Altmetric MCP Server

MCP server for Altmetric APIs - track research attention across news, policy, social media, and more

Remote serverstreamable-http

What is the Altmetric MCP server?

Altmetric MCP server is a hosted integration for AI assistants that speak the Model Context Protocol. MCP server for Altmetric APIs - track research attention across news, policy, social media, and more.

What you get

Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI agents to access Altmetric APIs for tracking the attention and reach of research outputs across news outlets, policy documents, social media, and other online platforms.

What the assistant can call

Once Altmetric is connected, these are the calls the assistant has available:

  • get_citation_counts — Details Page
  • get_citation_details — Details Page
  • search_citations — Details Page
  • get_batch_attention_data — Details Page
  • translate_identifiers — Details Page
  • explore_research_outputs — Explorer
  • explore_attention_summary — Explorer
  • explore_mentions — Explorer
  • explore_demographics — Explorer
  • explore_mention_sources — Explorer
  • explore_journals — Explorer
  • list_departments — Explorer

Configuration and credentials

You will need 3 environment variables: ALTMETRIC_DETAILS_API_KEY, ALTMETRIC_EXPLORER_API_KEY, ALTMETRIC_EXPLORER_API_SECRET. The server will not start without them, which is usually why the tools fail to appear on a first run. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

  • Node.js 20.6.0 or later - an actively-supported LTS release is recommended (download) - Altmetric API credentials (at least one): - Details Page API key - Free tier or commercial access - Explorer API key + secret - Institutional access Don't have keys yet? [Request API

Setting it up

Being a remote server, there is no local install. You register the endpoint with your client, authorise it once, and the tools appear.

Choosing this one

Among the developer tooling options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Altmetric's toolset — get_citation_counts, get_citation_details, search_citations and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by com.altmetric.mcp; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Before you rely on it

  • Your data travels to the provider's service, so the usual questions apply about what you send and what they retain.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Altmetric.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the altmetric mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
get_citation_countsDetails Page
get_citation_detailsDetails Page
search_citationsDetails Page
get_batch_attention_dataDetails Page
translate_identifiersDetails Page
explore_research_outputsExplorer
explore_attention_summaryExplorer
explore_mentionsExplorer
explore_demographicsExplorer
explore_mention_sourcesExplorer
explore_journalsExplorer
list_departmentsExplorer
CursorAdd to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (per project):
ChatGPTOpen **Settings → Connectors → Advanced** and turn on **Developer mode**, then **Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector**, enter https://mcp.altmetric.com/mcp, and complete the OAuth sign-in. Requires a paid plan (

How to install the Altmetric MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "altmetric": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "altmetric-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ALTMETRIC_DETAILS_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "ALTMETRIC_EXPLORER_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "ALTMETRIC_EXPLORER_API_SECRET": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

  • Node.js 20.6.0 or later - an actively-supported LTS release is recommended (download) - Altmetric API credentials (at least one): - Details Page API key - Free tier or commercial access - Explorer API key + secret - Institutional access Don't have keys yet? [Request API
VariableDescriptionRequired
ALTMETRIC_DETAILS_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
ALTMETRIC_EXPLORER_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
ALTMETRIC_EXPLORER_API_SECRETCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Altmetric to get citation counts.
  • Use Altmetric to get citation details.
  • Use Altmetric to search citations.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Altmetric to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (get_citation_counts, get_citation_details, search_citations, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Altmetric directly.