Introduction
# YouTube Full
Complete YouTube toolkit via [TranscriptAPI.com](https://transcriptapi.com). Everything in one skill.
## Setup
If `$TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY` is not set, help the user create an account (100 free credits, no card):
**Step 1 — Register:** Ask user for their email.
```bash node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js register --email USER_EMAIL ```
→ OTP sent to email. Ask user: _"Check your email for a 6-digit verification code."_
**Step 2 — Verify:** Once user provides the OTP:
```bash node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js verify --token TOKEN_FROM_STEP_1 --otp CODE ```
> API key saved to `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`. See **File Writes** below for details. Existing file is backed up before modification.
Manual option: [transcriptapi.com/signup](https://transcriptapi.com/signup) → Dashboard → API Keys.
## File Writes
The verify and save-key commands save the API key to `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json` (sets `skills.entries.transcriptapi.apiKey` and `enabled: true`). **Existing file is backed up to `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak` before modification.**
To use the API key in terminal/CLI outside the agent, add to your shell profile manually: `export TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY=<your-key>`
## API Reference
Full OpenAPI spec: [transcriptapi.com/openapi.json](https://transcriptapi.com/openapi.json) — consult this for the latest parameters and schemas.
## Transcript — 1 credit
```bash curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/transcript\ ?video_url=VIDEO_URL&format=text&include_timestamp=true&send_metadata=true" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
| Param | Required | Default | Values | | ------------------- | -------- | ------- | ------------------------------- | | `video_url` | yes | — | YouTube URL or 11-char video ID | | `format` | no | `json` | `json`, `text` | | `include_timestamp` | no | `true` | `true`, `false` | | `send_metadata` | no | `false` | `true`, `false` |
**Response** (`format=json`):
```json { "video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ", "language": "en", "transcript": [{ "text": "...", "start": 18.0, "duration": 3.5 }], "metadata": { "title": "...", "author_name": "...", "author_url": "..." } } ```
## Search — 1 credit
```bash # Videos curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/search?q=QUERY&type=video&limit=20" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
# Channels curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/search?q=QUERY&type=channel&limit=10" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
| Param | Required | Default | Validation | | ------- | -------- | ------- | ------------------ | | `q` | yes | — | 1-200 chars | | `type` | no | `video` | `video`, `channel` | | `limit` | no | `20` | 1-50 |
## Channels
All channel endpoints accept `channel` — an `@handle`, channel URL, or `UC...` channel ID. No need to resolve first.
### Resolve handle — FREE
```bash curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/resolve?input=@TED" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
Response: `{"channel_id": "UC...", "resolved_from": "@TED"}`
### Latest 15 videos — FREE
```bash curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/latest?channel=@TED" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
Returns exact `viewCount` and ISO `published` timestamps.
### All channel videos — 1 credit/page
```bash # First page (100 videos) curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/videos?channel=@NASA" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
# Next pages curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/videos?continuation=TOKEN" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
Provide exactly one of `channel` or `continuation`. Response includes `continuation_token` and `has_more`.
### Search within channel — 1 credit
```bash curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/search\ ?channel=@TED&q=QUERY&limit=30" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
## Playlists — 1 credit/page
Accepts `playlist` — a YouTube playlist URL or playlist ID.
```bash # First page curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/playlist/videos?playlist=PL_ID" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
# Next pages curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/playlist/videos?continuation=TOKEN" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
Valid ID prefixes: `PL`, `UU`, `LL`, `FL`, `OL`. Response includes `playlist_info`, `results`, `continuation_token`, `has_more`.
## Credit Costs
| Endpoint | Cost | | --------------- | -------- | | transcript | 1 | | search | 1 | | channel/resolve | **free** | | channel/latest | **free** | | channel/videos | 1/page | | channel/search | 1 | | playlist/videos | 1/page |
## Validation Rules
| Field | Rule | | ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | `channel` | `@handle`, channel URL, or `UC...` ID | | `playlist` | Playlist URL or ID (`PL`/`UU`/`LL`/`FL`/`OL` prefix) | | `q` | 1-200 chars | | `limit` | 1-50 |
## Errors
| Code | Meaning | Action | | ---- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------- | | 401 | Bad API key | Check key | | 402 | No credits | transcriptapi.com/billing | | 404 | Not found | Resource doesn't exist or no captions | | 408 | Timeout | Retry once after 2s | | 422 | Validation error | Check param format | | 429 | Rate limited | Wait, respect Retry-After |
## Typical Workflows
**Research workflow:** search → pick videos → fetch transcripts
```bash # 1. Search curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/search\ ?q=machine+learning+explained&limit=5" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" # 2. Transcript curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/transcript\ ?video_url=VIDEO_ID&format=text&include_timestamp=true&send_metadata=true" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
**Channel monitoring:** latest (free) → transcript
```bash # 1. Latest uploads (free — pass @handle directly) curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/latest?channel=@TED" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" # 2. Transcript of latest curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/transcript\ ?video_url=VIDEO_ID&format=text&include_timestamp=true&send_metadata=true" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY" ```
Free tier: 100 credits, 300 req/min. Starter ($5/mo): 1,000 credits.