target language
Key Features
No Pre-caching Required
Works immediately for any YouTube video with captions
Real-time transcript extraction and processing
No dependency on external caching systems
Intelligent Caption Selection
Priority Order: Manual > Auto-generated > Any available
Language Preference: Respects user's preferred language
Fallback Strategy: Graceful degradation to available options
Robust Error Handling
Network timeout management (30-second timeout)
API error translation to user-friendly messages
Graceful handling of videos without captions
Comprehensive validation of input parameters
Multi-format Output
Markdown Formatting: Rich text with headers and metadata
Structured Data: Video information, duration, author details
Timestamped Transcripts: Precise timing information
Localized Summaries: Content in user's preferred language
Performance Characteristics
Fast Startup: < 1 second server initialization
Efficient Processing: Parallel API calls for summary + title translation
Memory Efficient: Streaming XML parsing, no large data buffering
Network Optimized: Single request per video for metadata + captions
Recent Updates
v0.1.9 (Latest)
✅ Fixed critical test logic flaws: Tests now correctly validate API responses instead of checking non-existent
successproperties✅ Enhanced error handling: Improved graceful handling of YouTube API rate limiting (HTTP 429)
✅ Robust test suite: All 56 tests now pass consistently with proper error resilience
✅ Verified API integration: Confirmed both DeepSRT and YouTube APIs work correctly when not rate limited
✅ Multi-language support: Validated zh-tw, en, ja summary generation
✅ Production-ready: Test suite handles real-world API limitations professionally
v0.1.3
✅ Fixed CLI argument parsing: Now supports both
--key=valueand--key valueformats✅ Fixed bullet mode:
--mode bulletnow works correctly and generates bullet-point summaries✅ Improved bunx compatibility: Direct execution with
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcpworks without installation
v0.1.2
✅ Fixed CLI execution: Made CLI the default binary for direct npx/bunx execution
✅ Updated package configuration: Proper binary resolution for different execution methods
v0.1.1
✅ Added comprehensive testing: Unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests
✅ Enhanced CLI tool: Full-featured command-line interface with help and examples
✅ Direct transcript extraction: No pre-caching required, works with any YouTube video
Features
Generate summaries for YouTube videos
Extract full transcripts with timestamps from YouTube videos
Support for both narrative and bullet-point summary modes
Multi-language support (default: zh-tw)
Direct YouTube caption access (no API key required)
Seamless integration with MCP-enabled environments
How it Works
Summary Generation
Direct YouTube Integration
Extracts video information and captions directly from YouTube using the InnerTube API
Fetches transcript content from YouTube's caption system
Sends transcript data to DeepSRT API for summarization
Real-time Processing
No pre-caching required - works immediately for any video with captions
Automatically selects the best available captions (manual preferred over auto-generated)
Supports multiple languages and summary modes
Transcript Extraction
Direct YouTube Access
Transcripts are extracted directly from YouTube's caption system using the InnerTube API
No pre-caching required - works immediately for any video with captions
Caption Selection
Automatically selects the best available captions (manual captions preferred over auto-generated)
Supports language preference selection
Falls back gracefully to available alternatives
Timestamp Formatting
Provides clean, formatted transcripts with timestamps in [MM:SS] format
Handles both manual and auto-generated captions
Includes video metadata and caption information
%%{init: {'theme': 'dark', 'themeVariables': { 'primaryColor': '#2496ED', 'secondaryColor': '#38B2AC', 'tertiaryColor': '#1F2937', 'mainBkg': '#111827', 'textColor': '#E5E7EB', 'lineColor': '#4B5563', 'noteTextColor': '#E5E7EB'}}}%%
sequenceDiagram
participant User
participant MCP as MCP Client
participant YouTube as YouTube API
participant DeepSRT as DeepSRT API
Note over User,DeepSRT: Summary Generation Flow (Direct Processing)
User->>MCP: Request video summary
MCP->>YouTube: Get video info & captions via InnerTube API
YouTube-->>MCP: Return video details & caption tracks
MCP->>YouTube: Fetch transcript XML from caption URL
YouTube-->>MCP: Return raw transcript content
MCP->>DeepSRT: Send transcript + metadata for summarization
DeepSRT-->>MCP: Return generated summary
MCP-->>User: Return formatted summary
Note over User,DeepSRT: Transcript Extraction Flow (Direct)
User->>MCP: Request video transcript
MCP->>YouTube: Get video info & captions via InnerTube API
YouTube-->>MCP: Return video details & caption tracks
MCP->>YouTube: Fetch transcript XML from caption URL
YouTube-->>MCP: Return raw transcript content
MCP->>MCP: Parse & format transcript with timestamps
MCP-->>User: Return formatted transcript with metadataCLI Usage
The DeepSRT MCP server provides a unified interface that handles both MCP server mode and CLI commands.
