YouTube Developer Documentation

  • YouTube offers APIs and tools to integrate YouTube functionalities, like video playback and channel subscriptions, into your website or app.

  • Developers can utilize YouTube Player APIs for Android, iOS, and web embeds to customize video playback experiences.

  • The YouTube Data API enables access to features like video uploads, playlist management, and data retrieval for analytics and live streaming.

  • Resources like the YouTube Subscribe Button facilitate user engagement and channel growth directly within external platforms.

YouTube has a number of APIs and tools that let you embed YouTube functionality into your own website and applications.

YouTube Player and Widgets

IFrame Player API Reference
Use an embedded player to play videos directly in your app.
iOS Helper Library
Embed a YouTube IFrame Player into an iOS application.
YouTube Player Parameters
Customize the playback experience with a variety of player settings.
YouTube Subscribe Button
Enable users to subscribe to your YouTube channel with one click.

YouTube Data and Resources

Use the following table to find the YouTube API that best fits your needs:

API Type Description Primary Users Auth
YouTube app features
YouTube Data API Public Add YouTube app features to your application, including the ability to upload videos, create and manage playlists, edit video metadata, and more. Developers API Key / OAuth 2.0
YouTube Live Streaming API Public Schedule live YouTube broadcasts and manage your broadcast video streams. Technically, this API is part of the YouTube Data API. Developers API Key / OAuth 2.0
YouTube analytics and reporting
YouTube Analytics API Public Real-time Dashboards. Targeted queries for demographics, traffic sources, and engagement. MCNs & Labels OAuth 2.0
YouTube Reporting API Public Big Data. Bulk downloads of large datasets for financial reporting and performance analysis. Data Analysts OAuth 2.0
YouTube content ownership and management
YouTube Content ID API Restricted to YouTube Partners
(details)		 Rights Management. Bulk asset creation, policy updates, and claims management. Content Owners OAuth 2.0

Dimensional Data in YouTube APIs

Type Content ID API Data API Analytics API Reporting API
Revenue Data ✘ ✘ ✔ Granular
Asset/Ownership Data ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔
ISRC UPC Data ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔
Playlist Data ✘ Granular ✔ ✔
Demographic Data ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Policy Data Granular ✘ ✘ ✘
Caption & Thumbnail Data ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘

Dimension Breakdown

This table provides a granular breakdown of the data available in each API.

Type Dimension Content ID API Data API Analytics API Reporting API
DateTime Time Periods ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Entity IDs Video ID ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Channel ID ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Asset ID ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔
ISRC ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔
Custom Partner ID ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔
Content Owner ID ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔
UPC ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔
Playback Slices Traffic Source ✘ ✘ ✔ Granular
Content Type (UGC / PMV) ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔
Platform ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
OS ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Playlists ✘ Granular ✔ ✔
Playback Location ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
User Slices Age Group ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Gender ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Country ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Region ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘
Metrics Views ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔
Engaged Views ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Claims ✔ ✘ ✘ Granular
Watch Time ✘ ✘ ✔ Granular
Likes / Dislikes ✘ Granular ✔ ✔
Audience Retention ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘
Cards Shown/Clicked ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
End Screens Shown/Clicked ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Subscribers ✘ Granular ✔ ✔
Shared ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Impressions ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Revenue ✘ ✘ ✔ Granular
Ad-Supported Financial Reports ✘ ✘ ✔ Granular
Subscription Financial Reports ✘ ✘ ✔ Granular
Annotations ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Shorts Metrics ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔
Platform Functions Activities ✘ Granular ✘ ✘
Captions ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔
Channels ✔ Granular ✘ ✔
Policies Granular ✔ ✘ ✘
Comments ✘ Granular ✔ ✔
i18nRegions ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘
i18nLanguages ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘
Members ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘
Playlists ✘ Granular ✔ ✔
Search ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘
Subscriptions ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔
Thumbnails ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘
Videos ✔ Granular ✔ ✔
Ownership Granular ✘ ✘ ✘
References Granular ✘ ✘ ✔
Watermarks ✘ Granular ✘ ✘
MetaData Artist ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔
Description ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘
Published Time ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔
Title ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔
Language ✘ Granular ✔ ✔
Content Rating ✘ Granular ✘ ✘
Content Details ✘ Granular ✘ ✘