transcriptapi

What this skill does

# TranscriptAPI

Full YouTube data toolkit via [TranscriptAPI.com](https://transcriptapi.com). Transcripts, search, channels, playlists — one API key.

## 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, generate a secure password.

```bash
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js register --email USER_EMAIL --password SECURE_PASS --json
```

→ OTP sent to email. Ask user: _"Check your email for a 6-digit verification code."_
⚠️ **SAVE THE PASSWORD** — you need it again in Step 2!

**Step 2 — Verify:** Once user provides the OTP (use SAME password from Step 1):

```bash
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js verify --email USER_EMAIL --password SECURE_PASS --otp CODE --json
```

→ Returns `api_key` (starts with `sk_`).

**Step 3 — Save:** Store the key (auto-configures agent + shell):

```bash
node ./scripts/tapi-auth.js save-key --key API_KEY --json
```

→ Ready to use. Agent runtime picks up the key automatically.

Manual option: [transcriptapi.com/signup](https://transcriptapi.com/signup) → Dashboard → API Keys.

## Auth

All requests: `-H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"`

## Endpoints

### GET /api/v2/youtube/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 | Validation                      |
| ------------------- | -------- | ------- | ------------------------------- |
| `video_url`         | yes      | —       | YouTube URL or 11-char video ID |
| `format`            | no       | `json`  | `json` or `text`                |
| `include_timestamp` | no       | `true`  | `true` or `false`               |
| `send_metadata`     | no       | `false` | `true` or `false`               |

Accepts: `https://youtube.com/watch?v=ID`, `https://youtu.be/ID`, `youtube.com/shorts/ID`, or bare `ID`.

**Response** (`format=json`):

```json
{
  "video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "language": "en",
  "transcript": [
    { "text": "We're no strangers...", "start": 18.0, "duration": 3.5 }
  ],
  "metadata": { "title": "...", "author_name": "...", "author_url": "..." }
}
```

### GET /api/v2/youtube/search — 1 credit

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/search?q=QUERY&type=video&limit=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

| Param   | Required | Default | Validation            |
| ------- | -------- | ------- | --------------------- |
| `q`     | yes      | —       | 1-200 chars (trimmed) |
| `type`  | no       | `video` | `video` or `channel`  |
| `limit` | no       | `20`    | 1-50                  |

**Response** (`type=video`):

```json
{
  "results": [
    {
      "type": "video",
      "videoId": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
      "title": "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up",
      "channelId": "UCuAXFkgsw1L7xaCfnd5JJOw",
      "channelTitle": "Rick Astley",
      "channelHandle": "@RickAstley",
      "channelVerified": true,
      "lengthText": "3:33",
      "viewCountText": "1.5B views",
      "publishedTimeText": "14 years ago",
      "hasCaptions": true,
      "thumbnails": [{ "url": "...", "width": 120, "height": 90 }]
    }
  ],
  "result_count": 20
}
```

**Response** (`type=channel`):

```json
{
  "results": [
    {
      "type": "channel",
      "channelId": "UCuAXFkgsw1L7xaCfnd5JJOw",
      "title": "Rick Astley",
      "handle": "@RickAstley",
      "subscriberCount": "4.2M subscribers",
      "verified": true,
      "rssUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/feeds/videos.xml?channel_id=UC..."
    }
  ],
  "result_count": 5
}
```

### GET /api/v2/youtube/channel/resolve — FREE (0 credits)

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/resolve?input=@mkbhd" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

| Param   | Required | Validation                              |
| ------- | -------- | --------------------------------------- |
| `input` | yes      | 1-200 chars — @handle, URL, or UC... ID |

**Response:**

```json
{ "channel_id": "UCBcRF18a7Qf58cCRy5xuWwQ", "resolved_from": "@mkbhd" }
```

If input is already a valid `UC[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{22}` ID, returns immediately without lookup.

### GET /api/v2/youtube/channel/videos — 1 credit/page

```bash
# First page (100 videos)
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/videos?channel_id=UC_CHANNEL_ID" \
  -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"
```

| Param          | Required    | Validation                           |
| -------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------ |
| `channel_id`   | conditional | `^UC[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{22}$` (first page) |
| `continuation` | conditional | non-empty string (next pages)        |

Provide exactly one of `channel_id` or `continuation`.

**Response:**

```json
{
  "results": [{
    "videoId": "abc123xyz00",
    "title": "Latest Video",
    "channelId": "UCBcRF18a7Qf58cCRy5xuWwQ",
    "channelTitle": "MKBHD",
    "channelHandle": "@mkbhd",
    "lengthText": "15:22",
    "viewCountText": "3.2M views",
    "thumbnails": [...],
    "index": "0"
  }],
  "playlist_info": {"title": "Uploads from MKBHD", "numVideos": "1893"},
  "continuation_token": "4qmFsgKlARIYVVV1...",
  "has_more": true
}
```

### GET /api/v2/youtube/channel/latest — FREE (0 credits)

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/latest?channel_id=UC_CHANNEL_ID" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

| Param        | Required | Validation              |
| ------------ | -------- | ----------------------- |
| `channel_id` | yes      | `^UC[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{22}$` |

Returns last 15 videos via RSS with exact view counts and ISO timestamps.

**Response:**

```json
{
  "channel": {
    "channelId": "...",
    "title": "MKBHD",
    "author": "MKBHD",
    "url": "..."
  },
  "results": [
    {
      "videoId": "abc123xyz00",
      "title": "Latest Video",
      "published": "2026-01-30T16:00:00Z",
      "viewCount": "2287630",
      "description": "Full description...",
      "thumbnail": { "url": "...", "width": "480", "height": "360" }
    }
  ],
  "result_count": 15
}
```

### GET /api/v2/youtube/channel/search — 1 credit

```bash
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/channel/search\
?channel_id=UC_CHANNEL_ID&q=review&limit=30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT_API_KEY"
```

| Param        | Required | Validation              |
| ------------ | -------- | ----------------------- |
| `channel_id` | yes      | `^UC[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{22}$` |
| `q`          | yes      | 1-200 chars             |
| `limit`      | no       | 1-50 (default 30)       |

### GET /api/v2/youtube/playlist/videos — 1 credit/page

```bash
# First page
curl -s "https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2/youtube/playlist/videos?playlist_id=PL_PLAYLIST_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"
```

| Param          | Required    | Validation                 |
| -------------- | ----------- | -------------------------- |
| `playlist_id`  | conditional | starts with PL/UU/LL/FL/OL |
| `continuation` | conditional | non-empty string           |

## Credit Costs

| Endpoint        | Cost     |
| --------------- | -------- |
| transcript      | 1        |
| search          | 1        |
| channel/resolve | **free** |
| channel/search  | 1        |
| channel/videos  | 1/page   |
| channel/latest  | **free** |
| playlist/videos | 1/page   |

## Errors

| Code | Meaning           | Action                                              |
| ---- | ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
|