Unified Interface
# MCP Server Mode (default - for Claude Desktop/Cline)
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp # Starts MCP server on stdio
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp --server # Explicit server mode
# CLI Commands (direct usage)
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript <video-url> [options]
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary <video-url> [options]
# Help
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp --helpDirect CLI Commands (No Installation Required)
# Extract transcript with timestamps
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=en
# Generate video summary
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=zh-tw --mode=bullet
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=jaGlobal Installation
For easier access, install globally:
# Install globally
npm install -g @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp
# MCP Server Mode
deepsrt-mcp # Starts MCP server
deepsrt-mcp --server # Explicit server mode
# CLI Commands
deepsrt-mcp get-transcript https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=en
deepsrt-mcp get-summary dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=zh-tw --mode=narrativeCLI Options
get-transcript
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript <video-url> [options]
Options:
--lang=<language> Preferred language code for captions (default: en)
--lang <language> Alternative format
Examples: en, zh-tw, ja, es, fr
Examples:
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=zh-tw
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang jaget-summary
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary <video-url> [options]
Options:
--lang=<language> Target language for summary (default: zh-tw)
--lang <language> Alternative format
Examples: zh-tw, en, ja, es, fr
--mode=<mode> Summary format (default: narrative)
--mode <mode> Alternative format
Options: narrative, bullet
Examples:
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=en --mode=bullet
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang ja --mode narrativeSupported URL Formats
The CLI accepts multiple YouTube URL formats:
# Full YouTube URLs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ&t=30s
# Short URLs
https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ
# Embed URLs
https://www.youtube.com/embed/dQw4w9WgXcQ
# Direct video IDs
dQw4w9WgXcQCLI Features
Direct execution: No installation required with
bunxMultiple URL formats: Full URLs, short URLs, or direct video IDs
Flexible argument formats: Both
--key=valueand--key valueformats supportedLanguage support: Specify target language for summaries and transcript preferences
Summary modes: Choose between narrative or bullet-point formats
Rich output: Colored console output with progress indicators
Error handling: Clear error messages with suggestions
Example Output
Transcript Output
# Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Video) (4K Remaster)
**Author:** Rick Astley
**Duration:** 3:33
**Captions:** English (manual)
## Transcript
[00:18] ♪ We're no strangers to love ♪
[00:22] ♪ You know the rules and so do I ♪
[00:27] ♪ A full commitment's what I'm thinking of ♪
...Summary Output (Narrative Mode)
# 瑞克·艾斯利 - 永遠不會放棄你
**Author:** Rick Astley
**Duration:** 3:33
**Language:** zh-tw
**Mode:** narrative
## Summary
這是一首經典的流行歌曲,表達了對愛情的承諾和忠誠...Summary Output (Bullet Mode)
# How Robots Are Helping Amazon Deliver on Prime Day
**Author:** Bloomberg Television
**Duration:** 5:45
**Language:** zh-tw
**Mode:** bullet
## Summary
本影片主要探討亞馬遜如何運用機器人技術來提升倉儲效率...
