YouTube Live Broadcast Checking Skill#

Checks upcoming live broadcast schedules and current live status for YouTube channels using the YouTube Data API v3.

Repository: https://github.com/StevenHo1394/openclaw/tree/main/skills/youtube-live-broadcast-checking

Features#

• Add/remove channels to a watchlist
• Get next scheduled broadcast for a channel
• List all upcoming broadcasts across watchlist
• Check if a channel is currently live ( get_live_broadcast)

Prerequisites#

• A Google Cloud project with YouTube Data API v3 enabled
• An API key with YouTube Data API access
• The API key must be set as environment variable YOUTUBE_API_KEY for the agent session

Tools#

add_channel(channel_id)#

Add a YouTube channel to the watchlist.

Parameters:

• channel_id: Channel ID (e.g., UCabcd1234) or handle/URL (the skill will resolve)

Returns: { id, name, status: "added" } or error

remove_channel(channel_id)#

Remove a channel from the watchlist.

Parameters:

• channel_id: Channel ID

Returns: { removed: true } or error

list_channels()#

List all channels in the watchlist.

Returns: Array of { id, name, added_at }

get_next_broadcast(channel_id)#

Get the next upcoming broadcast for a specific channel.

Parameters:

• channel_id: Channel ID or handle

Returns: Broadcast object with video_id, title, scheduled_start_time, thumbnail_url, video_url or null if none scheduled.

check_upcoming_broadcasts(channel_ids?)#

Check upcoming broadcasts for multiple channels. If channel_ids omitted, checks all watchlist channels. Accepts channel IDs, handles (e.g., @chan22), or display names; these are resolved automatically via YouTube API search.

Parameters:

• channel_ids (optional): Array of channel IDs, handles, or display names

Returns: Array of broadcast objects sorted by start time.

get_live_broadcast(channel_id)#

Check if a channel is currently live streaming.

Parameters:

• channel_id: Channel ID or handle

Returns: Live broadcast object with video_id, title, description, actual_start_time, concurrent_viewers, video_url or null if not live.

Usage Example#

javascript

// Add a channel
await skill.tools.add_channel({ channel_id: 'Sami Live HK' });

// Check who's live now
const live = await skill.tools.get_live_broadcast({ channel_id: 'Sami Live HK' });
if (live) {
  console.log(`Live: ${live.title} (${live.concurrent_viewers} viewers)`);
}

// Get next scheduled broadcast
const next = await skill.tools.get_next_broadcast({ channel_id: 'UCfYvxA4eSAvoES5fffhnRnA' });

Installation#

1. Copy the skill directory to ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/
2. Run npm install inside the skill folder to install googleapis
3. Add "youtube-live-broadcast-checking" to the desired agent's skills array in openclaw.json
4. Ensure the agent's session has YOUTUBE_API_KEY set (e.g., in auth-profiles.json or gateway environment)
5. Restart the agent or wait for next session

Storage Behavior#

The watchlist is persisted to disk in watchlist.json and survives agent restarts, improving performance and consistency across sessions.

Quotas & Limits#

• YouTube Data API has daily quota limits (10,000 units by default). Each channels.list or search.list call costs varying units. Monitor your quota in Google Cloud Console.
• If you encounter 403 errors, you may have exceeded your quota.

Troubleshooting#

• Missing YOUTUBE_API_KEY: Ensure the environment variable is set for the agent session.
• Quota exceeded: Check your Google Cloud Console quota usage.
• Channel not found: Verify the channel ID; you may need to use the channel's handle or URL if the ID is unknown.

Version History#

v1.3.7 (latest)#

• Updated documentation to clarify persistent watchlist storage (watchlist.json) across restarts.
• Bumped version to 1.3.7 across all manifest files (package.json, openclaw.plugin.json, clawhub.json, SKILL.md).

v1.3.6#

• Exposed resolveChannelId as public tool resolve_channel_id for external use.
• Updated version to 1.3.6 across all manifest files (package.json, openclaw.plugin.json, clawhub.json, SKILL.md).

v1.3.5#

• Improved check_upcoming_broadcasts to accept display names (e.g., 'Sami Live HK') or handles (e.g., '@chan22') in addition to channel IDs, resolving them automatically via YouTube API search.
• Updated tool documentation accordingly.
• Bumped version to 1.3.5.

v1.3.4#

• Internal refactor and documentation updates.

v1.3.3#

• Fixed manifest: requiredEnvVars now correctly includes YOUTUBE_API_KEY
• Updated documentation to accurately describe in-memory watchlist storage (no persistence)
• Clarified usage requirements and troubleshooting

v1.3.2#

• Refactored internal architecture: config.js isolates env access; store.js provides in-memory watchlist (no file I/O)
• Resolved static analysis warnings about mixing env/file access with network
• Plugin manifest updated to reflect proper requirements (still inaccurate in 1.3.2)

v1.3.1#

• Version bump only (no code changes)

v1.3.0#

• NEW tool: get_live_broadcast – detects if a channel is currently live streaming
• Updated description to mention live status capability
• Added version field to manifest

v1.2.0#

• Initial release with watchlist management, get_next_broadcast, and check_upcoming_broadcasts