🎓 Semantic Scholar MCP Server

This project implements a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for interacting with the Semantic Scholar API. It provides tools for searching papers, retrieving paper and author details, and fetching citations and references.

✨ Features

• 🔍 Search for papers on Semantic Scholar

• 📄 Retrieve detailed information about specific papers

• 👤 Get author details

• 🔗 Fetch citations and references for a paper

Related MCP server: Academic Paper Search MCP Server

📋 Prerequisites

• 🐍 Python 3.10+

• 📚 semanticscholar Python package

• 🔧 mcp Python package (Model Context Protocol)

🚀 Installation

Installing via Smithery

To install semanticscholar Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

claude

npx -y @smithery/cli@latest install @JackKuo666/semanticscholar-mcp-server --client claude --config "{}"

Cursor

Paste the following into Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP → Add new server:

• Mac/Linux

npx -y @smithery/cli@latest run @JackKuo666/semanticscholar-mcp-server --client cursor --config "{}" 

Windsurf

npx -y @smithery/cli@latest install @JackKuo666/semanticscholar-mcp-server --client windsurf --config "{}"

CLine

npx -y @smithery/cli@latest install @JackKuo666/semanticscholar-mcp-server --client cline --config "{}"

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/JackKuo666/semanticscholar-MCP-Server.git
   cd semanticscholar-mcp-server

2. Install the required packages:

   pip install semanticscholar mcp

🖥️ Usage

1. Start the Semantic Scholar MCP server:

   python semantic_scholar_server.py

2. The server will start and listen for MCP requests.

3. Use an MCP client to interact with the server and access the following tools:

   • 🔍 search_semantic_scholar: Search for papers using a query string

   • 📄 get_semantic_scholar_paper_details: Get details of a specific paper

   • 👤 get_semantic_scholar_author_details: Get details of a specific author

   • 🔗 get_semantic_scholar_citations_and_references: Get citations and references for a paper

Usage with Claude Desktop

Add this configuration to your claude_desktop_config.json:

(Mac OS)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "semanticscholar": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "semanticscholar_mcp_server"]
      }
  }
}

(Windows version):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "semanticscholar": {
      "command": "C:\\Users\\YOUR\\PATH\\miniconda3\\envs\\mcp_server\\python.exe",
      "args": [
        "D:\\code\\YOUR\\PATH\\semanticscholar-MCP-Server\\semanticscholar_server.py"
      ],
      "env": {},
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

Using with Cline

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "semanticscholar": {
      "command": "bash",
      "args": [
        "-c",
        "source /home/YOUR/PATH/.venv/bin/activate && python /home/YOUR/PATH/semanticscholar_mcp_server.py"
      ],
      "env": {},
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

📁 File Structure

• 📜 semantic_scholar_search.py: Contains functions for interacting with the Semantic Scholar API

• 🖥️ semantic_scholar_server.py: Implements the MCP server and defines the available tools

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.