youtube

name	youtube
description	Enables Claude to manage YouTube subscriptions, playlists, and viewing experience through browser automation
version	1.0.0
author	Canifi
category	video

YouTube Skill

Overview

Automates YouTube viewer operations including managing subscriptions, playlists, watch history, and engagement through the main YouTube interface.

Quick Install

curl -sSL https://canifi.com/skills/youtube/install.sh | bash

Or manually:

cp -r skills/youtube ~/.canifi/skills/

Setup

Configure via canifi-env:

# First, ensure canifi-env is installed:
# curl -sSL https://canifi.com/install.sh | bash

canifi-env set GOOGLE_EMAIL "[e-mail]"
canifi-env set GOOGLE_PASSWORD "your-password"

Privacy & Authentication

Your credentials, your choice. Canifi LifeOS respects your privacy.

Option 1: Manual Browser Login (Recommended)

If you prefer not to share credentials with Claude Code:

1. Complete the Browser Automation Setup using CDP mode
2. Login to the service manually in the Playwright-controlled Chrome window
3. Claude will use your authenticated session without ever seeing your password

Option 2: Environment Variables

If you're comfortable sharing credentials, you can store them locally:

canifi-env set SERVICE_EMAIL "your-email"
canifi-env set SERVICE_PASSWORD "your-password"

Note: Credentials stored in canifi-env are only accessible locally on your machine and are never transmitted.

Capabilities

• Search and find videos
• Manage subscriptions
• Create and edit playlists
• Like and comment on videos
• View watch history
• Save videos to watch later
• Access subscription feed
• Manage video preferences

Usage Examples

Example 1: Search Videos

User: "Find the latest videos about machine learning"
Claude: I'll search for those videos.
- Navigate to youtube.com
- Search "machine learning"
- Filter by upload date
- Present top results with metadata

Example 2: Create Playlist

User: "Create a playlist called 'Learning Python'"
Claude: I'll create that playlist.
- Navigate to Library
- Click Create playlist
- Name it "Learning Python"
- Set privacy to private or public
- Confirm creation

Example 3: Manage Subscriptions

User: "Subscribe to this channel"
Claude: I'll subscribe to the channel.
- Navigate to channel page
- Click Subscribe button
- Enable notifications if requested
- Confirm subscription

Example 4: Check Subscription Feed

User: "Show me new videos from my subscriptions"
Claude: I'll check your subscriptions.
- Navigate to Subscriptions page
- List recent uploads
- Present videos with titles and channels
- Note which are new since last check

Authentication Flow

1. Navigate to youtube.com via Playwright MCP
2. Sign in with Google credentials from canifi-env
3. Handle 2FA if enabled (notify user via iMessage)
4. Verify home page access
5. Maintain session cookies

Error Handling

• Login Failed: Retry Google sign-in flow
• Session Expired: Re-authenticate automatically
• 2FA Required: iMessage for verification code
• Video Unavailable: Check region or privacy restrictions
• Playlist Error: Verify ownership and permissions
• Rate Limited: Implement backoff
• Age Restricted: May need verification
• Channel Not Found: Verify channel name

Self-Improvement Instructions

When encountering new YouTube features:

1. Document new UI elements
2. Add support for new video types
3. Log successful playlist patterns
4. Update for YouTube changes

Notes

• YouTube Studio is separate skill for creators
• Playlists can be public, unlisted, or private
• Subscription notifications are optional
• Premium features require subscription
• Some videos are region-locked
• Comments may be disabled on videos
• Watch history affects recommendations