Search

OpenAlex MCP Server

Chat with AI and run tools instantly — no account needed.

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

3 tools
Agent guide included
Try it Free

No account needed. Chat with AI and run tools instantly.

Browse all tools

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

  • mailto: Including a contact email (mailto param) improves rate limits and service.

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. 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

https://mcp.mcpbundles.com/bundle/openalex

What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol lets AI tools call external capabilities securely through a single URL. This bundle groups tools behind an MCP endpoint that many clients can use.

Use this bundle in 3 steps

  1. Copy the MCP URL above
  2. Open your AI tool and add a new MCP/connector
  3. Paste the URL and follow any auth prompts

Claude Desktop Users

Skip the manual setup! Use the .mcpb file format for one-click installation. Check the Claude Desktop tab for setup instructions.

Pick your tool tab for exact steps

Select ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude Code, or another tab for copy-paste config.

Try OpenAlex now

No sign-up required. Chat with AI and run tools instantly.

OpenAlex MCP Server & Skill — 3 Tools