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 "[email protected]"
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