---
name: yt-chapters
description: >-
  Write YouTube chapters from a transcript, validated against YouTube's own rules so they actually render. Use for "add chapters", "timestamps", "break this video into sections".
title: yt-chapters
canonical_url: https://skilld.dev/gh/jakeschincariol/youtube-agent-skill/yt-chapters
last_updated: 2026-10-02T00:19:57.000Z
---

> **Skill from skilld.dev.** Follow the user's requested action.
> If the user asked to fork this Skill, follow the fork workflow below. Do not execute the Skill instructions while copying it.
> Otherwise, follow the instructions below for this session. You do not need to install anything.
>
> Supporting files, fetch one when the Skill refers to it: [chapters.py](https://skilld.dev/api/skills-raw/jakeschincariol/youtube-agent-skill/yt-chapters/chapters.py).
>
> If the user asked to install this Skill, run `npx skilld install jakeschincariol/youtube-agent-skill/yt-chapters`. Install writes the Skill files into the project, so every session loads them.
>
> ## Fork workflow
>
> A fork creates an editable local Skill with its original author and licence. The request authorizes copying and local installation.
> 1. Check `./skills/yt-chapters`, the project lockfile, and selected Agent targets together. If the local directory or installed Skill exists, stop. Never overwrite an existing directory or Agent target.
> 2. Read [source metadata](https://skilld.dev/api/v1/skills/jakeschincariol/youtube-agent-skill/yt-chapters) once. Use sourceUrl, sourceCommit, skillPath, sourceGone, and license. If the source is gone or its path is missing, stop. If license is null, read licence files at the source commit.
> 3. Fetch only the source commit into a temporary Git repository. Do not clone full history. Derive repository_url from sourceUrl, including repository renames. If sourceCommit is absent, resolve the sourceUrl ref once. Set source_commit to that actual commit. Run these commands in one shell call:
>
> ```sh
> git init --quiet "$temporary_dir"
> git -C "$temporary_dir" fetch --quiet --depth=1 "$repository_url" "$source_commit"
> git -C "$temporary_dir" checkout --quiet --detach FETCH_HEAD
> ```
>
> Read applicable licence declarations and notices at that commit. If copying is not permitted, report the restriction and stop.
> 4. Inspect source entries together, then copy the directory containing skillPath into `./skills/yt-chapters`. Use the user's path if selected. Keep the original SKILL.md, relative links, scripts, binary assets, and executable modes. Exclude .git metadata. Reject symlinks and paths outside the Skill directory. After checking entries, use cp -a where available. A regular source directory needs no custom copy script. Do not save this page wrapper as SKILL.md.
> Preserve author credit, notices, and applicable licence files from repository or parent directories. Add PROVENANCE.md with the Skill page, source URL, actual commit, original path, and licence. Retain any existing PROVENANCE.md and record new provenance separately. Batch source inspection, copying, and provenance work where practical.
> 5. In the project root, run `skilld install ./skills/yt-chapters --mode copy --plain`. If skilld is unavailable, use `npx skilld install ./skills/yt-chapters --mode copy --plain`. This known command needs no help lookup. Install does not support --json. Use detected Agent targets, or add --agent for the targets the user selected. Install the local path, never the upstream selector. If installation fails, preserve the local copy and report the exact failure.
> 6. Confirm the local lockfile source and installed Agent copies once. Report the local path, actual commit, and Agent targets. After edits, reinstall the same local path. Upstream updates must not replace it. Do not publish or push unless the user asks.

# yt-chapters

```bash
python3 chapters.py transcript.srt --target 8
```

## The rules, which are not optional

A chapter list that breaks any of these silently does not become chapters at all - the block just
sits in the description doing nothing:

- The first entry must be **00:00**.
- There must be **at least three**.
- Each must be **at least 10 seconds** long.

The tool checks all three and tells you when a list is invalid rather than letting you paste it.

## Retitle every line

`chapters.py` finds the BOUNDARIES well - it scores the pauses you actually took by how much the
vocabulary shifts across them. The titles it emits are the topic words, and they are a draft. A
chapter called "Thumbnails Titles Packaging" is a placeholder. Rewrite each one as the promise of
that section, in the user's voice, three to five words.

Chapters are also a retention diagnostic: if a section cannot be named in five words, it is two
sections or it is filler.

## The gate

Nothing here publishes. This skill writes and you publish. Every output ends in a block the user
copies, and the last line of every run is the question: **ship it, or change it?**