How to Scrape YouTube Video Details with Java
Get complete information about a YouTube video or short using Java. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process, from setup to implementation.
Overview
What You'll Learn
- Setting up your Java environment
- Installing the required HTTP client
- Authenticating with SociaVault API
- Making requests to YouTube
- Handling responses and errors
What You'll Get
- Access to video data
- JSON formatted responses
- Real-time data access
- Scalable solution
- Error handling patterns
Prerequisites
1. API Key
First, you'll need a SociaVault API key to authenticate your requests.
2. Development Environment
Make sure you have the following installed:
- Java installed
- A code editor (VS Code, Sublime, etc.)
- Command line interface access
Implementation
Step 1: Install HTTP Client
We'll use HttpClient to make HTTP requests.
// Java 11+ Standard LibraryStep 2: API Implementation
Now let's make a request to the YouTube API using Java. Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API key.
import java.net.URI;
import java.net.http.HttpClient;
import java.net.http.HttpRequest;
import java.net.http.HttpResponse;
public class Scraper {
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
String apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";
String url = "https://api.sociavault.com/youtube/video?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbjVIDXPP7Uk";
HttpClient client = HttpClient.newHttpClient();
HttpRequest request = HttpRequest.newBuilder()
.uri(URI.create(url))
.header("x-api-key", apiKey)
.header("Content-Type", "application/json")
.GET()
.build();
HttpResponse<String> response = client.send(request, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofString());
System.out.println(response.body());
}
}Testing Your Code
API Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | string | Yes | Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjVIDXPP7Uk |
Expected Response
You should receive a structured JSON response containing the video data.
{
"id": "Y2Ah_DFr8cw",
"thumbnail": "https://img.youtube.com/vi/G6VTenw0S7o/maxresdefault.jpg",
"type": "video",
"title": "Inside the NBA: Chuck Trolls Jussie Smollett \"Do not commit crimes with checks, use cash!\"",
"description": "Description here",
"commentCountText": "347",
"commentCountInt": 347,
"likeCountText": "3.8K",
"likeCountInt": 3,
"viewCountText": "358,277",
"viewCountInt": 358277,
"publishDateText": "Feb 22, 2019",
"publishDate": "2019-02-22T00:00:00.000Z",
"channel": {
"id": "UCWH3hing1Qb4LnkRfQdxsxQ",
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/@afroballer8906",
"handle": "afroballer8906",
"title": "Afroballer"
},
"durationMs": 1670000,
"durationFormatted": "00:27:50",
"watchNextVideos": [
{
"id": "fRfkvQwf9Po",
"title": "Inside the NBA funniest moments of all time",
"thumbnail": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fRfkvQwf9Po/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwFACKgBEF5IWvKriqkDMwgBFQAAiEIYAdgBAeIBCggYEAIYBjgBQAHwAQH4Af4JgALQBYoCDAgAEAEYfyBHKCgwDw==&rs=AOn4CLAnLkcTjwH2egq1U823zjwxx_63DA",
"channel": {
"title": "Beyond NBA",
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/@beyond-NBA",
"handle": "beyond-NBA",
"id": "UCPGhgqNOGTj1o1qilS6K8mA"
},
"publishDateText": "5 years ago",
"publishDate": "2020-02-27T18:26:04.534Z",
"viewCountText": "7,913,223 views",
"viewCountInt": 7913223,
"lengthText": "19:13",
"videoUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRfkvQwf9Po"
}
],
"keywords": [
"charles barkley"
],
"transcript": [
{
"text": "it was a a lead of 13 for the Rockets up",
"startMs": "0",
"endMs": "5759",
"startTimeText": "0:00"
}
],
"transcript_only_text": "it was a a lead of 13 for....play okay the Lakers will not make the playoffs the Kings will is the latest position go ahead Kenny I cannot leave you chuck here we caster do payable to answer a rattle check check never break America America let me just tell you something is that do not commit crimes with check come on man you cannot if you're gonna break the law I do not write a check because you write a check that what I never used ATM now you can only I heard you could only get $200 out of the holes oh stop America America you go hot write checks when you commit illegal activity I cannot believe that we completed we touch them all right there circle the bag he just said he punch every pillow I wasted all that damn town of money you know what you should have been was bad that's what I'm really amazing neighborhood Charles"
}Best Practices
Error Handling
Implement comprehensive error handling and retry logic for failed requests. Log errors properly for debugging.
Caching
Cache responses when possible to reduce API calls and improve performance. Consider data freshness requirements.
Security
Never expose your API key in client-side code. Use environment variables and secure key management practices.
Troubleshooting
Unauthorized
Check your API key is correct and properly formatted in the x-api-key header.
Payment Required
You ran out of credits and need to buy more.
Not Found
The resource (user, video, etc.) might not exist or be private.
Too Many Requests
You have exceeded your rate limit. Slow down your requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to scrape YouTube?
SociaVault offers 50 free API calls to get started. After that, pricing starts at $10 for 5k requests with volume discounts available.
Is it legal to scrape YouTube data?
Scraping publicly available data is generally considered legal. We only collect public data that is accessible without logging in.
How fast can I scrape YouTube?
Our API handles the rate limiting for you. You can make requests as fast as your plan allows.
What data format does the API return?
All API responses are returned in JSON format, making it easy to integrate with any programming language or application.
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