notebooklm-skill

Use this skill to enable Claude Code to communicate directly with your Google NotebookLM notebooks. Query your uploaded documents and get source-grounded, citat

[!WARNING] This project is no longer maintained. As of September 2026 the repository is archived: no updates, bug fixes or support. It may stop working when the upstream services change. Feel free to fork.

⚠️ Important: Local Claude Code Only

This skill works ONLY with local Claude Code installations, NOT in the web UI.

The web UI runs skills in a sandbox without network access, which this skill requires for browser automation. You must use Claude Code locally on your machine.

The Problem

When you tell Claude Code to "search through my local documentation", here's what happens:

Massive token consumption: Searching through documentation means reading multiple files repeatedly
Inaccurate retrieval: Searches for keywords, misses context and connections between docs
Hallucinations: When it can't find something, it invents plausible-sounding APIs
Manual copy-paste: Switching between NotebookLM browser and your editor constantly

The Solution

This Claude Code Skill lets Claude Code chat directly with NotebookLM — Google's source-grounded knowledge base powered by Gemini 2.5 that provides intelligent, synthesized answers exclusively from your uploaded documents.

Your Task → Claude asks NotebookLM → Gemini synthesizes answer → Claude writes correct code

No more copy-paste dance: Claude asks questions directly and gets answers straight back in the CLI. It builds deep understanding through automatic follow-ups, getting specific implementation details, edge cases, and best practices.

Why NotebookLM, Not Local RAG?

Approach Token Cost Setup Time Hallucinations Answer Quality Feed docs to Claude Very high (multiple file reads) Instant Yes - fills gaps Variable retrieval Web search Medium Instant High - unreliable sources Hit or miss Local RAG Medium-High Hours (embeddings, chunking) Medium - retrieval gaps Depends on setup NotebookLM Skill Minimal 5 minutes Minimal - source-grounded only Expert synthesis

What Makes NotebookLM Superior?

Pre-processed by Gemini: Upload docs once, get instant expert knowledge
Natural language Q&A: Not just retrieval — actual understanding and synthesis
Multi-source correlation: Connects information across 50+ documents
Citation-backed: Every answer includes source references
No infrastructure: No vector DBs, embeddings, or chunking strategies needed

Installation

The simplest installation ever:

# 1. Create skills directory (if it doesn't exist)
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills

# 2. Clone this repository
cd ~/.claude/skills
git clone https://github.com/PleasePrompto/notebooklm-skill notebooklm

# 3. That's it! Open Claude Code and say:
"What are my skills?"

When you first use the skill, it automatically:

Creates an isolated Python environment (.venv)
Installs all dependencies including Google Chrome
Sets up browser automation with Chrome (not Chromium) for maximum reliability
Everything stays contained in the skill folder

Note: The setup uses real Chrome instead of Chromium for cross-platform reliability, consistent browser fingerprinting, and better anti-detection with Google services

Quick Start

1. Check your skills

Say in Claude Code:

"What skills do I have?"

Claude will list your available skills including NotebookLM.

2. Authenticate with Google (one-time)

"Set up NotebookLM authentication"

A Chrome window opens → log in with your Google account

3. Create your knowledge base

Go to notebooklm.google.com → Create notebook → Upload your docs:

PDFs, Google Docs, markdown files
Websites, GitHub repos
YouTube videos
Multiple sources per notebook

Share: ⚙️ Share → Anyone with link → Copy

4. Add to your library

Option A: Let Claude figure it out (Smart Add)

"Query this notebook about its content and add it to my library: [your-link]"

Claude will automatically query the notebook to discover its content, then add it with appropriate metadata.

Option B: Manual add

"Add this NotebookLM to my library: [your-link]"

Claude will ask for a name and topics, then save it for future use.

5. Start researching

"What does my React docs say about hooks?"

Claude automatically selects the right notebook and gets the answer directly from NotebookLM.

How It Works

This is a Claude Code Skill - a local folder containing instructions and scripts that Claude Code can use when needed. Unlike the MCP server version, this runs directly in Claude Code without needing a separate server.

Key Differences from MCP Server

Feature This Skill MCP Server Protocol Claude Skills Model Context Protocol Installation Clone to ~/.claude/skills claude mcp add ... Sessions Fresh browser each question Persistent chat sessions Compatibility Claude Code only (local) Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, etc. Language Python TypeScript Distribution Git clone npm package

Architecture

~/.claude/skills/notebooklm/
├── SKILL.md              # Instructions for Claude
├── scripts/              # Python automation scripts
│   ├── ask_question.py   # Query NotebookLM
│   ├── notebook_manager.py # Library management
│   └── auth_manager.py   # Google authentication
├── .venv/                # Isolated Python environment (auto-created)
└── data/                 # Local notebook library

When you mention NotebookLM or send a notebook URL, Claude:

Loads the skill instructions
Runs the appropriate Python script
Opens a browser, asks your question
Returns the answer directly to you
Uses that knowledge to help with your task

Core Features

Source-Grounded Responses

NotebookLM significantly reduces hallucinations by answering exclusively from your uploaded documents. If information isn't available, it indicates uncertainty rather than inventing content.

