arxivsub-mcp
Allows searching arXiv papers and top AI/ML conferences via semantic and keyword search, finding similar papers, research analytics, and managing a personal library.
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@arxivsub-mcpfind recent papers on LLM safety with code"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
arxivsub-mcp
An MCP server for arXivSub — search arXiv and the top AI / CV / ML / robotics / NLP conferences, follow any paper to its related work, build research analytics, and manage a personal library, straight from your AI agent (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline, Claude Code, Windsurf, …).
arXivSub summarizes every paper into a structured 6-part breakdown (what it's about, innovations, techniques, datasets, results, limitations) and indexes it for semantic search across arXiv + CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, ICLR, ICML, NeurIPS, AAAI, MICCAI, CoRL, RSS, ACL, EMNLP, ICRA, IROS, IJCAI, SIGGRAPH, SIGGRAPH Asia. This server puts that engine directly in your agent's hands.
Get a free key (7-day trial, no credit card)
Sign in at https://arxivsub.comfyai.app/skills with email or Google.
Copy your API key from the Skills page.
Put it in the server config below as
ARXIVSUB_SKILL_KEY.
New accounts get a 7-day free trial of the full skill. After that it's part of arXivSub Pro.
Related MCP server: arXiv MCP Server
Install
The server runs via npx — no manual install needed. Add it to your MCP client's config.
Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json), Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json), Windsurf, Cline, etc.:
{
"mcpServers": {
"arxivsub": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "arxivsub-mcp"],
"env": { "ARXIVSUB_SKILL_KEY": "your_key_here" }
}
}
}Claude Code:
claude mcp add arxivsub --env ARXIVSUB_SKILL_KEY=your_key_here -- npx -y arxivsub-mcpCodex CLI:
codex mcp add arxivsub --env ARXIVSUB_SKILL_KEY=your_key_here -- npx -y arxivsub-mcpOr add it to ~/.codex/config.toml directly:
[mcp_servers.arxivsub]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "arxivsub-mcp"]
env = { ARXIVSUB_SKILL_KEY = "your_key_here" }Restart your client and the tools below become available.
claude.ai (remote connector)
On claude.ai there's nothing to install, add a hosted connector:
Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector
Name:
arxivsubRemote MCP server URL (replace
YOUR_KEYwith your key from https://arxivsub.comfyai.app/skills):https://qtevnmgyobilaanrzidq.supabase.co/functions/v1/mcp?key=YOUR_KEYLeave the OAuth fields empty and click Add.
This is a hosted Streamable HTTP MCP endpoint, a thin adapter over the arXivSub gateway exposing the same tools. Source: supabase/functions/mcp/index.ts.
Tools
Tool | What it does |
| Semantic + keyword search over arXiv and conferences. Filters: venues, recency, year, |
| Nearest-neighbour "related work" for a paper you already found. Chainable for a mini literature review. |
| Pivot analytics (the website's Custom Chart engine): trends, rankings, breakdowns. Pro / trial. |
| Save/update a paper in your personal library — notes, reading status, collections. |
| List your saved papers and collections. |
Just ask your agent naturally — "find recent papers on LLM safety with code", "more work like this one", "how has interest in diffusion models trended by month", "save this to my "to read" collection" — and it will pick the right tool.
Notes
Case-sensitive venues:
arxiv,CVPR,ICCV,ECCV,ICLR,ICML,NeurIPS,AAAI,MICCAI,CoRL,RSS,ACL,EMNLP,ICRA,IROS,IJCAI,SIGGRAPH,SIGGRAPH Asia.Quota: each search / similar / insight call uses one daily quota unit; library calls are free. The remaining quota is returned with every result.
Privacy / security: the server only holds your skill key and talks to the arXivSub gateway over HTTPS. It has no direct database access and no service credentials.
