YouTube MCP Extended

A powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that transforms Claude Desktop into your personal YouTube channel management assistant. Automate metadata optimization, video scheduling, playlist organization, and content backups with AI-powered insights.

What is YouTube MCP Extended?

YouTube MCP Extended is a comprehensive MCP server that enables Claude Desktop to manage your YouTube channel with professional-grade automation tools. Whether you're a content creator with dozens of videos or a digital marketer managing multiple channels, this tool streamlines your workflow with intelligent automation and safety guardrails.

Key Benefits

• 🤖 AI-Powered Metadata: Generate optimized titles, descriptions, and tags using your video content and transcripts
• 📅 Smart Scheduling: Plan video releases with intelligent timing strategies
• 📋 Playlist Automation: Organize videos into playlists automatically by category or custom rules
• 💾 Safe Operations: Built-in backup system and approval workflows prevent accidental changes
• ⚡ Batch Processing: Handle multiple videos efficiently with progress tracking
• 🔒 Secure: OAuth authentication with optional encrypted token storage

Quick Start (5 Minutes)

Prerequisites

• Node.js 20+ (Download)
• Claude Desktop (Download)
• Google Cloud Project with YouTube Data API v3 enabled

1. Installation

# Clone and install
git clone https://github.com/denniswestermann/youtube_MetaData_MCP.git
cd youtube_MetaData_MCP
npm install
npm run build:basic

2. Google Cloud Setup

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create a new project or select existing one
3. Enable the YouTube Data API v3
4. Create OAuth 2.0 credentials (Web application type)
5. Add http://localhost:3000/callback to authorized redirect URIs
6. Copy your Client ID and Client Secret

3. Configuration

Create .env file:

cp .env.example .env

Edit .env with your credentials:

YOUTUBE_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id.apps.googleusercontent.com
YOUTUBE_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret
OAUTH_ENCRYPTION_SECRET=your-strong-encryption-secret

4. Claude Desktop Configuration

Add to your Claude Desktop config file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "youtube-extended": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["./dist/index.js"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/youtube_MetaData_MCP"
    }
  }
}

5. First Use

1. Restart Claude Desktop
2. Ask Claude: "Start the YouTube OAuth flow"
3. Follow the authentication instructions
4. Ask Claude: "List my recent videos"

🎉 You're ready! Claude can now manage your YouTube channel.

Core Features

🔐 OAuth Authentication

• Secure PKCE-based OAuth 2.0 flow
• Encrypted token storage (optional)
• Automatic token refresh
• One-time setup per machine

📹 Video Management

• List and analyze video metadata
• Download transcripts for analysis
• Bulk operations with progress tracking
• Smart metadata suggestions

🏷️ Metadata Optimization

• AI-powered title and description generation
• Intelligent tag suggestions based on content
• Guardrail system prevents problematic changes
• Review workflow with approval checklists

📅 Video Scheduling

• Strategic release timing optimization
• Bulk scheduling with conflict detection
• Preview mode for planning
• Timezone-aware scheduling

📋 Playlist Management

• Automatic categorization by YouTube categories
• Custom playlist organization rules
• Bulk video assignment
• Position-specific placement

💾 Backup & Recovery

• Automatic metadata backups before changes
• Date-organized backup storage
• One-click restore functionality
• Version history tracking

⚡ Batch Operations

• Queue-based processing for API efficiency
• Real-time progress monitoring
• Error handling with partial success
• Resource subscriptions for live updates

User Personas & Use Cases

🎥 Content Creator

"I need to optimize 50+ video titles and organize them into themed playlists"

• Generate engaging titles from video transcripts
• Bulk organize videos into series playlists
• Schedule optimal release times
• Backup metadata before experimentation

📈 Digital Marketer

"I manage multiple client channels and need consistent optimization"

• Standardize metadata across channels
• Implement release scheduling strategies
• Generate performance-optimized descriptions
• Track changes with audit trails

🎓 Educational Institution

"Our course library needs better organization and discoverability"

