Page Summary
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YouTube offers APIs and tools to integrate YouTube functionalities, like video playback and channel subscriptions, into your website or app.
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Developers can utilize YouTube Player APIs for Android, iOS, and web embeds to customize video playback experiences.
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The YouTube Data API enables access to features like video uploads, playlist management, and data retrieval for analytics and live streaming.
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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 | ✘ | ✘ |