What if Claude could help you write YouTube scripts, create better titles, plan thumbnails, find Shorts, analyse audience retention and organise your entire content workflow? A free open-source project called YouTube Agent Skill brings 11 specialised YouTube skills into Claude Code, helping creators handle much of the work behind producing a video.
Running a YouTube channel involves much more than recording and uploading videos. Creators must research topics, write scripts, develop hooks, choose titles, plan thumbnails, edit footage, write descriptions and analyse performance.
The YouTube Agent Skill project, available on GitHub, aims to simplify these tasks by giving Claude a collection of specialised instructions and small Python tools. Instead of repeatedly explaining your workflow to an AI assistant, you can use dedicated commands for different stages of content creation.
The project is free and open source under the MIT licence. It does not require a separate YouTube API key, and its skills do not need to connect to your YouTube account.
What Is YouTube Agent Skill?
YouTube Agent Skill is a collection of 11 reusable AI skills designed to help creators manage common YouTube workflows through Claude.
Each skill has a specific responsibility. For example, one generates scripts, another checks titles and thumbnail concepts together, and another analyses audience-retention data.
Some skills also use lightweight Python scripts to score hooks, identify potential editing cuts and process analytics exports. This makes the project more than a collection of generic prompts.
The 11 YouTube Agent Skills Explained
Here is what each command does and how a creator might use it.
1. /yt-script — Generate YouTube Scripts
This skill turns a video idea into a spoken script. It proposes five hooks using a library of 21 hook formulas, scores them with a heuristic and develops a script with audience-retention beats.
For example, you could ask it to write a five-minute Hinglish video about AI tools for students, with a strong opening and clear transitions.
2. /yt-package — Improve Titles and Thumbnails
Your title and thumbnail work together to convince people to click. This skill evaluates them as a pair and flags problems such as duplicated messaging, vague wording and potential title truncation.
Instead of repeating the same sentence in the title and thumbnail, you can create two complementary messages.
3. /yt-edit — Create an Editing Decision List
Give this skill a timecoded transcript, and it can suggest where to remove dead air, filler words and retakes.
The output is an editing plan with timestamps. It does not directly cut your video or export a finished edit.
4. /yt-comment — Organise Comments
This skill sorts comments into groups, drafts replies in your preferred voice and suggests which comment might be worth pinning.
You should still review replies before posting, especially when answering questions about facts, products or sensitive topics.
5. /yt-plan — Build a Content Schedule
Use this command to create a weekly publishing plan based on the hours you actually have available.
The project’s described workflow includes one main video, a simpler video and three Shorts. You can adapt the plan to your schedule and channel format.
6. /yt-viral — Research What Is Working in Your Niche
This skill examines publicly available videos and compares their performance against their own channels’ typical results.
That is more useful than simply copying a video because it has millions of views. A video that substantially outperforms a small channel’s usual performance may reveal an interesting topic or format to study.
The skill reads public listings; it does not log into your account or promise to predict which video will go viral.
7. /yt-retention — Analyse Audience Retention
This skill processes a YouTube audience-retention export to help identify where viewers leave, where attention drops and where the video holds attention.
These patterns can help you decide whether to shorten an introduction, improve a transition or deliver the main payoff earlier.
8. /yt-shorts — Find Shorts Inside Long Videos
If you already create long-form videos, this skill can identify potential Shorts within a transcript and suggest a fresh opening line for each clip.
This can help you repurpose existing content instead of developing every Short from scratch.
9. /yt-seo — Prepare YouTube SEO
This command helps draft a video description, identify relevant tags and suggest three search queries the video could target.
SEO is not a guarantee of rankings. Topic relevance, viewer satisfaction, packaging and competition still matter, and tags alone are not a reliable growth strategy.
10. /yt-chapters — Generate Video Chapters
Give it a transcript, and the skill generates chapter timestamps and checks them against YouTube’s chapter-formatting rules.
You should verify the timestamps against the actual video before publishing.
11. /yt-audit — Review Your Channel
This skill performs a broader channel review and aims to finish with one priority improvement rather than overwhelming you with dozens of unrelated suggestions.
That can help you focus on a meaningful next step instead of changing everything at once.
How to Install YouTube Agent Skill on Windows
The following walkthrough is for Windows users. The most complete setup uses Claude Code so you can use the skills as commands and access the project’s Python tools.
What You Need Before Starting
- A Claude account with access to Claude Code.
- Git for Windows.
- Python 3 for the project’s six local helper tools.
- An internet connection for installation and Claude authentication.
The Python tools are designed to run without additional Python dependencies. You do not need a YouTube API key for this skill pack.
Step 1: Install Claude Code
If Claude Code is not already installed, follow the official Claude Code setup guide.
The official documentation describes installation using Node.js and npm. On Windows, Claude Code supports native Windows with Git for Windows or the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
After installation, open a terminal and run:
claude --versionIf the command returns a version number, the CLI is available. Start it with:
claudeComplete the authentication steps shown in the terminal.
Step 2: Install Git and Python
Download Git for Windows from git-scm.com if you do not already have it.
Install Python 3 from python.org. During installation, enabling the option to add Python to PATH can make terminal access easier.
Check both installations:
git --version
python --versionIf your system uses the Python launcher instead, try:
py --versionYou can continue with the skill installation even if you have not configured Python yet, but the local helper scripts will need Python available to run.
Step 3: Download the YouTube Agent Skill Repository
Open PowerShell and run:
git clone https://github.com/Jakeschincariol/youtube-agent-skill.gitMove into the downloaded folder:
cd youtube-agent-skillThis downloads the project files to your computer. You can inspect the repository before installing anything.
