mcp-server-youtube
Provides tools for searching videos, channels, playlists, comments, and retrieving transcripts using the YouTube Data API v3 and InnerTube API for captions.
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., "@mcp-server-youtubesearch for Rust programming tutorials"
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.
mcp-server-youtube
A Rust MCP server for YouTube. Search videos, read channels, browse playlists, fetch comments, and get transcripts — all from your AI assistant.
Why this one?
Full YouTube Data API v3 coverage — videos, channels, playlists, comments, categories, trending, search with all filters and sorting options
Working transcripts — uses rustypipe (InnerTube API) for reliable subtitle/caption extraction, including auto-generated captions. No API key quota consumed for transcripts
Single binary, zero runtime dependencies — written in Rust, starts instantly
Typed filter enums — search filters (duration, definition, license, etc.) are exposed as typed enums in the JSON schema, so AI models know exactly which values are valid without guessing
Tools
Videos
Tool | Description |
| Get video details (snippet, statistics, content details) |
| Search videos with filters for duration, definition, date range, region, captions, license, category, and more. Supports sorting by relevance, date, rating, or view count |
| List video categories for a region |
| Get trending/most popular videos for a region, optionally filtered by category |
Channels
Tool | Description |
| Get channel info and statistics by channel ID |
| Look up a channel by its handle (e.g. |
| Search for channels by name |
| List videos from a channel (by date) with pagination |
Playlists
Tool | Description |
| Get playlist info |
| List videos in a playlist with pagination |
Comments
Tool | Description |
| Get comment threads on a video with pagination |
Transcripts & Captions
Tool | Description |
| Get video transcript/subtitles. Works with both auto-generated and manual captions. Returns plain text by default; set |
| Fetch transcripts for multiple videos in one call with concurrent fetching. No API key quota consumed |
| List available subtitle/caption languages for a video |
Setup
Get a YouTube API Key
Go to Google Cloud Console
Create a project (or select an existing one)
Enable the YouTube Data API v3
Create an API key under Credentials
Configuration
Environment Variable | CLI Flag | Default | Description |
|
| required | YouTube Data API v3 key |
|
|
| Default transcript language |
|
|
| Transport: |
|
|
| HTTP bind address |
|
|
| HTTP port |
|
|
| Max concurrent transcript fetches for batch operations |
The API key is stored as a SecretString and never appears in logs or debug output.
Usage
Claude Desktop / Claude Code
With uvx:
{
"mcpServers": {
"youtube": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["mcp-server-youtube"],
"env": {
"YOUTUBE_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}With rvx:
{
"mcpServers": {
"youtube": {
"command": "rvx",
"args": ["mcp-server-youtube"],
"env": {
"YOUTUBE_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}With Nix:
nix run github:vaporif/mcp-server-youtubeWith cargo:
cargo install mcp-server-youtubeFrom releases:
Download a prebuilt binary from GitHub Releases.
HTTP Transport
YOUTUBE_API_KEY=your_key mcp-server-youtube --transport streamable-http --port 3000The server listens on http://127.0.0.1:3000/mcp.
Debugging
Enable debug logging to see tool invocations:
RUST_LOG=debug mcp-server-youtubeDevelopment
# Enter dev shell (requires Nix)
nix develop
# Build
cargo build
# Test
cargo test
# Lint
cargo clippy --workspace -- -D warnings
# Format
cargo fmt --allLicense
GPL-3.0-or-later
This server cannot be installed
Maintenance
Resources
Unclaimed servers have limited discoverability.
Looking for Admin?
If you are the server author, to access and configure the admin panel.
Latest Blog Posts
MCP directory API
We provide all the information about MCP servers via our MCP API.
curl -X GET 'https://glama.ai/api/mcp/v1/servers/vaporif/mcp-server-youtube'
If you have feedback or need assistance with the MCP directory API, please join our Discord server