OokCite MCP Server
Give any LLM the ability to validate DOIs, format citations, manage bibliography collections, and catch hallucinated references. Returns citation metadata only -- not PDFs or full-text articles. Works with any MCP client: Claude, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf, OpenCode, Qwen agents, and more.
Quick Start
One command to install and configure:
This auto-detects your MCP clients (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex) and writes the config for you. Add an API key for higher rate limits:
No API key required for basic usage (10 lookups/day). Sign up for more.
Install (Alternative Methods)
npm (recommended):
cargo-binstall (fastest, no Node.js):
cargo install (from source):
Pre-built binaries: Download from GitHub Releases for Linux (x86_64, aarch64), macOS (x86_64, aarch64), and Windows.
Configure
If you used setup, you're done. Otherwise, add to your MCP client config:
With an API key:
If you installed globally (npm install -g or cargo install), you can use
"command": "ookcite-mcp" directly instead of npx.
Common config file locations:
| Client | Config file |
|---|---|
| Claude Desktop (Linux) | ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
| Claude Desktop (macOS) | ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
| Claude Code | .mcp.json (project) or ~/.claude/settings.json (global) |
| Cursor | Settings > MCP Servers |
| Codex | ~/.codex/config.json |
Tools
Lookup & Validation
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
validate_doi |
Check if a DOI exists (anti-hallucination) |
lookup_isbn |
Look up a book by ISBN |
reverse_lookup |
Find a paper from messy citation text |
health_check |
Check API availability and health |
Formatting
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
format_citation |
Format a DOI in any of 2900+ CSL styles |
verify_references |
Batch-check a list of DOIs |
batch_format |
Format multiple citations at once |
search_styles |
Find CSL style IDs by name |
group_cite |
Generate grouped in-text markers (e.g. [1-3]) |
Collections (requires sign-in)
Collections are a signed-in feature. Set OOKCITE_API_KEY to use these tools.
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
list_collections |
List saved citation collections |
add_to_collection |
Add a citation (by DOI or free-text) |
batch_add_to_collection |
Add multiple citations at once |
import_bibliography |
Import BibTeX/RIS files into a collection |
export_collection |
Export collection as BibTeX |
search_collection |
Search within a collection |
check_duplicates |
Check for duplicate entries |
delete_collection |
Delete a collection |
update_collection |
Update name, description, or style |
remove_from_collection |
Remove a specific entry |
update_tags |
Set tags on a collection |
reorder_collection |
Reorder entries |
Sharing & Bulk Operations (requires sign-in)
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
share_collection |
Create a shareable link |
unshare_collection |
Revoke sharing |
view_shared |
View a shared collection by token |
merge_collections |
Merge multiple collections |
batch_move_entries |
Move entries between collections |
Anti-Hallucination
Add this to your system prompt:
Before citing any paper, use validate_doi to confirm the reference exists. If validation fails, do not include the citation.
How It Works
The MCP server connects to the public OokCite API to look up and format citations. It's a thin MCP wrapper around the OokCite REST API with no local database, and no heavy dependencies.
Rate limits apply: 10 lookups/day anonymous, 30/day with a free account. Sign up for more, or upgrade (starting at $4/month) for more.
Documentation
License
MIT. see LICENSE.