Step 4: Copy the Skills Into Claude Code
Create the global skills directory:
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "$HOME\.claude\skills"Copy all the YouTube skill folders into it:
Copy-Item -Path ".\skills\yt-*" -Destination "$HOME\.claude\skills\" -RecurseThese commands install the skills for your Windows user, making them available across projects.
For project-specific installation instead, copy the skill folders into your project’s .claude\skills\ directory.
Step 5: Configure Your Creator Voice
This is one of the most useful steps, and it is easy to overlook.
The repository includes a template called voice.md. It helps describe your tone, vocabulary, sentence structure and preferred style so the skills can produce content that sounds more like you.
Create the configuration directory:
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "$HOME\.claude\youtube"Copy the template:
Copy-Item ".\templates\voice.md" "$HOME\.claude\youtube\voice.md"Open the file in VS Code or Notepad and fill in the template.
For a Hinglish tech creator, your voice file might specify:
- Language: conversational Hinglish.
- Tone: curious, direct and easy to understand.
- Audience: Indian students, young professionals and technology enthusiasts.
- Hooks: start with a surprising fact, relatable problem or strong question.
- Explanations: use practical examples instead of unnecessary jargon.
- Style: avoid robotic introductions, exaggerated claims and repetitive conclusions.
You can also provide Claude with three of your own videos or scripts and ask it to help you complete the voice file. Review the result before saving it.
Step 6: Restart Claude Code and Test the Installation
Close the current Claude Code session and start a fresh one:
claudeTry the script command:
/yt-script Explain five useful AI tools for college students. Write a 60-second Hinglish YouTube Short with five scored hooks, a strong opening, practical examples and a clear ending. Do not invent statistics.If the command is recognised and Claude produces the expected output, your first skill is working.
You can also test the title-and-thumbnail skill:
/yt-packageFollow its prompts and provide your proposed video title and thumbnail concept.
If a command is not recognised: verify that the skill folders were copied into the correct directory, then restart Claude Code. Check the repository’s current README if the installation layout has changed.
An Alternative: Install It as a Claude Code Plugin
If you prefer the plugin route, the project’s README documents these commands inside Claude Code:
/plugin marketplace add Jakeschincariol/youtube-agent-skill
/plugin install youtube-agentFollow any prompts that Claude Code displays and then test /yt-script.
Choose either the plugin method or the manual installation method to begin. You do not need to follow both.
The plugin route is convenient, while the manual method makes it easier to inspect the files and customise your installation.
How to Use YouTube Agent Skill for Your First Video
Once installation is complete, you can use multiple skills in sequence to prepare a video.
Imagine you want to make a YouTube Short explaining an AI tool.
Step 1: Generate the Script
Run /yt-script and describe the topic, target audience, language and video duration.
Example:
/yt-script Explain an AI tool that helps students study more efficiently. Target Indian college students. Write a 60-second Hinglish Short. Give me five scored hooks, choose the clearest one, and mark the retention beats. Do not invent numbers or make unsupported claims.Review the hooks and rewrite any lines that do not sound natural when spoken aloud.
Step 2: Check the Title and Thumbnail
Use /yt-package to develop and evaluate the title and thumbnail together.
For example, a title could be:
“Stop Studying the Hard Way: Try This AI Tool”
A thumbnail might use a short phrase such as “STUDY SMARTER” alongside a relevant visual. The skill can help you assess whether the two elements communicate complementary ideas.
Step 3: Plan the Editing
After recording your video, create or export a timecoded transcript in SRT format.
Give it to /yt-edit to generate a list of potential cuts and cleanup points. Use the resulting timestamps in your video editor, such as Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve.
Remember that it creates editing instructions, not the edited video itself.
Step 4: Prepare SEO and Chapters
Use /yt-seo to draft your description and identify relevant search queries. If you are publishing a longer video, run /yt-chapters on its transcript and check the generated timestamps.
Step 5: Repurpose the Video
For a long-form video, use /yt-shorts to find possible short clips and generate new opening lines.
This gives you a starting point for turning one researched topic into several pieces of content.
Step 6: Review Performance
Once your video has enough data, export the available audience-retention report and use /yt-retention to identify drop-off points.
Use /yt-audit for a broader review and /yt-plan to decide what to make next.
This creates a repeatable workflow: plan, script, package, edit, publish manually, analyse and improve.
Does YouTube Agent Skill Automatically Upload Videos?
No. This is an important limitation.
The skill pack prepares drafts, recommendations and analysis. It does not automatically upload videos, schedule posts, edit footage into a finished video or run your channel unattended.
You still need to record or generate the visuals, assemble the video, check the facts and rights, and publish it yourself.
The hook-scoring tool is also a heuristic, not a reliable predictor of views. A high score does not guarantee a viral video, and a low score should be treated as a reason to review the opening rather than as a final verdict.
Is YouTube Agent Skill Free?
The skill pack is free and open source under the MIT licence. It does not require a separate signup or YouTube API key.
However, you still need access to Claude Code. Your Claude plan or API arrangement may have its own costs and usage limits.
The skills themselves are not a complete video-production suite. Any separate video-generation, voice-generation or editing service you choose may also charge for its features.
Final Thoughts
YouTube Agent Skill is worth exploring if you want a more structured AI workflow for running a channel. Its strongest feature is that it separates content creation into specific tasks instead of relying on one enormous prompt to do everything.
For creators who publish regularly, the combination of script generation, title-and-thumbnail checks, editing suggestions, Shorts planning and retention analysis could save time.
The best way to use it is as a production assistant, not as a replacement for creative judgment. Verify facts, keep your own voice, review every output and use real audience data to decide what to improve.
Get started: Open YouTube Agent Skill on GitHub
Official setup reference: Anthropic’s Claude Code documentation
