Openalex MCP Server

by cyanheadsio.github.cyanheads/openalex-mcp-serverv0.8.0

Access the OpenAlex academic research catalog — 270M+ publications.

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Active9d ago

Install Openalex MCP server

claude mcp add openalex -- npx -y @cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server run start:stdio

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openalex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server",
        "run",
        "start:stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (project).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openalex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server",
        "run",
        "start:stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Settings → Developer → Edit Config (claude_desktop_config.json), then restart.

{
  "servers": {
    "openalex": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server",
        "run",
        "start:stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openalex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server",
        "run",
        "start:stdio"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.

Configuration

Variable	Required	Secret	Description
OPENALEX_API_KEY	—	—	OpenAlex account API key, sent as api_key= - optional (free from https://openalex.org/settings/api). Without it, anonymous rate limits apply.
OPENALEX_MAILTO	—	—	Optional email sent as mailto= to identify yourself to OpenAlex (the polite pool). Separate from the API key.
OPENALEX_BASE_URL	—	—	OpenAlex API base URL.
MCP_LOG_LEVEL	—	—	Sets the minimum log level for output (e.g., 'debug', 'info', 'warn').
MCP_HTTP_HOST	—	—	The hostname for the HTTP server.
MCP_HTTP_PORT	—	—	The port to run the HTTP server on.
MCP_HTTP_ENDPOINT_PATH	—	—	The endpoint path for the MCP server.
MCP_AUTH_MODE	—	—	Authentication mode to use: 'none', 'jwt', or 'oauth'.

Remote endpoints

streamable-httphttps://openalex.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Freshness

Active — last maintenance signal 9d ago. The newest of the signals below sets the band.

Last commit (default branch)
2026-09-30 · 9d ago · GitHub
Latest release
2026-09-30 · 9d ago · GitHub · v0.8.0
Package published
no data · npm/PyPI
Registry entry updated
2026-09-30 · 9d ago · official registry · v0.8.0

FAQ

›How do I install the Openalex MCP server in Claude Code?

Run: claude mcp add openalex -- npx -y @cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server run start:stdio. For Cursor, VS Code, Claude Desktop and Windsurf, use the install tabs above.

›Does Openalex require an API key?

No required environment variables are declared in its published metadata.

›Can I use Openalex as a remote (hosted) MCP server?

Yes — it offers both a hosted endpoint and a local stdio package.

›Is Openalex in the official MCP registry?

Yes, as io.github.cyanheads/openalex-mcp-server.