Gorilla uses the YouTube Data API v3 to fetch video information from your selected channels. You'll need your own API key, which is free and takes about 5-10 minutes to set up.
Open your browser and navigate to:
Sign in with your Google account if prompted.
Click on the project dropdown at the top of the page (it might say "Select a project").
Click "New Project" in the top-right of the modal.
Enter a project name (e.g., Gorilla or Family YouTube).
Click "Create" and wait a few seconds for the project to be created.
Once your project is created, use the search bar at the top to search for:
Click on "YouTube Data API v3" in the search results.
Click the "Enable" button to activate the API for your project.
After enabling the API, click "Create Credentials" at the top of the page.
You'll be asked what kind of credentials you need:
Click "Next" or "What credentials do I need?"
Google will generate an API key for you. It will look something like:
Copy this key and save it somewhere secure. You'll need it when deploying Gorilla.
Important: Treat this key like a password. Don't share it publicly or commit it to a public GitHub repository.
For security, it's recommended to restrict your API key so it can only be used with the YouTube Data API.
In the Google Cloud Console, go to Credentials in the sidebar.
Click on your API key name to edit it.
Under "API restrictions":
This ensures the key can only be used for YouTube API calls, adding an extra layer of security.
The YouTube Data API has a free quota of 10,000 units per day. Here's what that means for Gorilla:
| Action | Quota Cost | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Fetch videos from 1 channel | ~100 units | One channel refresh |
| Initial setup (15 channels) | ~1,500 units | First build |
| Daily refresh (15 channels) | ~1,500 units | Automated rebuild |
| Daily limit | 10,000 units | ~60 channels per day |
Bottom line: For typical family use (10-30 channels with one daily rebuild), you'll use about 1,500-3,000 quota units per day, staying well within the 10,000 unit free tier.
Make sure you've enabled the YouTube Data API v3 for your project. Double-check that you copied the entire API key without extra spaces.
You've hit your daily quota limit. Either wait until tomorrow (quotas reset at midnight Pacific Time) or request a quota increase in the Google Cloud Console.
Make sure you've enabled the YouTube Data API v3 first. The "Create Credentials" button appears after the API is enabled.
Now that you have your YouTube API key, you're ready to deploy Gorilla to a hosting platform.