• Organize videos by course/module structure
• Generate educational descriptions and tags
• Schedule semester-based releases
• Maintain consistent categorization

🛠️ Developer/Agency

"I want to extend the tool for custom workflows"

• Built-in configuration validation
• Feature flag system for controlled rollouts
• Comprehensive error handling
• Extensible architecture

Safety & Guardrails

YouTube MCP Extended prioritizes safe operations:

• Approval Workflows: Metadata changes require explicit confirmation
• Automatic Backups: Original data preserved before modifications
• Preview Mode: See changes before applying them
• Error Recovery: Graceful handling of API failures
• Rate Limiting: Respects YouTube API quotas and limits

Architecture Highlights

• Modular Design: Clean separation of concerns
• MCP Protocol: Native integration with Claude Desktop
• TypeScript: Full type safety and IDE support
• Configuration System: Environment-based setup with validation
• Batch Processing: Efficient API usage with progress tracking
• Resource Subscriptions: Real-time updates for long operations

Documentation

• 📖 Installation Guide - Detailed setup instructions
• ⚙️ Configuration Guide - Complete configuration reference
• 👤 User Guide - Feature walkthroughs and tutorials
• 🔧 Tools Reference - Complete MCP tools documentation
• 🚨 Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Example Workflows

Optimizing Video Metadata

You: "Generate metadata suggestions for my latest video about TypeScript"
Claude: [Analyzes transcript, generates optimized title, description, tags]
You: "Apply the suggestions after reviewing the checklist"
Claude: [Creates backup, applies changes, confirms success]

Bulk Playlist Organization

You: "Organize my last 20 videos into playlists by topic"
Claude: [Analyzes categories, creates themed playlists, assigns videos]
You: "Monitor the progress"
Claude: [Shows real-time batch progress with success/failure details]

Strategic Scheduling

You: "Schedule my next 10 videos for optimal engagement"
Claude: [Analyzes upload patterns, creates strategic schedule]
You: "Apply the schedule"
Claude: [Implements scheduling with batch tracking]

Development & Contribution

Development Commands

# Development with hot reload
npm run dev:basic

# Build for production
npm run build:basic

# Run tests
npm test

# Lint and format
npm run lint
npm run format

# Type checking
npm run type-check

Project Structure

src/
├── auth/           # OAuth authentication
├── youtube/        # YouTube API client
├── metadata/       # Metadata generation & review
├── scheduler/      # Video scheduling
├── playlist/       # Playlist management
├── backup/         # Backup & restore
├── batch/          # Batch processing
└── config/         # Configuration system

System Requirements

• Node.js: 20.0.0 or higher
• Memory: 512MB minimum, 1GB recommended
• Storage: 100MB for application, additional space for backups
• Network: Stable internet connection for YouTube API
• Platform: macOS, Windows, or Linux

API Quotas & Limits

YouTube Data API v3 provides 10,000 quota units per day by default:

• List videos: 1 unit per request
• Update metadata: 50 units per update
• Create playlist: 50 units
• Add to playlist: 50 units

The server includes intelligent quota monitoring and rate limiting.

Security Considerations

• Token Encryption: Use OAUTH_ENCRYPTION_SECRET for production
• Scope Limitation: Request only necessary YouTube permissions
• Local Storage: All data stays on your machine
• Network Security: Direct communication with YouTube APIs only
• Audit Trail: Optional logging for compliance requirements

Troubleshooting Quick Reference

Version History

• v0.0.2 - Enhanced documentation and user experience
• v0.0.1 - Initial release with core MCP functionality

Support & Community

• 📖 Documentation: Comprehensive guides in /docs
• 🐛 Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
• 💬 Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• 📧 Email: [email protected]

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

Built with:

• Model Context Protocol SDK - MCP implementation
• Google APIs Client - YouTube API access
• Google Auth Library - OAuth authentication

Ready to supercharge your YouTube workflow? Follow the Quick Start guide above and transform Claude Desktop into your personal YouTube management assistant.