YouTube / Public web reference / 2026.09
Product objects and end-to-end journeys
Video, channel and playlist identity remain stable across cards, rows, shelves and viewing routes.
All entries shown
Objects
| Object | Local schema | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Video | id, title, channelId, thumbnail, durationSeconds, viewCount, publishedAt, availability, kind | The ID owns route identity. The title is user content. Availability can be available, unavailable or private. |
| Channel | id, handle, name, avatar, banner, subscriberCount, description | Channel identity is independent of a video. Missing imagery does not remove its visible name. |
| Playlist | id, title, ownerChannelId, videoIds, visibility | Order is meaningful. Public viewing is separate from private creation, editing and save authorization. |
| Search query | query, kind, sort, pageState | The URL is the shareable query state. Draft input is local until submitted. |
| Account state | signedOut in public reference | Write actions become an explicit gate. Personalized or entitlement states are excluded from observed claims. |
Find and watch
Entry requires no account. Search preserves query and selected filter. Video selection opens a stable watch route. The unavailable branch keeps the player’s error and surrounding video identity in view. Browser back restores the previous route; reconstruction fixtures do not promise YouTube’s ranking or scroll persistence.
Explore a creator
Local tabs change the collection, not the channel identity. A channel subscription requires account authority, so the signed-out reference opens a gate. Do not persist a false subscribed state.
Save, history and Premium
The viewing shell exposes account and entitlement entry points. Public help documents playlist save and history controls; authenticated completion is excluded. The Premium recipe covers public communication and an account-required next step. It does not collect payment data or promise prices, promotions or eligibility.
Data and event boundary
const video = {
id: 'reference-video-1',
title: 'A quiet evening above the clouds',
channelId: 'reference-channel',
durationSeconds: 420,
availability: 'unavailable',
kind: 'video'
};
// Reference events stay in memory.
// Never send raw search text, identity or watch activity.