# ytapi — YouTube Transcript & Metadata API

> Specialized YouTube data API for AI agents, developers, and workflows. Fast InnerTube & timedtext extraction, MCP native, only bills on successful HTTP 200 responses.

## Core API Endpoints

Base URL: `https://api.ytapi.dev`
Authentication: `Authorization: Bearer yta_YOUR_KEY`
Billing Rule: You only pay for successful HTTP 200 responses. Failed requests cost 0 credits.

- `GET /v1/transcripts/{videoId}?lang={lang}&format={json|text|srt|vtt}`: Full transcript with timestamped segments. (1 credit)
- `GET /v1/transcripts/{videoId}/languages`: Available transcript languages (including auto-generated ASR tags). (0 credits / Free)
- `GET /v1/videos/{videoId}`: Video metadata (title, channel, duration, views, likes, publish date, keywords). (1 credit)
- `GET /v1/search?q={query}&type={video|channel}&page={page}`: Search YouTube for videos or channels. (1 credit/page)
- `GET /v1/channels/{idOrHandle}`: Resolve channel ID, handle, or custom URL. (0 credits / Free)
- `GET /v1/channels/{channelId}/latest`: Latest 15 uploaded videos from channel RSS. (0 credits / Free)
- `POST /v1/transcripts/batch`: Batch fetch up to 50 transcripts. (1 credit per successful item)

## Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server

Direct streamable JSON-RPC HTTP endpoint for Claude Code, Cursor, and custom AI agents:
- MCP Server URL: `https://ytapi.dev/api/mcp`
- Auth Header: `Authorization: Bearer yta_YOUR_KEY`
- Exposed Tools: `get_transcript`, `get_video_metadata`, `search_youtube`, `list_latest_videos`

### Connect Claude Code
```bash
claude mcp add ytapi --transport http --header "Authorization: Bearer yta_YOUR_KEY" https://ytapi.dev/api/mcp
```

### Connect Cursor
```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ytapi": {
      "url": "https://ytapi.dev/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer yta_YOUR_KEY" }
    }
  }
}
```

## Quick Example (cURL)

```bash
curl -s "https://api.ytapi.dev/v1/transcripts/dQw4w9WgXcQ?format=json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer yta_YOUR_KEY"
```

## Documentation & Developer Resources

- OpenAPI Spec: https://ytapi.dev/openapi.yaml
- OpenAPI JSON: https://ytapi.dev/openapi.json
- Full Documentation: https://ytapi.dev/docs
- MCP Documentation: https://ytapi.dev/docs/mcp
- Error Reference: https://ytapi.dev/docs/errors
- Rate Limits & Pricing: https://ytapi.dev/docs/rate-limits
- Live Status: https://ytapi.dev/status
- Full LLM Context: https://ytapi.dev/llms-full.txt
- Sitemap: https://ytapi.dev/sitemap.xml