How to use
- Copy the installation command and review the source package before installing it in your own agent environment.
- Check the source document for required tools, credentials and supported hosts.
- Describe your input and desired deliverable; review the output against the source material.
npx skills add https://github.com/apidojo-io/apidojo-skills --skill scraping-youtube-videos-by-keywordBefore you start
- Installation does not include a model subscription, API allowance or permission to access your files.
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Original skill document
Rendered from the source repository. Headings, examples, code, tables, links, and referenced images are preserved.
Scraping YouTube Videos by Keyword
Raw YouTube video dataset for any search query. Returns video-level metadata including engagement metrics and channel info.
Prerequisites
APIFY_TOKENenvironment variable set- Optional: Apify MCP server installed
Inputs
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
startUrls | array | Optional | [] | YouTube URLs — channels, playlists, Shorts, search results |
youtubeHandles | array | Optional | [] | YouTube channel handles (e.g. @kurzgesagt) |
getTrending | boolean | Optional | false | Retrieve trending videos |
keywords | array | Optional | [] | Search keywords |
gl | string | Optional | us | Country code for results (e.g. US, GB) |
hl | string | Optional | en | Language code (e.g. en, de) |
uploadDate | string | Optional | all | Upload date filter: any, hour, today, week, month, year |
duration | string | Optional | all | Duration filter: any, short, long |
features | string | Optional | all | Feature filter: 4k, hd, live, cc, 3d, hdr, etc. |
sort | string | Optional | r | Sort order for search results |
maxItems | number | Optional | Unlimited | Maximum videos to return |
customMapFunction | string | Optional | — | JavaScript function to transform each output object |
Workflow
Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Build search query
- [ ] Step 2: Run youtube-scraper
- [ ] Step 3: Poll for SUCCEEDED
- [ ] Step 4: Deliver video datasetStep 2: Run the Actor
Recommended — run_actor.js (handles waiting, output, and file saving automatically):
bash
# Quick answer (prints table to chat)
node scripts/run_actor.js \
--actor "apidojo~youtube-scraper" \
--input '{"param": "value"}'
# Save as CSV
node scripts/run_actor.js \
--actor "apidojo~youtube-scraper" \
--input '{"param": "value"}' \
--output YYYY-MM-DD_results.csv --format csv
# Save as JSON
node scripts/run_actor.js \
--actor "apidojo~youtube-scraper" \
--input '{"param": "value"}' \
--output YYYY-MM-DD_results.json --format jsonAPIFY_TOKENmust be set in environment or.envfile.
If Apify MCP is available:
Tool: apify:run-actor
Actor: "apidojo~youtube-scraper"
Input:
{
"searchKeywords": "<query>",
"maxResults": 50,
"sortBy": "relevance"
}REST API fallback:
bash
curl -X POST \
"https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/apidojo~youtube-scraper/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"searchKeywords": "<query>", "maxResults": 50}'Save id as RUN_ID. Poll until status = SUCCEEDED:
bash
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/actor-runs/$RUN_ID?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" | grep '"status"'Fetch results:
bash
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/actor-runs/$RUN_ID/dataset/items?token=$APIFY_TOKEN&format=json"Step 3: Handle Edge Cases
- < 20 results: Query may be too narrow; broaden search term.
- Age-restricted content in results: These may have limited metadata — flag rows with missing
viewCount. - Duplicate video IDs: Deduplicate by
videoId.
Output Format
# YouTube Video Dataset: "<query>"
Videos collected: N | Sort: <sortBy>
| Video ID | Title | Channel | Views | Likes | Comments | Duration | Published |
|----------|-------|---------|-------|-------|----------|----------|-----------|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Available fields: videoId, title, channelName, channelId, viewCount, likeCount,
commentCount, duration, publishedAt, videoUrl, thumbnailUrl, descriptionTroubleshooting
Fewer results than requested: YouTube search may have limited results for niche queries. Missing like counts: YouTube hides dislikes but likes are still available; some videos hide all counts.
