skills

Three ways to use it

A free VideoDB account comes with $20 of credits, no credit card: console.videodb.io.

Add to Claude

One click from the Claude plugin directory. Then try:

• "Upload https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnrJzXM7a6o and give me a shareable link"
• "Find where they talk about pricing and give me one clip of it"
• "Cut 1:10 to 1:40, make it vertical for Shorts, and burn in white subtitles on a black box"
• "Which objects appear most often in this video? Break it down by count"
• "Ask this video what the presenter said about pricing, and show me the clips"
• "Give me the timestamped transcript, then translate it to Spanish"
• "Here is the RTSP link for my camera. Alert this webhook whenever a person enters the room"

In Claude chat and Cowork the skills use the VideoDB connector, which the plugin sets up. In Claude Code they can also use the Python SDK.

Connect the MCP server in any client

Endpoint: https://mcp.videodb.io/mcp (Streamable HTTP). Your client asks you to log in to your VideoDB account once.

• Claude (custom connector): Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector, paste the URL, click Connect.

• Claude Code: claude mcp add --transport http videodb https://mcp.videodb.io/mcp, then /mcp to authorize.

• Cursor (Settings → MCP → Add new global MCP server):

  { "mcpServers": { "videodb": { "url": "https://mcp.videodb.io/mcp" } } }
  

• Other clients: any client that speaks Streamable HTTP and OAuth works the same way. Full guide and the tool reference: docs.videodb.io/pages/mcp.

The MCP server takes public URLs and YouTube links, not local files; it does not generate media or dub, and it cannot capture a desktop. For those, use the SDK through a coding agent.

Install the skills in a coding agent

npx skills add video-db/skills

Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Copilot and other agents that read SKILL.md files. Or, in Claude Code, install the plugin, which bundles the MCP server as well:

/plugin marketplace add video-db/skills
/plugin install videodb@videodb-skills

Then say "setup videodb" (in Claude Code: /videodb:setup). The agent installs the SDK (Python 3.9+, videodb>=0.5.0), asks for your API key and saves it to the project's .env for you. If you would rather set it yourself:

export VIDEO_DB_API_KEY=<your-key>     # or VIDEO_DB_API_KEY=<your-key> in .env

npx skills add installs the skills only. To give the agent the MCP tools as well, connect the server as above.

What works where

Every result comes back as a playable stream link (built-in CDN) or a download.

What is inside

Four slash commands for Claude Code: /videodb:setup, /videodb:find, /videodb:clip, /videodb:subtitles. The plugin also carries the hosted MCP server configuration (.mcp.json).

If you are an agent reading this

Use the VideoDB connector tools when they are present. Load the skill that matches the job (the table above). With a shell and no connector, ask the user for their API key once, save it to .env, and use the Python SDK as the videodb skill describes. Long jobs return status: processing; poll with the tool the reply names until done, and never re-run the write.

Privacy and data

The plugin itself collects nothing. It has no hooks and sends no telemetry. The video work happens on VideoDB's servers, so these things leave your machine:

• Connector (claude.ai, Cowork, Claude Code): your requests, and the video links you share, go to https://mcp.videodb.io/mcp after you sign in to VideoDB.
• Python SDK (coding agents): the SDK sends your requests, the files and links you upload, and your API key to https://api.videodb.io. The key is saved only in your project's .env file.
• Live capture and meetings: desktop screen and audio, camera streams, and meeting recordings stream to VideoDB only after you start them.

Everything you upload or record is stored in your VideoDB account and processed to give you results. It isn't sold. Data travels over TLS and is stored in the United States. Video file data is kept for 180 days. VideoDB is not for children under 13. The full details are in our Privacy Policy and Terms. Questions go to [email protected].

Community & Support

• Documentation: docs.videodb.io
• Discord: Join our community
• Privacy policy: videodb.io/legal/privacy