---
name: youtube-automation
description: "Automate YouTube tasks via Rube MCP (Composio): upload videos, manage playlists, search content, get analytics, and handle comments. Always search tools first for current schemas."
risk: critical
source: community
date_added: "2026-02-27"
---

# YouTube Automation via Rube MCP

Automate YouTube operations through Composio's YouTube toolkit via Rube MCP.

## Prerequisites

- Rube MCP must be connected (RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS available)
- Active YouTube connection via `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `youtube`
- Always call `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` first to get current tool schemas

## Setup

**Get Rube MCP**: Add `https://rube.app/mcp` as an MCP server in your client configuration. No API keys needed — just add the endpoint and it works.


1. Verify Rube MCP is available by confirming `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` responds
2. Call `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `youtube`
3. If connection is not ACTIVE, follow the returned auth link to complete Google OAuth
4. Confirm connection status shows ACTIVE before running any workflows

## Core Workflows

### 1. Upload and Manage Videos

**When to use**: User wants to upload a video or update video metadata

**Tool sequence**:
1. `YOUTUBE_UPLOAD_VIDEO` - Upload a new video [Required]
2. `YOUTUBE_UPDATE_VIDEO` - Update title, description, tags, privacy [Optional]
3. `YOUTUBE_UPDATE_THUMBNAIL` - Set a custom thumbnail [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `title`: Video title (max 100 characters)
- `description`: Video description (max 5000 bytes)
- `tags`: Array of keyword tags
- `categoryId`: YouTube category ID (e.g., '22' for People & Blogs)
- `privacyStatus`: 'public', 'private', or 'unlisted'
- `videoFilePath`: Object with `{name, mimetype, s3key}` for the video file

**Pitfalls**:
- UPLOAD_VIDEO consumes high quota; prefer UPDATE_VIDEO for metadata-only changes
- videoFilePath must be an object with s3key, not a raw file path or URL
- Tags total must not exceed 500 characters including separators
- Angle brackets `< >` in tags are automatically stripped
- Description limit is 5000 bytes, not characters (multibyte chars count more)

### 2. Search YouTube Content

**When to use**: User wants to find videos, channels, or playlists

**Tool sequence**:
1. `YOUTUBE_SEARCH_YOU_TUBE` - Search for content [Required]
2. `YOUTUBE_VIDEO_DETAILS` - Get full details for a specific video [Optional]
3. `YOUTUBE_GET_VIDEO_DETAILS_BATCH` - Get details for multiple videos [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `q`: Search query (supports exact phrases, exclusions, channel handles)
- `type`: 'video', 'channel', or 'playlist'
- `maxResults`: Results per page (1-50)
- `pageToken`: For pagination

**Pitfalls**:
- Search endpoint only returns 'snippet' part; use VIDEO_DETAILS for statistics
- Search results are capped at 500 total items
- Search has higher quota cost (100 units) vs list endpoints (1 unit)
- BATCH video details practical limit is ~50 IDs per call; chunk larger sets

### 3. Manage Playlists

**When to use**: User wants to create playlists or manage playlist contents

**Tool sequence**:
1. `YOUTUBE_LIST_USER_PLAYLISTS` - List user's existing playlists [Optional]
2. `YOUTUBE_CREATE_PLAYLIST` - Create a new playlist [Optional]
3. `YOUTUBE_ADD_VIDEO_TO_PLAYLIST` - Add a video to a playlist [Optional]
4. `YOUTUBE_LIST_PLAYLIST_ITEMS` - List videos in a playlist [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `playlistId`: Playlist ID ('PL...' for user-created, 'UU...' for uploads)
- `part`: Resource parts to include (e.g., 'snippet,contentDetails')
- `maxResults`: Items per page (1-50)
- `pageToken`: Pagination token from previous response

**Pitfalls**:
- Do NOT pass channel IDs ('UC...') as playlist IDs; convert 'UC' to 'UU' for uploads
- Large playlists require pagination via pageToken; follow nextPageToken until absent
- items[].id is not the videoId; use items[].snippet.resourceId.videoId
- Creating duplicate playlist names is allowed; check existing playlists first

### 4. Get Channel and Video Analytics

**When to use**: User wants to analyze channel performance or video metrics

**Tool sequence**:
1. `YOUTUBE_GET_CHANNEL_ID_BY_HANDLE` - Resolve a handle to channel ID [Prerequisite]
2. `YOUTUBE_GET_CHANNEL_STATISTICS` - Get channel subscriber/view/video counts [Required]
3. `YOUTUBE_LIST_CHANNEL_VIDEOS` - List all videos from a channel [Optional]
4. `YOUTUBE_GET_VIDEO_DETAILS_BATCH` - Get per-video statistics [Optional]
5. `YOUTUBE_GET_CHANNEL_ACTIVITIES` - Get recent channel activities [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `channelId`: Channel ID ('UC...'), handle ('@handle'), or 'me'
- `forHandle`: Channel handle (e.g., '@Google')
- `id`: Comma-separated video IDs for batch details
- `parts`: Resource parts to include (e.g., 'snippet,statistics')

