Openalex MCP Server
Access the OpenAlex academic research catalog — 270M+ publications.
Connect it
Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector
URL: https://openalex.caseyjhand.com/mcpSettings → Apps & Connectors → Advanced → Developer mode
Create connector with URL: https://openalex.caseyjhand.com/mcp{
"mcpServers": {
"openalex-mcp-server": {
"url": "https://openalex.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
}
}
}claude mcp add --transport http openalex-mcp-server https://openalex.caseyjhand.com/mcp{
"servers": {
"openalex-mcp-server": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://openalex.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
}
}
}{
"mcpServers": {
"openalex-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server@0.8.0"
]
}
}
}claude mcp add openalex-mcp-server -- npx -y @cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server@0.8.05 tools, verified live
openalex_resolve_nameread-onlyResolve a name or an identifier to an OpenAlex ID. ALWAYS use this before filtering by entity â names are ambiguous, IDs are not. A name returns up to 10 autocomplete matches with disambiguation hints. An identifier â OpenAlex ID, DOI, ORCID, ROR, PMID, or ISSN, bare or in URL form â resolves directly to the one record it addresses, and needs no entity_type. A PMCID is recognized as well, ba
openalex_search_entitiesread-onlySearch, filter, sort, or retrieve by ID. Covers all OpenAlex entity types (works, authors, sources, institutions, topics, keywords, publishers, funders). Pass `id` to retrieve a single entity. Otherwise, use `query` and/or `filters` for discovery. Supports keyword search with boolean operators, exact phrase matching, and AI semantic search. Use openalex_resolve_name to resolve names to IDs before
openalex_analyze_trendsread-onlyAggregate OpenAlex entities into groups and count them. Use for trend analysis (group works by publication_year), distribution analysis (group by oa_status, type, country), and comparative analysis (group by institution or topic). Combine with filters to scope the analysis. Returns up to 200 groups per page â use cursor pagination for fields with many distinct values.
openalex_get_citation_graphread-onlyWalk the citation graph one hop from a seed work. Direction picks the edge: incoming citations (`cites`), the seed's own references (`cited_by`), or OpenAlex's algorithmically-related works (`related_to`). Note: `direction` follows OpenAlex's filter convention, which inverts the common English reading â `cites` returns works that cite the seed; `cited_by` returns works the seed cites. Results us
openalex_describe_fieldsread-onlyList valid field names for an OpenAlex entity type and context (filter, group_by, or select). Use proactively before constructing a filter or group_by to avoid invalid-field 400 errors. Pass `query` to rank the list by name similarity â useful when you have a partial or guessed field name. Ranking never drops a field: the full list comes back either way.
Alternatives in Search & Research
Compare →
Bitbybit CAD MCPA
Bitbybit 3D parametric CAD API, version-exact, for coding agents: search, describe, examples, guide
AMAmplitudeOfficialA
Search, access, and get insights on your Amplitude data
CACOTAL actions (cotal.ai)A
cotal.ai actions: product overview, site search, build log, feedback, Cloud waitlist, updates, calls
runxA
The governed runtime for agent skills. Search the catalog and inspect a skill before running it.
DODocsA
Search and read Empryo's documentation. Read-only, no auth, no local access.
MUMuA
News, web search, mail, markets, weather, places, files, calendar, contacts. 67 tools, one endpoint.