Openpaper MCP Server

OpenPaper is an autonomous research engine for Claude Desktop and any MCP client. Auto research from a prompt to a fully-cited academic paper

Local serverstdioPython

What is the Openpaper MCP MCP server?

Most developer tooling work still happens through a UI a human drives. Openpaper MCP MCP server moves it into the conversation instead. OpenPaper is an autonomous research engine for Claude Desktop and any MCP client. Auto research from a prompt to a fully-cited academic paper, exported as PDF, DOCX, or ZIP.

Getting it running

mcp on PyPI is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.

The tools it exposes

The server publishes 3 tools. What each one is for:

  • start_paper_generation — Start generating a paper. Returns a generation_id immediately
  • check_paper_status — The check_paper_status tool exposed by this server
  • list_my_papers — The list_my_papers tool exposed by this server

What it needs from you

Configuration is passed through the environment: OPENPAPER_API_TOKEN. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Things to watch

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

How it compares

Plenty of developer tooling servers cover similar ground. The differences that matter in practice are scope of access and how much setup stands between you and a working tool call. Openpaper MCP's toolset — start_paper_generation, check_paper_status, list_my_papers — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by federicodeponte; 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.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
start_paper_generationStart generating a paper. Returns a generation_id immediately.
check_paper_statusThe check_paper_status tool exposed by this server.
list_my_papersThe list_my_papers tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Openpaper MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openpaper": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["openpaper-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "OPENPAPER_API_TOKEN": "your-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
OPENPAPER_API_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Openpaper MCP to start paper generation.
  • Use Openpaper MCP to check paper status.
  • Use Openpaper MCP to list my papers.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Openpaper MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 3 tools (start_paper_generation, check_paper_status, list_my_papers) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Openpaper MCP directly.