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OpenAlex MCP Server

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OpenAlex is an open catalog of the global research system. Search works, retrieve work metadata, and expand citations using an open citation graph. A free API key from openalex.org/settings/api unlocks $1/day of usage; unauthenticated calls are limited to a small demo allowance.

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Open catalog
3 tools
Agent guide included

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AI Skill
SKILL.md

Domain knowledge for OpenAlex — workflow patterns, data models, and gotchas for your AI agent.

OpenAlex

OpenAlex is an open catalog of the global research system. Search works, retrieve work metadata, and expand citations using an open citation graph.

Data Model

  • Works — scholarly publications; search returns work IDs for detail and citation fetches.
  • Citations — works that cite a given work; scoped by work_id.

Gotchas

  • Resolve names to IDs: Do not filter works by author display name. Search /authors first, then filter works by authorships.author.id.
  • Search cost: search calls are heavier than singleton lookups. Prefer work-id or DOI fetches when you already have an identifier.
  • Rate limits: Back off on HTTP 429 and avoid tight retry loops in one agent run.

Tools in this Server (3)

Openalex Get Work

Fetch a single OpenAlex work by OpenAlex ID or DOI and return full metadata including referenced works and citation count.

Openalex List Citations

List OpenAlex works that cite the given work ID (citation expansion).

Openalex Search Works

Search OpenAlex works (papers) and return metadata plus OpenAlex IDs. Use returned work IDs with openalex_get_work or openalex_list_citations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the OpenAlex MCP server?

OpenAlex is an open catalog of the global research system. Search works, retrieve work metadata, and expand citations using an open citation graph. A free API key from openalex.org/settings/api unlocks $1/day of usage; unauthenticated calls are limited to a small demo allowance. It provides 3 tools that AI agents can use through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

How do I connect OpenAlex to my AI agent?

Add the MCPBundles server URL to your MCP client configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, etc.). The URL format is: https://mcp.mcpbundles.com/bundle/openalex. Authentication is handled automatically.

How many tools does OpenAlex provide?

OpenAlex provides 3 tools that can be called by AI agents, along with a SKILL.md that gives your AI agent domain knowledge about when and how to use them.

What authentication does OpenAlex require?

OpenAlex uses open data APIs — no authentication required.

Setup Instructions

Connect OpenAlex to any MCP client in minutes

MCP URL
https://mcp.mcpbundles.com/bundle/openalex
Claude.aiCursorVS CodeVS Code InsidersGooseLM StudioCherry StudioChatGPT

One-click install:

Install on Claude.aiInstall for organization (admins)

The link prefills the Add custom connector dialog — you still review the values and click Add, then Connect to complete OAuth.

Or add manually

  1. Open claude.ai → Settings → Connectors.
  2. Click the + button and choose Add custom connector.
  3. Set Name to OpenAlex and paste the MCP URL into Remote MCP server URL.
  4. Click Add. OpenAlex will appear under Not connected — select it and click Connect to complete OAuth.
Name: OpenAlex
Remote MCP server URL: https://mcp.mcpbundles.com/bundle/openalex
Authentication: OAuth

Custom connectors at claude.ai require a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise).

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OpenAlex MCP Server & Skill