Development
npm install
npm run build # tsc -> dist/
ARXIVSUB_SKILL_KEY=... node dist/index.js # run over stdioLicense
MIT
Available Tools
5 toolsfind_similar_papersA
Given ONE paper you already have (from a prior search result), return the most similar papers from the same corpus — semantic nearest neighbours, each with the full summary and code link. Use for 'more like this', 'related work', 'what else is in this line of work', or to expand a literature review. You can chain it: search -> pick a seed -> find_similar_papers -> repeat on a strong neighbour.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | How many neighbours to return (server caps at 20). Default 8. | |
| item_id | Yes | The seed paper's arXivSub id (uuid) from a prior search result. Never invent one. | |
| language | No | Summary language, 'en' or 'zh'. Default 'en'. | |
| item_type | Yes | The seed paper's type, from its search 'source': 'arxiv' -> 'paper', 'conferences' -> 'ciiina'. |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the burden of disclosing behavior. It explains the operation is read-only in effect, returns "the most similar papers... each with the full summary and code link," and notes the seed must come from a prior search result. It does not discuss error handling or edge cases, but for a retrieval tool this is sufficient; the disclosure is clear and non-misleading.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is three sentences long, with the core purpose stated first, followed by usage guidance and a chaining example. Every sentence adds value, there is no repetition of schema content, and the structure is well-organized and front-loaded.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Despite having no output schema, the description tells the user what to expect (full summary and code link) and how to use the tool iteratively. It covers prerequisites (a paper from a prior search), the use cases, and the workflow with search. It does not mention potential error scenarios, but for a straightforward recommendation tool, the description is sufficiently complete.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The input schema already provides 100% coverage of all four parameters, so the description does not need to add parameter-level detail. The description reinforces that the seed paper must already exist ("from a prior search result"), which aligns with the schema's emphasis on using a real arXivSub id. Since schema coverage is complete, the baseline of 3 is appropriate.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description opens with a specific, actionable statement: "Given ONE paper you already have... return the most similar papers from the same corpus — semantic nearest neighbours." This clearly identifies the tool's function and resource, and distinguishes it from sibling search or library tools by emphasizing that it requires a prior paper as input rather than a query.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description explicitly states common use cases: "Use for 'more like this', 'related work', 'what else is in this line of work', or to expand a literature review." It also provides a chaining workflow (search -> pick a seed -> find_similar_papers -> repeat), which gives practical guidance. However, it does not explicitly name when NOT to use this tool or mention specific alternatives, so it falls just short of a 5.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
library_listA
List the user's personal arXivSub library — collections and saved items, optionally filtered. Use for 'what have I saved', 'show my library', 'which papers are in my collection', 'what am I reading'.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | Max items (server caps at 200). Default 100. | |
| status | No | Only items with this reading status. | |
| item_type | No | Only papers ('paper') or conference items ('ciiina'). | |
| collection_name | No | Only items in this collection. |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description must convey behavior alone. It clarifies the scope (personal library) and optional filtering, but does not disclose return format, ordering, or explicitly confirm read-only behavior. For a list tool this is moderate but leaves some gaps.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single sentence followed by concrete examples, with no redundant information. It is front-loaded with the verb and resource, making it highly efficient.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a simple list tool with optional filters, the description adequately covers purpose, scope, and usage contexts. The schema handles all parameter details. While there is no output schema, the tool's simplicity makes this acceptable.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema coverage is 100% with all four parameters described in detail. The description's mention of 'optionally filtered' adds no new semantics beyond what the schema already provides, so the baseline 3 is appropriate.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the tool lists the user's personal arXivSub library, including collections and saved items, and distinguishes it from sibling search/save tools by emphasizing the personal library scope. The use-case examples further clarify its purpose.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides specific example queries ('what have I saved', 'show my library') that indicate when to use the tool. It does not explicitly mention alternatives or exclusions, but the intended usage is clear from these examples.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
library_saveA
Save (or update) a paper in the user's personal arXivSub library. Use for 'save this', 'bookmark that paper', 'add it to my collection', 'note that ...', 'mark as read'. Idempotent: saving the same paper again updates only the fields you pass and never duplicates. Cannot delete — removals are done on the website.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| note | No | Optional note (<=2000 chars). | |
