
Paper Lantern
@paperlantern-ai
About Paper Lantern
Paper Lantern setup CLI - one-line install to configure Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot, Codex, and Gemini CLI with Paper Lantern
Basic information
Category
Developer Tools
License
MIT
Runtime
node
Transports
stdio
Publisher
paperlantern-ai
Submitted by
Paper Lantern Founders
Config
Add this server to your MCP-compatible client using the configuration below.
{
"mcpServers": {
"paper-lantern": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.paperlantern.ai/chat/mcp?key=YOUR_KEY"
}
}
}Tools
No tools detected
We auto-extract tools from the README. The maintainer can list them under a ## Tools heading to populate this section.
Overview
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.
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