Google-owned video sharing site YouTube has revealed it is to release a set of free software tools that will enable developers to create fully-functional YouTube players on their own sites.According to a company blog posting by product manager at the firm Jim Patterson, YouTube has devised some "powerful new ways" to integrate content from the site and its community of users into other websites.
Whereas previous embedded YouTube players could only stream video, with the new software, developers will now be able to install tools to allow users of their sites to search the YouTube inventory, upload clips to YouTube's servers and to edit and add user and video metadata - such as titles and ratings.
Commenting on the new offering, Mr Patterson said: "For partners and developers, YouTube has grown into much more than a website.
"It has become an open, general purpose, video services platform, available for use by just about any third-party website, desktop application, or consumer device."
He added that the free software provides websites with the opportunity to generate increased traffic and visibility for their brands or causes.
According to a company spokeswoman, the move by YouTube is intended as a means of bringing more and better content to the site, Forbes reports.
She added that the software tools are focussed on "user experience, not monetisation".
