YouTube API Capability

Search

Search YouTube for videos, channels, and playlists.

Capability ID youtube.search.query

Cost 1 credit per request

Maximum runtime 60 seconds

# Search

Search YouTube for videos, channels, and playlists.

- Platform: [YouTube](https://docs.upscrape.com/docs/platforms/youtube)
- Capability ID: `youtube.search.query`
- Cost: 1 credit per request
- Maximum runtime: 60 seconds
- Execute endpoint: `POST https://data.upscrape.com/execute`

## Request

Use the exact public capability ID in the shared execute envelope.

```bash
curl --request POST \
  --url https://data.upscrape.com/execute \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --header "Prefer: wait=30" \
  --data '{
  "input": {
    "query": "golang tutorial"
  },
  "capability": "youtube.search.query"
}'
```

## Input

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `filter` | `string` | No | Filter supplied for this request. Allowed values: `videos`, `channels`, `playlists`, `live`, `shorts`, `today`, `week`, `month`, `year`. |
| `limit` | `integer` | No | Maximum number of results to return. |
| `max_pages` | `integer` | No | Max pages supplied for this request. |
| `query` | `string` | Yes | Search query |

### Example input

```json
{
  "query": "golang tutorial"
}
```

## Response

Successful output is returned in `results[0].data`. Raw platform output is intentionally open-ended and may evolve with the upstream source.

### Illustrative sample output

This redacted fixture is an example, not a fixed response schema.

```json
{
  "pages": 10,
  "query": "golang tutorial",
  "results": [
    {
      "channel": "TechWorld with Nana",
      "channel_id": "UCdngmbVKX1Tgre699-XLlUA",
      "duration": "3:24:59",
      "published": "4 years ago",
      "thumbnails": [
        {
          "height": 202,
          "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yyUHQIec83I/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLB4_rRdt_HVFu53B1PXgj63C1oscA",
          "width": 360
        },
        {
          "height": 404,
          "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yyUHQIec83I/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLD6EOnmQQCwati8mehjx9ujPnlNTw",
          "width": 720
        }
      ],
      "title": "Golang Tutorial for Beginners | Full Go Course",
      "type": "video",
      "video_id": "yyUHQIec83I",
      "views": "2,444,656 views"
    },
    {
      "channel": "Alex Mux",
      "channel_id": "UCr3L56DsMxhNtHqtm2AIsMw",
      "duration": "1:07:53",
      "published": "2 years ago",
      "thumbnails": [
        {
          "height": 202,
          "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8uiZC0l4Ajw/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLALu_rNLsvRX2gSJWHau0b4sSJ_lA",
          "width": 360
        },
        {
          "height": 404,
          "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8uiZC0l4Ajw/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLD1yhA49oKS0DqwMqNZeccSwdLGrw",
          "width": 720
        }
      ],
      "title": "Learn GO Fast: Full Tutorial",
      "type": "video",
      "video_id": "8uiZC0l4Ajw",
      "views": "1,079,544 views"
    },
    {
      "channel": "freeCodeCamp.org",
      "channel_id": "UC8butISFwT-Wl7EV0hUK0BQ",
      "duration": "9:32:48",
      "published": "3 years ago",
      "thumbnails": [
        {
          "height": 202,
          "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/un6ZyFkqFKo/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLA5xVRBNCjb7uMn07Q6h1cDZIukBQ",
          "width": 360
        },
        {
          "height": 404,
          "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/un6ZyFkqFKo/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLCZH-eqLDxu9tLVChBWxxQVXasSUw",
          "width": 720
        }
      ],
      "title": "Go Programming – Golang Course with Bonus Projects",
      "type": "video",
      "video_id": "un6ZyFkqFKo",
      "views": "1,476,385 views"
    }
  ],
  "results_count": 185
}
```
### Illustrative output fields

Derived from the sample above for orientation only. These fields are not a fixed response schema.

| Path | Observed type | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `pages` | `integer` | 10 |
| `query` | `string` | golang tutorial |
| `results` | `array` | 3 items |
| `results` | `array` | 3 items |
| `results_count` | `integer` | 185 |

## Execution behavior

A `200` response completed inline. A `202` response was queued; poll `GET /jobs/{id}` until the job reaches `completed` or `failed`. Use an `Idempotency-Key` when retrying must not create a duplicate logical job.

