# Hal Fr [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🔬 Research  
**Repository:** https://github.com/pipeworx-io/mcp-hal-fr  
**GitHub Stars:** 0  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 426  
**Views:** 1  
**Installs:** 0  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/hal-fr

## Description
HAL — French national open research archive

## Tools
Capabilities this server exposes over MCP:

- **search** — Solr-style search across HAL.
- **get** — Single document by HAL id.
- **author** — Author lookup (free-text query).
- **structure** — Research-structure (lab/department) lookup.

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "hal-fr": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","@pipeworx/mcp-hal-fr"],
    "env": {
      "PIPEWORX_API_KEY": "",
      "PIPEWORX_META_TOOLS": "",
      "NODE_USE_ENV_PROXY": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `PIPEWORX_API_KEY`, `PIPEWORX_META_TOOLS`, `NODE_USE_ENV_PROXY` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What Hal Fr does

Hal Fr gives AI agents access to HAL, also known as Hyper Articles en Ligne, through the Pipeworx gateway. HAL is a French national open archive for research output. The integration is independent and unofficial, and it uses HAL’s Solr-backed REST API at `https://api.archives-ouvertes.fr/search/`.

Four pack-specific tools cover the main lookup tasks:

- `search` runs a Solr-style query across HAL records.
- `get` retrieves one document by its HAL identifier, such as `hal-00001234`.
- `author` searches for an author by free-text name or identifier.
- `structure` looks up a research structure, such as a laboratory or department.

This makes the server suitable for finding publications, narrowing archive searches, resolving author records, and locating institutional research structures.

## How it works

The hosted MCP endpoint is available at `https://gateway.pipeworx.io/hal-fr/mcp`. Add that URL to an MCP client to connect directly over the network. The endpoint is part of the Pipeworx gateway and lists the Hal Fr tools together with shared gateway tools, including routing and discovery functions. The exact tool scope is returned during MCP initialization and can change as the gateway evolves.

A full Pipeworx gateway connection is also available at `https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp`. Both endpoints reach the same gateway and data sources; the pack endpoint lists Hal Fr tools directly, while the full endpoint lists tools from the broader catalog directly.

For clients without MCP support, individual tools can be called over HTTP. For example, the Hal Fr search operation is available through `POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/hal_fr_search` with a JSON body such as `{"query":"title_t:transformer"}`.

## Setup and configuration

For a hosted connection, add the MCP URL to the client configuration:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hal-fr": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/hal-fr/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

The npm package `@pipeworx/mcp-hal-fr` provides a local stdio bridge. Run it through `npx`; it forwards calls to the same hosted endpoint and therefore needs network access:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hal-fr": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@pipeworx/mcp-hal-fr"]
    }
  }
}
```

Anonymous use is available with a limit of 50 calls per day. A free Pipeworx account raises the limit to 200 daily calls. Supply the account key as `PIPEWORX_API_KEY`; it is sent as a Bearer token. Set `PIPEWORX_META_TOOLS=1` when the local bridge should also list the shared Pipeworx tools. Behind an HTTPS proxy, newer Node.js versions can use `NODE_USE_ENV_PROXY=1` so built-in `fetch` honors proxy environment settings.

## Tools and capabilities

`search` accepts a query and optional `fl`, `fq`, `rows`, `start`, and `sort` parameters. These support field selection, filter queries, pagination, result counts, and ordering according to the HAL search interface.

`get` accepts a HAL ID and returns the corresponding document. `author` accepts a name or ID for author lookup. `structure` accepts a query for research structures, including labs and departments.

The gateway also supports `ask_pipeworx`, which lets an agent submit a plain-language question. Pipeworx selects a tool and fills its arguments automatically.

## Limitations and notes

The integration is not affiliated with HAL or its upstream provider. The npm bridge has no offline mode because it forwards requests to the hosted gateway. Anonymous and account-based usage are subject to different daily call limits, and hosted calls may be metered through Pipeworx.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/hal-fr/readme_