Documentation
Everything you need to install, use and understand Nishio.
Getting started
Install NishioNishio is a desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux. Download the installer for your system, open it once, and everything runs on your own computer.First run: your local accountThe first time you open Nishio you create a private owner account and your first workspace. The account exists only on this computer.Add your YouTube API key (optional)With your own free YouTube Data API key, Nishio can run official searches and fetch channel uploads. Without one, everything else still works locally.Desktop basicsHow the window, menus and shortcuts work, where your data lives, and how to update without losing anything.
Research
Start a channelTurn a channel idea into a plan in three steps: describe the idea, study real channels in a saved sample, then draft your first ten video briefs.Research inbox & today’s opportunitiesThe Research inbox shows “Today’s opportunities”: niches found by a daily official search, each scored only when there is enough evidence behind it.DiscoverDiscover searches everything you have saved in this workspace and lets you narrow it down with research filters, or run an official search when you have a key.Niche finder catalogA built-in editorial catalog of well-known YouTube niches, grouped by category, format, production style and risks. It is a place to think, not a source of metrics.ChannelsCompare the channels in your saved research side by side, with quick filters, sortable columns and an explicit way to fetch each channel’s latest uploads.Viral videosFind saved videos that performed far above their own channel’s usual level, and check the comparison behind every ratio.Competitors & watchlistsGroup the channels you want to follow into watchlists and compare their public numbers in one table.ThumbnailsSee saved videos as a thumbnail wall with their numbers, and study images you are allowed to process with an optional local vision model.KeywordsSee which words repeat most in the titles of your saved sample, to understand how a topic is usually framed.Evidence explorerEvery number in Nishio comes from an evidence record. The Evidence explorer shows where each observation came from, when, and how it was collected.
Create
Idea studioTurn opportunity hypotheses into video ideas or channel concepts, pick a title from several options, and track each idea from discovery to publication.Script studioWrite a scene-by-scene script draft linked to your saved evidence, with a verification checklist, revision history and export.SwipefileKeep the references you want to come back to — a clear opening, a useful comparison, a strong thumbnail — with folders, tags and your own notes.
Automate
SchedulesRun research jobs on a timetable: monitor saved research, build digests and reports, and see every run in the job history.AlertsAlerts tell you when something needs your attention: a report is ready, a job failed, a source needs manual action, or new evidence appeared.ReportsLocal reports gather your data coverage, hypotheses, source links and the limits of what is known, in the language you choose.
AI & settings
Local AI with Ollama (optional)Nishio works without any AI. If you want help drafting, it can use models that run on your own computer through Ollama — nothing is downloaded without your confirmation.Settings & teamConfigure your workspace and languages, local accounts and roles, display options, source permissions, the YouTube key, extension pairing and backups.Import & backupBring in data you are allowed to use as CSV, JSON or manual observations, with its source and dates, and keep verified backups of your workspace.
Chrome extension
Install the Chrome extensionThe Nishio extension adds research tools to YouTube itself. It is distributed as a ZIP that you load into Chrome in developer mode. Other Chromium browsers such as Edge or Brave use the same steps but haven’t been tested yet.Pair the extension with the appPairing is optional. It lets the extension send pages to your desktop workspace and show today’s opportunities and your plans on YouTube.Extension tools on YouTubeBadges on videos, a research side panel, local saving, feed filters, thumbnail and title checks, a comments filter and a ten-idea planner — all working on the page you have open.