# 機器人技術在亞馬遜倉儲的應用與效益
- 亞馬遜已部署了第一百萬個機器人,並在Prime Day等高峰期用於滿足訂單需求 [00:00:00]
- 機器人旨在為員工提供安全且高生產力的工作環境 [00:00:30]
- 移動機器人可以搬運超過一千磅的貨物,並移動貨架以減少員工的行走距離 [00:00:54]
...Installation
Option 1: Direct Usage with bunx (Recommended - No Installation Required)
Use the unified interface directly without any installation:
# MCP Server Mode (for Claude Desktop/Cline)
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp # Default: starts MCP server
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp --server # Explicit server mode
# CLI Commands (direct usage)
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-transcript https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp get-summary dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=zh-tw --mode=bullet
# Always uses latest version automatically
bunx @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp@latest get-transcript dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang=enOption 2: Global Installation (For Frequent Use)
# Install globally for easier access
npm install -g @deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp
# Then use directly with shorter command
deepsrt-mcp get-transcript https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
deepsrt-mcp get-summary dQw4w9WgXcQ --lang zh-tw --mode bulletOption 3: Installing for Claude Desktop (Recommended)
Add this configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:
On macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonOn Windows:
%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"deepsrt": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "bunx",
"args": [
"@deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp@latest",
"--server"
]
}
}
}This approach:
✅ No local installation required
✅ Always uses latest version
✅ Automatic updates when you restart Claude
✅ Cross-platform compatibility
✅ Simple and clean configuration
Option 4: Installing for Cline
Add this configuration to your cline_mcp_settings.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"deepsrt": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "bunx",
"args": [
"@deepsrt/deepsrt-mcp@latest",
"--server"
]
}
}
}Or just ask Cline to install in the chat:
"Hey, install this MCP server for me from https://github.com/DeepSRT/deepsrt-mcp"
Option 5: Using bunx (Direct Execution)
You can run the server directly with bunx without installation:
# Run from the project directory
bunx --bun src/index.ts
# Or use npm scripts
npm run start:bun # Uses Bun
npm run start:node # Uses Node.js
npm run dev # Development mode with BunUsage
MCP Integration
The server provides the following tools for MCP clients:
get_summary
Gets a summary for a YouTube video.
Parameters:
videoId(required): YouTube video IDlang(optional): Language code (e.g., zh-tw) - defaults to zh-twmode(optional): Summary mode ("narrative" or "bullet") - defaults to narrative
get_transcript
Gets a transcript for a YouTube video with timestamps.
Parameters:
videoId(required): YouTube video ID or full YouTube URLlang(optional): Preferred language code for captions (e.g., en, zh-tw) - defaults to en
Example Usage
Using Claude Desktop:
// Get video summary
const summaryResult = await mcp.use_tool("deepsrt", "get_summary", {
videoId: "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
lang: "zh-tw",
mode: "narrative"
});
// Get video transcript
const transcriptResult = await mcp.use_tool("deepsrt", "get_transcript", {
videoId: "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
lang: "en"
});Using Cline:
// Get video summary
const summaryResult = await mcp.use_tool("deepsrt", "get_summary", {
videoId: "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
lang: "zh-tw",
mode: "bullet"
});
// Get video transcript
const transcriptResult = await mcp.use_tool("deepsrt", "get_transcript", {
videoId: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ",
lang: "en"
});Development
Install dependencies:
npm installRunning Tests
# Run unit tests (fast, no network calls)
npm test
# Run unit tests only
npm run test:unit
# Run network tests (requires internet, may be slower)
npm run test:network
# Run all tests including network tests
npm run test:all
# Run tests in watch mode
npm run test:watch
# Run tests with CI reporter (for CI/CD)
npm run test:ciTest Types:
Unit Tests (
src/index.test.ts,src/integration.test.ts) - Fast tests with mocked dataNetwork Tests (
src/transcript.test.ts,src/e2e.test.ts) - Real YouTube API integration tests
Examples
See the examples/ directory for reference implementations:
examples/standalone-summarizer.ts- Standalone script showing direct API usage patterns
Running the Server
With Bun (Recommended for development - faster startup):
# Development mode (runs TypeScript directly)
npm run dev
# or
bun src/index.ts
# Using npm script
npm run start:bunWith Node.js (Production):
# Build first
npm run build
# Then run
npm run start:node
# or
node build/index.jsTesting the Server
You can test the server using the MCP inspector:
npm run inspectorOr test manually with JSON-RPC:
# List available tools
echo '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "tools/list"}' | bun src/index.ts
# Test get_transcript
echo '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "tools/call", "params": {"name": "get_transcript", "arguments": {"videoId": "dQw4w9WgXcQ", "lang": "en"}}}' | bun src/index.tsBuild for Production
Build for production:
npm run buildWatch mode for development:
npm run watchDemo
https://www.threads.net/@pahud/post/DGmIR7gOG5M
https://www.threads.net/@pahud/post/DGoGiMDuWa9
FAQ
Q: I am getting 404 error, why?
A: This is because the video summary is not cached in the CDN edge location, you need to open this video using DeepSRT chrome extension to have it cached in the CDN network before you can get that summary using MCP.
You can verify the cache status using cURL like this
curl -s 'https://worker.deepsrt.com/transcript' \
-i --data '{"arg":"v=VafNvIcOs5w","action":"summarize","lang":"zh-tw","mode":"narrative"}' | grep -i "^cache-status"
cache-status: HITIf you see cache-status: HIT the content is cached in the CDN edge location and your MCP server shoud not get 404.