Biolit vs HerStack
A side-by-side look at the Biolit and HerStack MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
H
HerStackBiology, Medicine and BioinformaticsRead-only UK women's midlife health guidance: search, PubMed-backed evidence, supplement picks.53GoodAuth: no auth requiredVerdict: choose Biolit for biology, medicine and bioinformatics work as a local process; choose HerStack for biology, medicine and bioinformatics. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Biolit when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, LLM_PROVIDER, LLM_MODEL, CORE_API_KEY, BIOLIT_CUSTOM_RESOLVERS. - You want tools like
run_pipeline, fetch_pubmed_metadata, fetch_geo_record.
HChoose HerStack when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics domain.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
search_guidance, get_topic_guidance, recommend_supplements.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | H HerStack | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics | Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics |
| Quality signal | 53/100 · Good | 53/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Not confirmed yet |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | — |
| Auth | Not declared | No auth required |
| Pricing | Not declared | Free |
| Required env vars | ANTHROPIC_API_KEYOPENAI_API_KEYLLM_PROVIDERLLM_MODELCORE_API_KEY |
Tools & capabilities
Biolit tools 12
run_pipelineFetch, optionally screen, and optionally extract a mixed list of PMIDs, DOIs, and/or GEO accessions; write results CSV (and optionally a `.md` summary when `markdown=True`). Accepts `ids` (comma-separated), `bib_path` (`.bib` file), or `ids_file` (plain-text identifier file). Pass `sections` (comma…fetch_pubmed_metadataFetch PubMed metadata by PMIDfetch_geo_recordFetch and parse a GEO record by accessionfetch_fulltextRetrieve full text for a PMID (6-step chain)fetch_geo_fulltextRetrieve full text for a GEO accession via its linked PMIDsfetch_supplementaryRetrieve & extract text from a paper's supplementary files (supplementary methods, tables) via Europe PMCscreen_paperLLM relevance screen given pre-fetched textextract_fieldsStructured field extraction given pre-fetched textresolve_doiResolve a DOI to PMID + PMCID via the NCBI ID Converterlookup_s2_pdfCheck whether Semantic Scholar has an open-access PDF for a DOIread_pmids_from_emlParse PMIDs from a PubMed alert `.eml` fileget_versionReturn the installed biolit package version
HerStack tools 5
search_guidanceCall this first when a user describes their situation or asks a question in their own words (for example: 'I'm 47, tired all the time and bloated, what should I take?'). Searches all of HerStack's evidence-led guidance for UK women in midlife and returns the most relevant answer units (FAQ answers, research findings, evidence rows, product cards) with their page URLs, the best-matching topic, and that topic's named product recommendations from the site's reference brand, each with its authorised claim.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Biolit
{
"mcpServers": {
"biolit": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"biolit"
],
"env": {
"ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "YOUR_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY_HERE",
"OPENAI_API_KEY": "YOUR_OPENAI_API_KEY_HERE",
"LLM_PROVIDER": "YOUR_LLM_PROVIDER_HERE",
"LLM_MODEL": "YOUR_LLM_MODEL_HERE",
"CORE_API_KEY": "YOUR_CORE_API_KEY_HERE",
"BIOLIT_CUSTOM_RESOLVERS": "YOUR_BIOLIT_CUSTOM_RESOLVERS_HERE"
}
}
}
}
HerStack
No confirmed install command for HerStack yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.
Frequently asked questions
Biolit is categorized under Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics and uses a local stdio subprocess. HerStack belongs to Biology, Medicine and Bioinformatics and uses an install path we have not confirmed yet. Pick Biolit for biology, medicine and bioinformatics work and HerStack for biology, medicine and bioinformatics.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client. HerStack has no confirmed install command yet — follow its own setup instructions.
Biolit has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. HerStack is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add biolit and herstack-2 as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Biolit has a quality signal of 53/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 2 GitHub stars. HerStack has 53/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.