OpenAlex MCP Server

What is OpenAlex MCP Server?

A Node.js MCP server that uses Express and Axios to proxy queries to the OpenAlex API. It is intended for developers who need a simple, self-hosted gateway to search OpenAlex scholarly data.

How to use OpenAlex MCP Server?

Install dependencies with npm install, create a .env file with a PORT and OPENALEX_BASE_URL, then run npm start. The server listens on http://localhost:<PORT> and exposes a single endpoint GET /search?q=<term>.

Key features of OpenAlex MCP Server

• Proxies queries to the OpenAlex API
• Single search endpoint (GET /search?q=…)
• Configurable port and base URL via .env
• Dockerfile included for production deployment
• CI/CD with GitHub Actions

Use cases of OpenAlex MCP Server

• Searching academic works by query term
• Integrating OpenAlex data into applications via a local proxy
• Self-hosting a lightweight MCP server for scholarly data queries

FAQ from OpenAlex MCP Server

What are the system requirements?

Node.js (version 14 or higher) and npm are required.

How do I configure the server?

Create a .env file in the project root with PORT=3000 and OPENALEX_BASE_URL=https://api.openalex.org (or custom values).

How do I start the server?

Run npm start from the project root.

Can I deploy using Docker?

Yes, a Dockerfile is provided. Build with docker build -t openalex-mcp . and run with docker run -p 3000:3000 -d openalex-mcp.

Is there a CI/CD pipeline?

Yes, a GitHub Actions workflow runs unit and integration tests on every push and pull request.