baoyu-youtube-transcript

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: baoyu-youtube-transcript
description: Downloads YouTube video transcripts/subtitles and cover images by URL or video ID. Supports multiple languages, translation, chapters, and speaker identification. Caches raw data for fast re-formatting. Use when user asks to "get YouTube transcript", "download subtitles", "get captions", "YouTube字幕", "YouTube封面", "视频封面", "video thumbnail", "video cover image", or provides a YouTube URL and wants the transcript/subtitle text or cover image extracted.
version: 1.1.0
metadata:
  openclaw:
    homepage: https://github.com/JimLiu/baoyu-skills#baoyu-youtube-transcript
    requires:
      anyBins:
        - bun
        - npx
---

# YouTube Transcript

Downloads transcripts (subtitles/captions) from YouTube videos. Works with both manually created and auto-generated transcripts. No API key or browser required — uses YouTube's InnerTube API directly and automatically falls back to `yt-dlp` when YouTube blocks the direct API path.

Fetches video metadata and cover image on first run, caches raw data for fast re-formatting.

## Script Directory

Scripts in `scripts/` subdirectory. `{baseDir}` = this SKILL.md's directory path. Resolve `${BUN_X}` runtime: if `bun` installed → `bun`; if `npx` available → `npx -y bun`; else suggest installing bun. Replace `{baseDir}` and `${BUN_X}` with actual values.

| Script | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| `scripts/main.ts` | Transcript download CLI |

## Usage

```bash
# Default: markdown with timestamps (English)
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <youtube-url-or-id>

# Specify languages (priority order)
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --languages zh,en,ja

# Without timestamps
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --no-timestamps

# With chapter segmentation
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --chapters

# With speaker identification (requires AI post-processing)
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --speakers

# SRT subtitle file
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --format srt

# Translate transcript
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --translate zh-Hans

# List available transcripts
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --list

# Force re-fetch (ignore cache)
${BUN_X} {baseDir}/scripts/main.ts <url> --refresh
```

## Options

| Option | Description | Default |
|--------|-------------|---------|
| `<url-or-id>` | YouTube URL or video ID (multiple allowed) | Required |
| `--languages <codes>` | Language codes, comma-separated, in priority order | `en` |
| `--format <fmt>` | Output format: `text`, `srt` | `text` |
| `--translate <code>` | Translate to specified language code | |
| `--list` | List available transcripts instead of fetching | |
| `--timestamps` | Include `[HH:MM:SS → HH:MM:SS]` timestamps per paragraph | on |
| `--no-timestamps` | Disable timestamps | |
| `--chapters` | Chapter segmentation from video description | |
| `--speakers` | Raw transcript with metadata for speaker identification | |
| `--exclude-generated` | Skip auto-generated transcripts | |
| `--exclude-manually-created` | Skip manually created transcripts | |
| `--refresh` | Force re-fetch, ignore cached data | |
| `-o, --output <path>` | Save to specific file path | auto-generated |
| `--output-dir <dir>` | Base output directory | `youtube-transcript` |

## Optional Environment Variables

| Variable | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `YOUTUBE_TRANSCRIPT_COOKIES_FROM_BROWSER` | Passed to `yt-dlp --cookies-from-browser` during fallback, e.g. `chrome`, `safari`, `firefox`, or `chrome:Profile 1` |

## Input Formats

Accepts any of these as video input:
- Full URL: `https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ`
- Short URL: `https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ`
- Embed URL: `https://www.youtube.com/embed/dQw4w9WgXcQ`
- Shorts URL: `https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dQw4w9WgXcQ`
- Video ID: `dQw4w9WgXcQ`

## Output Formats

| Format | Extension | Description |
|--------|-----------|-------------|
| `text` | `.md` | Markdown with frontmatter (inc