The Problem: You are encountering a 404 error when trying to access the official documentation for YouTube’s Partner API, preventing you from building a management system for your YouTube assets. Your authentication is working correctly, and you have the Partner API enabled, but the documentation links are broken.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause): The YouTube Partner API documentation has been reorganized and moved to a restricted-access system. Public links to the old documentation are now broken (resulting in 404 errors), while the current documentation is only accessible to authorized partners. This change was implemented by YouTube around mid-2023.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Step 1: Access the Documentation via the YouTube Partner Program Dashboard:
Since you have already confirmed that your Partner API credentials are working, the most reliable way to access the current documentation is through your YouTube Partner Program dashboard. Log in to your YouTube Partner dashboard using the same Google account that has API access enabled. Look for a section labelled “Developer tools,” “API Access,” or something similar within the dashboard’s navigation. This section will contain the up-to-date API documentation, including information about asset management, content ownership, and policy details.
Step 2: Utilize the Google API Discovery Service (Alternative):
If you cannot locate the documentation within your partner dashboard, you can directly access the current API specification using the Google API Discovery Service. This service provides the raw, machine-readable API specification, which always reflects the most current state of the API. Make a request to the following URL:
https://www.googleapis.com/discovery/v1/apis/youtubePartner/v1/rest
This will return a JSON response containing all the available endpoints, parameters, and data structures. While this is not as user-friendly as traditional documentation, it is guaranteed to be up-to-date and provides all the necessary technical information for API integration.
Step 3: Contact YouTube Partner Support (If Necessary):
If you still cannot locate the documentation after trying steps 1 and 2, contact your YouTube Partner Manager or YouTube’s Partner Program support. They can provide you with direct links to the restricted documentation portal.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
- Incorrect Google Account: Double-check that you are using the correct Google account that has the Partner API enabled and authorized.
- Browser Cache: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies to ensure you are not accessing outdated information.
- API Key Validation: Verify that your API key is still valid and has not been revoked.
- API Permissions: Ensure your API key has the necessary permissions to access the Partner API resources you require.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!