What is Mcp Youtube Transcripts

mcp-youtube-transcripts is a Python command-line interface (CLI) tool designed to extract transcripts from YouTube videos using various URL formats.

Use cases

Use cases include extracting transcripts for video analysis, creating subtitles, generating study materials, and improving accessibility for hearing-impaired users.

How to use

To use mcp-youtube-transcripts, clone the repository, navigate to the directory, and run the command ‘python youtube_transcript.py [options]’ with optional parameters for output and timestamps.

Key features

Key features include support for multiple YouTube URL formats, configurable timestamp inclusion, flexible output options (file or stdout), and comprehensive error handling.

Where to use

mcp-youtube-transcripts can be used in fields such as content creation, education, research, and accessibility, where video transcripts are needed.

YouTube Transcript Extractor

A command-line tool that extracts transcripts from YouTube videos, supporting various URL formats and outputting transcripts with optional timestamps. Built with Python and using script dependencies management.

Features

• Extract transcripts from YouTube videos using URLs or video IDs
• Support for multiple YouTube URL formats:
  • Standard watch URLs (youtube.com/watch?v=…)
  • Shortened URLs (youtu.be/…)
  • Embed URLs (youtube.com/embed/…)
• Configurable timestamp inclusion in HH:MM:SS format
• Flexible output options (file or stdout)
• Comprehensive error handling for common scenarios

Installation

This tool uses the script dependencies specification format:

git clone https://github.com/tlofreso/mcp-youtube-transcripts.git
cd mcp-youtube-transcripts

The script’s dependencies are automatically managed through the script header:

# /// script
# requires-python = ">=3.12"
# dependencies = [
#     "click",
#     "youtube_transcript_api",
# ]
# ///

Usage

Basic command format:

python youtube_transcript.py <youtube-url> [options]

Options

• -o, --output: Specify output file path (default: stdout)
• --timestamps/--no-timestamps: Include/exclude timestamps (default: include)

Examples

1. Extract transcript to console (with timestamps):

python youtube_transcript.py "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ"

2. Save transcript to file (without timestamps):

python youtube_transcript.py "https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ" -o transcript.txt --no-timestamps

3. Process an embed URL:

python youtube_transcript.py "https://www.youtube.com/embed/dQw4w9WgXcQ"

Output Format

With timestamps (default):

[00:00:00] First line of the transcript
[00:00:03] Second line of the transcript
[00:00:07] Third line of the transcript

Without timestamps:

First line of the transcript
Second line of the transcript
Third line of the transcript

Error Handling

The tool provides clear error messages for common scenarios:

• Transcripts disabled for the video
• Invalid or malformed YouTube URLs
• Network connectivity issues
• File permission problems
• Missing or invalid video IDs

Requirements

• Python 3.12 or higher
• Automatically installed dependencies:
  • click: For command-line interface
  • youtube_transcript_api: For fetching transcripts

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and pull requests.

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.