| item_id | Yes | The item's arXivSub id (uuid) from a prior search result. | |
| item_type | Yes | From the search 'source': 'arxiv' -> 'paper', 'conferences' -> 'ciiina'. | |
| reading_status | No | Optional reading status. | |
| collection_name | No | Optional collection/folder name; created automatically if it doesn't exist. |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the transparency burden. It discloses key behaviors: idempotency ('saving the same paper again updates only the fields you pass and never duplicates') and the deletion limitation. These are important side effects not inferable from the name or schema.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is two sentences, front-loaded with the core purpose, then examples, then key behavioral caveats. Every sentence earns its place with no filler.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a 5-param tool with no output schema, the description covers purpose, usage, idempotency, and deletion constraints. It does not mention authentication or return values, but these are not essential for tool selection. The lack of explicit reference to the item_id coming from a prior search is compensated by the schema.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The schema already documents all 5 parameters with descriptions, so baseline is 3. The description's natural-language examples ('note that', 'mark as read') map to note and reading_status, but add little new semantic detail beyond the schema. The partial-update note is behavioral rather than parameter-specific.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description opens with 'Save (or update) a paper in the user's personal arXivSub library', using a specific verb+resource. It clearly distinguishes from siblings like search_papers and library_list by focusing on persistence into the user's library. The example intents further pin down the purpose.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
Explicit usage phrases are given: 'save this', 'bookmark that paper', 'add it to my <X> collection', 'note that ...', 'mark as read'. It also states a clear non-use case: 'Cannot delete — removals are done on the website.' This provides strong when-to-use guidance without needing to name alternatives.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
research_insightA
Build aggregate pivot statistics over the arXivSub corpora — the same engine as the website's Custom Chart. Use for trends, rankings, breakdowns and comparisons: 'how has interest in diffusion models trended', 'top institutions in RL', 'papers per month by keyword', 'avg citations by affiliation'. Returns rows of {dim, breakdown, value} for you to interpret and visualize. Requires Pro or active trial days.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| dim | Yes | REQUIRED axis. arxiv: time:day|week|month|year, keyword, category, affiliation, author, citation_bin. ciiina: time:year, keyword, conference, award, affiliation, author, citation_bin. | |
| corpus | No | 'arxiv' (recent arXiv) or 'ciiina' (conferences; 'conference' is an alias). Default 'arxiv'. | |
| filters | No | Optional object: search, start_date, end_date, keywords[], categories[] (arxiv), conferences[]/publish_years[]/awards[] (ciiina), affiliations[]. | |
| measure | No | count_papers (default) | count_authors | count_affiliations | count_keywords | avg_citation | median_citation | award_rate (ciiina only). | |
| options | No | Optional object: top_n_dim, top_n_breakdown, min_count, show_others, sort. | |
| breakdown | No | Optional second split, same value set as dim. e.g. dim=time:month, breakdown=keyword. |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description takes on the full burden of behavioral transparency. It discloses the output format ('rows of {dim, breakdown, value}') and the access requirement ('Requires Pro or active trial days'), plus a helpful analogy ('same engine as the website's Custom Chart'). It does not mention rate limits or data caveats, but provides solid context for a read-only analytics tool.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Four well-organized sentences cover purpose, use cases, output, and a prerequisite. The description is front-loaded with the core function and uses compact, meaningful examples. No filler or redundant restatement of schema fields.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Despite having 6 parameters and no output schema, the description gives enough context for an agent to invoke the tool correctly: it explains what the tool does, when to use it, what the result looks like, and the Pro requirement. The schema handles parameter details, and the description fills the remaining conceptual gaps.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The input schema already provides 100% parameter coverage with descriptions and enums, so the baseline is 3. The description adds a few clarifying examples and output shape but does not substantially expand on the schema's parameter documentation.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description opens with a specific action ('Build aggregate pivot statistics') and a clear resource ('arXivSub corpora'), immediately distinguishing it from sibling search tools. It also provides concrete example queries ('top institutions in RL', 'papers per month by keyword') that confirm its analytical purpose.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description clearly states when to use the tool: for trends, rankings, breakdowns, and comparisons, with illustrative examples. It does not explicitly discuss when not to use it or name alternatives, but the intended use case is unambiguous.