## Related documentation

- [Authentication](https://docs.upscrape.com/docs/api/authentication)
- [Jobs and results](https://docs.upscrape.com/docs/api/jobs)
- [Errors and retries](https://docs.upscrape.com/docs/api/errors)
- [Idempotency](https://docs.upscrape.com/docs/api/idempotency)

POST /execute Shared execution endpoint

Input parameters

filter string optional

Filter supplied for this request. Allowed values: `videos`, `channels`, `playlists`, `live`, `shorts`, `today`, `week`, `month`, `year`.

Available values videoschannelsplaylistsliveshortstodayweekmonthyear

limit integer optional

Maximum number of results to return.

max_pages integer optional

Max pages supplied for this request.

query string required

Search query

Example golang tutorial

Response

Successful output is returned in results[0].data. Raw platform output is intentionally open-ended and may evolve with the upstream source.

Illustrative sample The full redacted fixture is shown in the response panel.

Illustrative output fields

Derived from the sample above for orientation only. These observed fields are not a fixed response schema.

Path	Observed type	Example
`pages`	`integer`	10
`query`	`string`	golang tutorial
`results`	`array`	3 items
`results`	`array`	3 items
`results_count`	`integer`	185

Execution behavior

A 200 response completed inline. A 202 response was queued; poll GET /jobs/:id until the job reaches completed or failed.

curl --request POST \ --url https://data.upscrape.com/execute \ --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ --header "Content-Type: application/json" \ --header "Prefer: wait=30" \ --data '{ "input": { "query": "golang tutorial" }, "capability": "youtube.search.query" }'

import json import requests payload = json.loads(r'''{ "input": { "query": "golang tutorial" }, "capability": "youtube.search.query" }''') response = requests.post( "https://data.upscrape.com/execute", headers={ "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY", "Content-Type": "application/json", "Prefer": "wait=30", }, json=payload, ) response.raise_for_status() print(json.dumps(response.json(), indent=2))

{ "pages": 10, "query": "golang tutorial", "results": [ { "channel": "TechWorld with Nana", "channel_id": "UCdngmbVKX1Tgre699-XLlUA", "duration": "3:24:59", "published": "4 years ago", "thumbnails": [ { "height": 202, "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yyUHQIec83I/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLB4_rRdt_HVFu53B1PXgj63C1oscA", "width": 360 }, { "height": 404, "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yyUHQIec83I/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLD6EOnmQQCwati8mehjx9ujPnlNTw", "width": 720 } ], "title": "Golang Tutorial for Beginners | Full Go Course", "type": "video", "video_id": "yyUHQIec83I", "views": "2,444,656 views" }, { "channel": "Alex Mux", "channel_id": "UCr3L56DsMxhNtHqtm2AIsMw", "duration": "1:07:53", "published": "2 years ago", "thumbnails": [ { "height": 202, "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8uiZC0l4Ajw/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLALu_rNLsvRX2gSJWHau0b4sSJ_lA", "width": 360 }, { "height": 404, "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8uiZC0l4Ajw/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLD1yhA49oKS0DqwMqNZeccSwdLGrw", "width": 720 } ], "title": "Learn GO Fast: Full Tutorial", "type": "video", "video_id": "8uiZC0l4Ajw", "views": "1,079,544 views" }, { "channel": "freeCodeCamp.org", "channel_id": "UC8butISFwT-Wl7EV0hUK0BQ", "duration": "9:32:48", "published": "3 years ago", "thumbnails": [ { "height": 202, "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/un6ZyFkqFKo/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLA5xVRBNCjb7uMn07Q6h1cDZIukBQ", "width": 360 }, { "height": 404, "url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/un6ZyFkqFKo/hq720.jpg?sqp=-[redacted:token]==&rs=AOn4CLCZH-eqLDxu9tLVChBWxxQVXasSUw", "width": 720 } ], "title": "Go Programming – Golang Course with Bonus Projects", "type": "video", "video_id": "un6ZyFkqFKo", "views": "1,476,385 views" } ], "results_count": 185 }