TubeAlfred Server

Stdio MCP server for the TubeAlfred YouTube API. Bridges any MCP client that speaks stdio (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Continue, Claude Code, Zed) to the hosted streamable-HTTP server at mcp.tubealfred.com.

Use the same API key for the REST API at api.tubealfred.com and this MCP surface.

Install

You don't install it directly — your MCP client runs it on demand via npx.

Claude Desktop

Edit ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tubealfred": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@tubealfred/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TUBEALFRED_API_KEY": "ta_live_..."
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. The TubeAlfred tools (video, channel, transcript, comments, search, playlist) will appear in the tool list.

Cursor

Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server. Paste the same JSON.

Continue (VS Code / JetBrains)

In ~/.continue/config.json (or per-workspace config.yaml):

{
  "experimental": {
    "modelContextProtocolServers": [
      {
        "transport": {
          "type": "stdio",
          "command": "npx",
          "args": ["-y", "@tubealfred/mcp"],
          "env": { "TUBEALFRED_API_KEY": "ta_live_..." }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add tubealfred -- npx -y @tubealfred/mcp

Then export the key in the same shell:

export TUBEALFRED_API_KEY=ta_live_...

Smithery

npx -y @smithery/cli install @tubealfred/mcp --client claude

Smithery prompts for the API key and writes the config for you.

Configuration

Env var	Required	Description
TUBEALFRED_API_KEY	yes	Your TubeAlfred team key. Create at tubealfred.com/app/api-keys.
TUBEALFRED_MCP_URL	no	Override the upstream MCP URL. Defaults to https://mcp.tubealfred.com/.

What you get

Every tool published at mcp.tubealfred.com appears in your MCP client:

• Video — details, transcript, comments, comment replies
• Channel — details, video feed
• Discovery — search, search suggestions, playlists, URL resolution

Credits, rate limits, and quota are documented at https://tubealfred.com/docs#limits.

License

MIT