A zero-config MCP server for YouTube — search videos, get transcripts, browse channels, and search within video content. No API keys needed.
YouTube MCP server has 8 well-named tools with consistent verb_noun patterns (search_*, get_*, all starting with action verbs). All tools have descriptions (avg ~120 chars, within baseline 34-392 range). Input schemas are present with type definitions and parameter descriptions. However, output schemas are NOT documented, tools return JSON strings but the structure of returned objects is not formally specified. Error handling is present but generic; some tools return helpful context (e.g., IP blocking, transcript unavailable) but lack recovery guidance. No tool annotations (readOnlyHint, destructiveHint, idempotentHint). Parameter descriptions are adequate but could be more prescriptive about constraints (e.g., 'limit' lacks explicit min/max in descriptions, only enforced in code). No pagination support documented despite tools accepting 'limit' parameters.
Get information about a YouTube channel.
Get videos from a YouTube channel.
Get comments from a YouTube video.
Get the full transcript of a YouTube video with timestamps.
Get detailed information about a YouTube video including title, description, stats, tags, and chapters.
Search for specific content across all videos of a YouTube channel. This is the power feature: find what a creator said about any topic.
Search for specific content within a video's transcript. Returns matching passages with timestamps and direct links.
Output schemas not documented. Tools return JSON strings but the structure of returned objects (fields, types, nested objects) is not formally specified. LLMs cannot plan downstream tool calls or extract fields reliably without knowing response structure.
Parameter constraints not fully documented in descriptions. 'limit' parameters are enforced in code (min/max) but descriptions lack explicit bounds. LLMs cannot infer valid ranges and may pass invalid values.
No tool annotations (readOnlyHint, destructiveHint, idempotentHint). All tools are read-only but this is not declared in the tool definition. Agents cannot distinguish safe tools from destructive ones without explicit hints.
| Scored | Grade | Overall | Spec posture | Rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-23 | C | 60 | 2026-07-28+ | v2 |
Search YouTube for videos.
Error handling lacks recovery guidance. Errors return messages but do not guide LLM on next steps. E.g., 'Failed to get video info' does not suggest alternative actions or clarify whether the error is retryable.
No pagination support documented. Tools accept 'limit' but do not return total counts, next_cursor, or offset parameters. Large result sets may exceed context window without explicit pagination guidance.