YouTube Plugin

Your YouTube channels, publishing workflow, analytics, and local media tools — from one MCP server.

One local stdio server. Multiple named YouTube accounts. Typed tools for the official YouTube APIs, plus optional FFmpeg media processing.

Quick start · Features · Tool catalog · Documentation

60-second start

git clone https://github.com/saksham1991999/youtube-plugin.git
cd youtube-plugin
npm ci && npm run build

Set OAuth credentials, then authorize your first channel:

export GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID="your-client-id.apps.googleusercontent.com"
export GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET="your-client-secret"
npm run auth -- personal

Add the compiled server to your MCP client:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "youtube": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/youtube-plugin/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID": "your-client-id",
        "GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET": "your-client-secret"
      }
    }
  }
}

Enable the YouTube Data API v3 and YouTube Analytics API in your Google Cloud project. Enable the YouTube Reporting API if you use reporting jobs. See OAuth setup for scopes and account selection.

Related MCP server: youtube-mcp-server

What you can do

flowchart LR
  Client[MCP client] -->|stdio| Server[youtube-plugin]
  Server --> Resolver[Named account resolver]
  Resolver --> Store[Local OAuth token store]
  Resolver --> APIs[YouTube Data, Analytics, Reporting APIs]
  Server --> Media[Optional FFmpeg and FFprobe]

Every YouTube tool accepts an optional account alias. If you have one account, it is selected automatically. If you have multiple, specify the alias or set a default with accounts_set_default. The server refuses to guess when multiple accounts exist and no default is set.

Tool catalog

Tool names use the youtube_ prefix except for account utilities. The MCP server registers 97 individually typed tools.

accounts_list, accounts_status, accounts_begin_auth, accounts_complete_auth, accounts_set_default, accounts_remove, youtube_quota_status, youtube_doctor

youtube_get_channel, youtube_update_channel, youtube_list_videos, youtube_get_video, youtube_update_video, youtube_delete_video, youtube_upload_video, youtube_set_thumbnail, youtube_set_thumbnail_from_file, youtube_list_playlists, youtube_create_playlist, youtube_update_playlist, youtube_add_to_playlist, youtube_remove_from_playlist, youtube_delete_playlist, youtube_list_comments, youtube_reply_to_comment, youtube_delete_comment, youtube_search_youtube, youtube_list_captions, youtube_list_categories

youtube_schedule_video, youtube_list_caption_tracks, youtube_upload_caption_track, youtube_update_caption_track, youtube_download_caption_track, youtube_delete_caption_track, youtube_moderate_comment, youtube_list_comment_replies, youtube_update_comment, youtube_add_top_level_comment, youtube_move_playlist_item

youtube_get_analytics, youtube_get_top_videos, youtube_get_channel_analytics, youtube_get_video_audience_retention, youtube_get_traffic_source_report, youtube_get_audience_demographics_report, youtube_get_device_and_os_report, youtube_get_content_type_report, youtube_list_reporting_report_types, youtube_create_reporting_job, youtube_list_reporting_jobs, youtube_delete_reporting_job, youtube_list_reporting_job_reports

youtube_list_live_broadcasts, youtube_create_or_update_live_broadcast, youtube_delete_live_broadcast, youtube_transition_live_broadcast, youtube_list_live_streams, youtube_create_or_update_live_stream, youtube_delete_live_stream, youtube_bind_live_broadcast, youtube_list_live_chat_messages, youtube_send_live_chat_message, youtube_delete_live_chat_message, youtube_insert_live_chat_ban, youtube_delete_live_chat_ban, youtube_list_super_chat_events

youtube_list_subscriptions, youtube_subscribe_to_channel, youtube_unsubscribe_from_channel, youtube_list_channel_activities, youtube_list_membership_levels, youtube_list_channel_members, youtube_list_i18n_languages, youtube_list_i18n_regions, youtube_get_video_ratings, youtube_rate_video, youtube_list_video_abuse_report_reasons, youtube_report_video_abuse, youtube_list_live_chat_moderators, youtube_add_live_chat_moderator, youtube_remove_live_chat_moderator

youtube_probe_media, youtube_mux_audio, youtube_normalize_loudness, youtube_extract_thumbnail, youtube_burn_subtitles, youtube_trim_clip

youtube_upload_channel_banner, youtube_set_channel_watermark, youtube_unset_channel_watermark, youtube_list_channel_sections, youtube_create_channel_section, youtube_update_channel_section, youtube_delete_channel_section

youtube_get_video_localizations, youtube_update_video_localizations

See API coverage and limitations for method-level notes and unsupported operations.

Example calls

youtube_list_videos({ account: "brand", maxResults: 10 })

youtube_upload_video({
  account: "brand",
  filePath: "/videos/launch.mp4",
  title: "Product launch",
  privacyStatus: "private",
  publishAt: "2026-11-01T17:00:00Z"
})

youtube_upload_caption_track({
  account: "brand",
  videoId: "VIDEO_ID",
  filePath: "/captions/launch.en.srt",
  language: "en",
  name: "English"
})

youtube_set_thumbnail_from_file({
  account: "brand",
  videoId: "VIDEO_ID",
  filePath: "/images/launch.png"
})

Permanently destructive actions require an explicit confirmation. Video and playlist deletion require the exact current title.

Accounts and privacy

Authorize more channels under separate aliases:

npm run auth -- personal
npm run auth -- brand

Credentials are stored per account under ~/.config/youtube-plugin/accounts/ with restricted permissions. Override the location with YOUTUBE_PLUGIN_CONFIG_DIR; select a default account with YOUTUBE_PLUGIN_ACCOUNT. Existing YOUTUBE_MCP_CONFIG_DIR, YOUTUBE_MCP_ACCOUNT, and YOUTUBE_MCP_TOOLSET environment variables remain supported as compatibility fallbacks.

The optional youtube.channel-memberships.creator OAuth scope is not requested by default. Opt in only if you need membership tools:

npm run auth -- brand --memberships

Monetary analytics also require YouTube Partner Program eligibility. Review OAuth scopes and storage.

Local media pipeline

Install FFmpeg and FFprobe to enable the local media tools. Configure custom executable paths with FFMPEG_PATH and FFPROBE_PATH. The tools use absolute local paths, do not invoke a shell, and require overwrite: true to replace existing output files.

YouTube does not expose an API for adding Audio Library music or editing an uploaded video's audio. youtube_mux_audio creates a new local file that you can upload. Sidechain ducking follows activity in the original audio track; it is not speech detection. See media tool details.

Toolsets and quota

Set YOUTUBE_PLUGIN_TOOLSET to full (default), core, router, or a comma-separated tool allowlist. The old YOUTUBE_MCP_TOOLSET variable remains a fallback.

youtube_quota_status reports a local estimate, not authoritative project usage. Google maintains separate daily call limits for search.list and videos.insert, plus a shared unit quota for other Data API calls. Check your live usage in Google Cloud Console.

Development

npm ci
npm run typecheck
npm run lint
npm test

Tests use temporary credential directories and do not call live Google APIs. Local media tools require FFmpeg only when invoked.

Documentation

• OAuth, account aliases, and scopes

• API coverage and limitations

• Local media tools

MIT License · Built for the Model Context Protocol