Semantic Scholar MCP Server

# Semantic Scholar Server Refactoring This document describes the refactoring of the Semantic Scholar server from a single monolithic file to a modular package structure. ## Motivation The original implementation consisted of a single 2,200+ line Python file (`semantic_scholar_server.py`), which made it difficult to: - Understand the overall structure - Locate specific functionality - Debug issues - Make focused changes - Test individual components ## Refactoring Approach We used a modular package approach, separating concerns into logical components: ``` semantic-scholar-server/ ├── semantic_scholar/ # Main package │ ├── __init__.py # Package initialization │ ├── server.py # Server setup and main functionality │ ├── mcp.py # Centralized FastMCP instance definition │ ├── config.py # Configuration classes │ ├── utils/ # Utility modules │ │ ├── __init__.py │ │ ├── errors.py # Error handling │ │ └── http.py # HTTP client and rate limiting │ ├── api/ # API endpoints │ ├── __init__.py │ ├── papers.py # Paper-related endpoints │ ├── authors.py # Author-related endpoints │ └── recommendations.py # Recommendation endpoints ├── run.py # Entry point script ``` ## Key Improvements 1. **Separation of Concerns** - Config classes in their own module - Utilities separated from business logic - API endpoints grouped by domain (papers, authors, recommendations) - Server infrastructure code isolated - FastMCP instance centralized in its own module 2. **Improved Maintainability** - Each file has a single responsibility - Files are much smaller and easier to understand - Clear imports show dependencies between modules - Better docstrings and code organization - No circular dependencies between modules 3. **Enhanced Extensibility** - Adding new endpoints only requires changes to the relevant module - Utilities can be reused across the codebase - Configuration is centralized - Testing individual components is much easier - Each module imports the FastMCP instance from a central location 4. **Clearer Entry Point** - `run.py` provides a simple way to start the server - Server initialization is separated from the API logic - All modules consistently import the FastMCP instance from mcp.py ## Migration Guide The refactored code maintains the same functionality and API as the original implementation. To migrate: 1. Replace the original `semantic_scholar_server.py` with the new package structure 2. Update any import statements that referenced the original file 3. Use `run.py` as the new entry point No changes to API usage are required - all tool functions maintain the same signatures and behavior. ## Future Improvements The modular structure enables several future improvements: 1. **Testing**: Add unit tests for individual components 2. **Caching**: Implement caching layer for improved performance 3. **Logging**: Enhanced logging throughout the application 4. **Metrics**: Add performance monitoring 5. **Documentation**: Generate API documentation from docstrings