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OpenAlex MCP Server

OpenAlex MCP Server

Local
github.com/hbiaouSearch16Updated 70w ago
Repository

About OpenAlex MCP Server

OpenAlex MCP Server is a Node.js service for academic literature research that proxies queries to the OpenAlex API. It is suited to researchers and applications needing keyword-based search.

Key features

  1. 01Queries the OpenAlex API
  2. 02Provides a keyword search endpoint
  3. 03Built with Express and Axios
  4. 04Supports Docker deployment

Use cases

  1. 01Search academic literature by topic
  2. 02Connect OpenAlex queries to an application
  3. 03Deploy the service in a Docker container

MCP support

The MCP server proxies queries to the OpenAlex API and provides academic search through its search endpoint to MCP clients.

#openalex#mcp#academic-research

Configuration

Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.

mcp.json · Universal config
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openalex": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "build"
      ]
    }
  }
}
Run commanddocker run -i --rm build

Local servers need a runtime on your machine (e.g. Node.js 18+). Config file locations differ by client; see your client’s docs.

Packages
ocibuild

Tools

No tool list yet

Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.

Details

From the project README

OpenAlex MCP Server

Node.js MCP server using Express and Axios to proxy queries to the OpenAlex API.

Author: Samadori H. Biaou [email protected]

License: MIT License

Certified by MCP Review

Prerequisites

  • Node.js (>=14)
  • npm

Installation

npm install

Configuration

Create a .env file in the project root with the following content:

PORT=3000
OPENALEX_BASE_URL=https://api.openalex.org
[email protected]
NEW_RELIC_LICENSE_KEY=your_new_relic_license_key_here

Running the Server

npm start

The server listens on http://localhost:\<PORT>

API

GET /search

Query parameter:

  • q: search term

Example:

GET http://localhost:3000/search?q=machine%20learning

Production Deployment

Docker

A Dockerfile is provided for production deployment.

  • Build the Docker image: 
    docker build -t openalex-mcp .
  • Run the container: 
    docker run -p 3000:3000 -d openalex-mcp
Environment Configuration

Ensure that production environment variables (e.g., PORT and OPENALEX_BASE_URL) are correctly set. For sensitive data, consider using a secrets manager.

Scaling and Monitoring
  • Scaling: Use container orchestrators like Docker Swarm or Kubernetes to scale horizontally based on load.
  • Monitoring: Integrate monitoring solutions (e.g., New Relic, Prometheus, or Grafana) to track server health and performance.
Backup Procedures

Implement automated backup solutions for critical data and configuration files. Regularly back up container volumes and databases if applicable.

Testing and CI/CD

A CI pipeline is configured using GitHub Actions to run unit and integration tests on every push and pull request.

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