# Youtube Search

> Search YouTube for videos via yt-dlp and return structured results (title, channel, views, duration, description) for analysis. Use when the user wants to search YouTube, find top videos on a topic, or pull video metadata.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-theveller-claude-skills-youtube-search`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [TheVeller](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/theveller)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Content & Media](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/content-and-media)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [TheVeller](https://github.com/TheVeller)
- **Source:** https://github.com/TheVeller/claude-skills/tree/main/skills/research/youtube-search

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-theveller-claude-skills-youtube-search
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# YouTube Search Skill

Search YouTube for videos and return structured results using yt-dlp.

## Trigger

Use this skill when the user wants to:
- Search YouTube for videos on a topic
- Find top YouTube videos about a query
- Research what's popular on YouTube about a subject
- Get video metadata (views, channel, duration, description) for analysis

## How to Use

When triggered, call the Bash tool to run yt-dlp with the search query.

### Basic Search

```bash
yt-dlp "ytsearch10:{QUERY}" \
  --dump-json \
  --no-download \
  --flat-playlist \
  --no-warnings \
  2>/dev/null
```

Each line of output is a JSON object. Parse and return structured results.

### Result Fields to Extract

From each JSON object, extract:
- `id` → YouTube video ID
- `title` → Video title
- `url` → Full URL: `https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={id}`
- `view_count` → Number of views (may be null for search results)
- `channel` → Channel name
- `channel_url` → Channel URL
- `duration` → Duration in seconds (convert to MM:SS)
- `description` → First 300 chars of description
- `upload_date` → Date in YYYYMMDD format
- `like_count` → Likes (may be null)

### Output Format

Return results as a structured markdown list:

```markdown
## YouTube Search Results: "{query}"

Found {N} videos

| # | Title | Channel | Views | Duration |
|---|-------|---------|-------|----------|
| 1 | [Title](URL) | Channel Name | 1.2M | 12:34 |
...

### Full Details

**1. [Video Title](URL)**
- Channel: Channel Name
- Views: 1,234,567
- Duration: 12:34
- Published: 2024-03-15
- Description: First 300 chars...
```

## Parameters

- `query` — Search query string (required)
- `limit` — Number of results (default: 10, max: 50)
- `sort_by` — Sort preference: `relevance` (default), `views`, `date`

## Notes

- yt-dlp is installed at `/opt/homebrew/bin/yt-dlp`
- Search results may not include view counts (YouTube API limitation with yt-dlp search)
- For view counts, a second pass fetching individual video metadata may be needed
- If view counts are needed: `yt-dlp --dump-json "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={id}"`

## Example Usage

User: "Search YouTube for the top 5 videos about Claude Code MCP servers"

```bash
yt-dlp "ytsearch5:Claude Code MCP servers" --dump-json --no-download --flat-playlist --no-warnings 2>/dev/null
```

Parse JSON output → return structured table + details.

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [TheVeller](https://github.com/TheVeller)
- **Source:** [TheVeller/claude-skills](https://github.com/TheVeller/claude-skills)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-theveller-claude-skills-youtube-search
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/theveller
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.