Paper Lantern

What is Paper Lantern?

Paper Lantern is a research intelligence tool for AI coding agents, providing access to over 2 million computer science research papers. It integrates via the Model Context Protocol (MCP) with a single command setup, helping agents make informed technical decisions.

How to use Paper Lantern?

Run npx paperlantern@latest in your terminal, then select your preferred AI agents and log in through OAuth. The setup CLI automatically configures the MCP server and installs agent rules.

Key features of Paper Lantern

• One‑command setup via npx paperlantern@latest
• OAuth authentication for secure access
• Automatic MCP server configuration for supported agents
• Agent rules installed so agents know when to use Paper Lantern
• Five tools for research exploration, deep dives, comparisons, feasibility checks, and feedback

Use cases of Paper Lantern

• Surveying multiple approach families with evidence and tradeoffs
• Investigating a single technique in depth, including hyperparameters and failure modes
• Comparing two or three candidate approaches side‑by‑side
• Getting a GO / PROTOTYPE / RECONSIDER verdict based on project constraints
• Providing feedback to improve future research suggestions

FAQ from Paper Lantern

Which AI agents are supported by Paper Lantern?

Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot (VS Code), Codex, Gemini CLI, and Cline are supported. For agents not listed, see the manual setup guide at paperlantern.ai/docs.

How do I set up Paper Lantern manually?

Manual setup instructions and per‑agent configuration snippets are available at paperlantern.ai/docs. The site also provides the raw MCP endpoint.

When does Paper Lantern activate during coding?

Paper Lantern activates only when your agent is making technical decisions (e.g., choosing algorithms, architectures, or techniques). It does not activate for syntax questions, library lookups, debugging, or general programming tasks.

What tools does Paper Lantern provide to my agent?

The agent receives five tools: explore_approaches, deep_dive, compare_approaches, check_feasibility, and give_feedback. Each serves a specific research purpose, from surveying approaches to providing feedback.

Does Paper Lantern require any additional dependencies?

The setup command uses npx, which requires Node.js and npm. No other dependencies are mentioned in the README.