MCP YouTube Server

What is MCP YouTube Server?

An MCP server that provides tools to interact with YouTube via the YouTube Data API v3, allowing MCP host applications like Claude for Desktop to search for videos, retrieve video details, and access channel and playlist data.

How to use MCP YouTube Server?

Install Python 3.10+, uv, and obtain a YouTube Data API v3 key. Run the setup.sh script to create a virtual environment, install dependencies, and prompt for the API key. Then configure your MCP host (e.g., Claude for Desktop) with the wrapper script path printed by the script. After restarting the host, tools such as search_videos and get_video_details become available via natural language prompts.

Key features of MCP YouTube Server

• Search YouTube videos by query.
• Get detailed video information (snippet, statistics, content details).
• Fetch channel details and list recent channel videos.
• Search and retrieve YouTube playlist items.
• Find related videos and popular trending videos.

Use cases of MCP YouTube Server

• Searching YouTube for tutorials or educational content from an MCP host.
• Gathering metadata and statistics for specific videos or channels.
• Curating playlists by retrieving their video items.
• Discovering related content and trending videos in a region or category.
• Automating video research tasks within an AI assistant workflow.

FAQ from MCP YouTube Server

What are the requirements to run this server?

Python 3.10 or higher, uv, a YouTube Data API v3 key, and a bash-compatible shell (Linux/macOS).

How do I obtain a YouTube Data API key?

You can get one from the Google Cloud Console.

How do I configure the server for Claude for Desktop?

After running setup.sh, edit claude_desktop_config.json (located in ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/ on macOS or %APPDATA%\Claude\ on Windows) and add the wrapper script path as the command with args set to [].

Does the server work on Windows?

The provided bash scripts are designed for Linux/macOS. Windows users may need to perform setup steps manually or adapt the scripts (e.g., create a run_server.bat).

What tools does the server provide?

search_videos, get_video_details, get_channel_details, list_channel_videos, search_playlists, get_playlist_items, get_related_videos, and get_popular_videos.