**Pitfalls**:
- Channel statistics are lifetime totals, not per-period
- BATCH video details may return fewer items than requested for private/deleted videos
- Response data may be nested under `data` or `data_preview`; parse defensively
- contentDetails.duration uses ISO 8601 format (e.g., 'PT4M13S')

### 5. Manage Subscriptions and Comments

**When to use**: User wants to subscribe to channels or view video comments

**Tool sequence**:
1. `YOUTUBE_SUBSCRIBE_CHANNEL` - Subscribe to a channel [Optional]
2. `YOUTUBE_UNSUBSCRIBE_CHANNEL` - Unsubscribe from a channel [Optional]
3. `YOUTUBE_LIST_USER_SUBSCRIPTIONS` - List subscriptions [Optional]
4. `YOUTUBE_LIST_COMMENT_THREADS` - List comments on a video [Optional]

**Key parameters**:
- `channelId`: Channel to subscribe/unsubscribe
- `videoId`: Video ID for comment threads
- `maxResults`: Results per page
- `pageToken`: Pagination token

**Pitfalls**:
- Subscribing to an already-subscribed channel may return an error
- Comment threads return top-level comments with up to 5 replies each
- Comments may be disabled on some videos
- Unsubscribe requires the subscription ID, not the channel ID

## Common Patterns

### Channel ID Resolution

**Handle to Channel ID**:
```
1. Call YOUTUBE_GET_CHANNEL_ID_BY_HANDLE with '@handle'
2. Extract channelId from response
3. Use in subsequent channel operations
```

**Uploads Playlist**:
```
1. Get channel ID (starts with 'UC')
2. Replace 'UC' prefix with 'UU' to get uploads playlist ID
3. Use with LIST_PLAYLIST_ITEMS to enumerate all videos
```

### Pagination

- Set `maxResults` (max 50 per page)
- Check response for `nextPageToken`
- Pass token as `pageToken` in next request
- Continue until `nextPageToken` is absent

### Batch Video Details

- Collect video IDs from search or playlist listings
- Chunk into groups of ~50 IDs
- Call GET_VIDEO_DETAILS_BATCH per chunk
- Merge results across chunks

## Known Pitfalls

**Quota Management**:
- YouTube API has a daily quota limit (default 10,000 units)
- Upload = 1600 units; search = 100 units; list = 1 unit
- Prefer list endpoints over search when possible
- Monitor quota usage to avoid hitting daily limits

**ID Formats**:
- Video IDs: 11-character alphanumeric strings
- Channel IDs: Start with 'UC' followed by 22 characters
- Playlist IDs: Start with 'PL' (user) or 'UU' (uploads)
- Do not confuse channel IDs with playlist IDs

**Thumbnails**:
- Custom thumbnails require channel phone verification
- Must be JPG, PNG, or GIF; under 2MB
- Recommended: 1280x720 resolution (16:9 aspect ratio)

**Response Parsing**:
- Statistics values are returned as strings, not integers; cast before math
- Duration uses ISO 8601 format (PT#H#M#S)
- Batch responses may wrap data under different keys

## Quick Reference

| Task | Tool Slug | Key Params |
|------|-----------|------------|
| Upload video | YOUTUBE_UPLOAD_VIDEO | title, description, tags, categoryId, privacyStatus, videoFilePath |
| Update video | YOUTUBE_UPDATE_VIDEO | video_id, title, description, tags |
| Set thumbnail | YOUTUBE_UPDATE_THUMBNAIL | videoId, thumbnailUrl |
| Search YouTube | YOUTUBE_SEARCH_YOU_TUBE | q, type, maxResults |
| Video details | YOUTUBE_VIDEO_DETAILS | id, part |
| Batch video details | YOUTUBE_GET_VIDEO_DETAILS_BATCH | id, parts |
| List playlists | YOUTUBE_LIST_USER_PLAYLISTS | maxResults, pageToken |
| Create playlist | YOUTUBE_CREATE_PLAYLIST | (check schema) |
| Add to playlist | YOUTUBE_ADD_VIDEO_TO_PLAYLIST | (check schema) |
| List playlist items | YOUTUBE_LIST_PLAYLIST_ITEMS | playlistId, maxResults |
| Channel statistics | YOUTUBE_GET_CHANNEL_STATISTICS | id/forHandle/mine |
| List channel videos | YOUTUBE_LIST_CHANNEL_VIDEOS | channelId, maxResults |
| Channel ID by handle | YOUTUBE_GET_CHANNEL_ID_BY_HANDLE | channel_handle |
| Subscribe | YOUTUBE_SUBSCRIBE_CHANNEL | channelId |
| List subscriptions | YOUTUBE_LIST_USER_SUBSCRIPTIONS | (check schema) |
| List comments | YOUTUBE_LIST_COMMENT_THREADS | videoId |
| Channel activities | YOUTUBE_GET_CHANNEL_ACTIVITIES | (check schema) |

## When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

## Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.