Direct Integration

No copy-paste between browser and editor. Claude asks and receives answers programmatically.

Smart Library Management

Save NotebookLM links with tags and descriptions. Claude auto-selects the right notebook for your task.

Automatic Authentication

One-time Google login, then authentication persists across sessions.

Self-Contained

Everything runs in the skill folder with an isolated Python environment. No global installations.

Human-Like Automation

Uses realistic typing speeds and interaction patterns to avoid detection.

Common Commands

What you say What happens "Set up NotebookLM authentication" Opens Chrome for Google login "Add [link] to my NotebookLM library" Saves notebook with metadata "Show my NotebookLM notebooks" Lists all saved notebooks "Ask my API docs about [topic]" Queries the relevant notebook "Use the React notebook" Sets active notebook "Clear NotebookLM data" Fresh start (keeps library)

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Workshop Manual Query

User asks: "Check my Suzuki GSR 600 workshop manual for brake fluid type, engine oil specs, and rear axle torque."

Claude automatically:

Authenticates with NotebookLM
Asks comprehensive questions about each specification
Follows up when prompted "Is that ALL you need to know?"
Provides accurate specifications: DOT 4 brake fluid, SAE 10W-40 oil, 100 N·m rear axle torque

Example 2: Building Without Hallucinations

You: "I need to build an n8n workflow for Gmail spam filtering. Use my n8n notebook."

Claude's internal process:

→ Loads NotebookLM skill
→ Activates n8n notebook
→ Asks comprehensive questions with follow-ups
→ Synthesizes complete answer from multiple queries

Result: Working workflow on first try, no debugging hallucinated APIs.

Technical Details

Core Technology

Patchright: Browser automation library (Playwright-based)
Python: Implementation language for this skill
Stealth techniques: Human-like typing and interaction patterns

Note: The MCP server uses the same Patchright library but via TypeScript/npm ecosystem.

Dependencies

patchright==1.55.2: Browser automation
python-dotenv==1.0.0: Environment configuration
Automatically installed in .venv on first use

Data Storage

All data is stored locally within the skill directory:

~/.claude/skills/notebooklm/data/
├── library.json       - Your notebook library with metadata
├── auth_info.json     - Authentication status info
└── browser_state/     - Browser cookies and session data

Important Security Note:

The data/ directory contains sensitive authentication data and personal notebooks
It's automatically excluded from git via .gitignore
NEVER manually commit or share the contents of the data/ directory

Session Model

Unlike the MCP server, this skill uses a stateless model:

Each question opens a fresh browser
Asks the question, gets the answer
Adds a follow-up prompt to encourage Claude to ask more questions
Closes the browser immediately

This means:

No persistent chat context
Each question is independent
But your notebook library persists
Follow-up mechanism: Each answer includes "Is that ALL you need to know?" to prompt Claude to ask comprehensive follow-ups

For multi-step research, Claude automatically asks follow-up questions when needed.

Limitations

Skill-Specific

Local Claude Code only - Does not work in web UI (sandbox restrictions)
No session persistence - Each question is independent
No follow-up context - Can't reference "the previous answer"

NotebookLM

Rate limits - Free tier has daily query limits
Manual upload - You must upload docs to NotebookLM first
Share requirement - Notebooks must be shared publicly

FAQ

Why doesn't this work in the Claude web UI? The web UI runs skills in a sandbox without network access. Browser automation requires network access to reach NotebookLM.

How is this different from the MCP server? This is a simpler, Python-based implementation that runs directly as a Claude Skill. The MCP server is more feature-rich with persistent sessions and works with multiple tools (Codex, Cursor, etc.).

Can I use both this skill and the MCP server? Yes! They serve different purposes. Use the skill for quick Claude Code integration, use the MCP server for persistent sessions and multi-tool support.

What if Chrome crashes? Run: "Clear NotebookLM browser data" and try again.

Is my Google account secure? Chrome runs locally on your machine. Your credentials never leave your computer. Use a dedicated Google account if you're concerned.

Troubleshooting

Skill not found

# Make sure it's in the right location
ls ~/.claude/skills/notebooklm/
# Should show: SKILL.md, scripts/, etc.

Authentication issues

Say: "Reset NotebookLM authentication"

Browser crashes

Say: "Clear NotebookLM browser data"

Dependencies issues

# Manual reinstall if needed
cd ~/.claude/skills/notebooklm
rm -rf .venv
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # or .venv\Scripts\activate on Windows
pip install -r requirements.txt

Disclaimer

This tool automates browser interactions with Notebo