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 from arXiv and major AI/CV/ML/robotics/NLP conferences via arXivSub (semantic + keyword search over a structured, summarized corpus). Use for 'find papers on X', 'latest research about Y', 'recent conference work on Z', or to start a literature review. Returns each paper with a 6-part summary (what it's about, innovations, techniques, datasets, results, limitations), authors + affiliations, pdf_url, and github_url when code is available.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | Max papers per source (server caps at 100). Default 10. | |
| query | Yes | Natural-language search query, e.g. 'LLM safety alignment'. | |
| has_code | No | If true, only return papers that ship a public code repository (a reproducibility signal). | |
| language | No | Summary language, 'en' or 'zh'. Default 'en'. | |
| locations | No | Venues to search (CASE-SENSITIVE): arxiv, CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, ICLR, ICML, NeurIPS, AAAI, MICCAI, CoRL, RSS, ACL, EMNLP, ICRA, IROS, IJCAI, SIGGRAPH, 'SIGGRAPH Asia'. Include 'arxiv' for arXiv preprints. Default: ['arxiv']. | |
| arxiv_days | No | Only arXiv papers from the last N days. Default 30. | |
| conference_years | No | Conference publication years to include, e.g. [2024, 2025]. Default: last two years. |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It explains the search mechanism ('semantic + keyword search over a structured, summarized corpus') and the return format ('6-part summary', 'authors + affiliations', 'pdf_url', 'github_url'), adding valuable context beyond the schema without contradictions.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is concise and well-structured: a clear purpose sentence, a usage sentence, and a return-value sentence. No filler or redundancy, with the most important information front-loaded.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Despite having no output schema, the description gives a thorough explanation of what is returned (6-part summary, authors, affiliations, URLs). Combined with the use-case guidance and clear search scope, it fully covers the tool's behavior for an agent in this complex domain.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The schema descriptions cover 100% of the 7 parameters, so the description doesn't need to add parameter-level detail. The description does not provide additional semantic meaning beyond the schema; it focuses on the overall tool behavior, so the baseline score of 3 applies.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description uses the specific verb 'Search' with a clearly defined resource: 'academic papers from arXiv and major AI/CV/ML/robotics/NLP conferences'. This distinguishes it from sibling tools like find_similar_papers (similarity search), research_insight (insights), and library_save/list (library operations).
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description explicitly states when to use the tool: 'for "find papers on X", "latest research about Y", "recent conference work on Z", or to start a literature review'. It provides clear context for use, but does not mention when not to use it or name alternative tools.
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.
5 tool updates
v0.1.1- First observed
find_similar_papers - First observed
library_list - First observed
library_save - First observed
research_insight - First observed
search_papers
TDQS
Scored across 5 tools
Each tool targets a distinct function: search_papers for query-based discovery, find_similar_papers for similarity expansion, research_insight for aggregate analytics, and library_save/library_list for personal library management. There is no ambiguity between them.
Most tools follow a verb_noun pattern (search_papers, find_similar_papers), but library_save and library_list invert this to noun_verb, and research_insight is ambiguous. The underscore-separated lowercase style is consistent, but the word order is not uniform.
At 5 tools, the set is well-scoped for the server's purpose: search, similar, analytics, and library operations. Each tool earns its place without redundancy or bloat.
The surface covers core workflows (search, similar, trends, save, list), but library_delete is explicitly absent, forcing removals to be handled externally. A direct get-by-ID tool is also missing, though search can compensate. Minor gaps that agents can work around.
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