OokCite README
The full upstream README, mirrored here for reference. Install config, tool schemas, adoption signals, and an original overview live on the OokCite listing page.
OokCite MCP Server
Give MCP-capable tools the ability to validate DOIs, format citations, manage bibliography collections, and catch fabricated references. Returns citation metadata only -- not PDFs or full-text articles. Works with clients that support MCP servers over standard input and output.
Quick Start
One command to install and configure:
This auto-detects supported MCP clients and writes the configuration for you. Connect an OokCite account for higher rate limits and collection tools without putting an API key in shell arguments or MCP configuration:
The command opens the TurtleTech dashboard, creates or activates the Free plan,
stores the issued key in the platform credential store, and writes only a
credential reference to detected clients. Use setup --connect --device on a
headless machine.
An existing API key remains supported:
No API key required for basic usage (20 lookups/day). Sign up for more.
After changing MCP config, restart the client or reload its MCP servers. Many clients do not hot-reload environment-variable changes for already-running stdio servers.
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.
Keeping the key out of the config file
setup --connect uses the platform credential store by default. It refuses to
replace an existing platform credential or named OokCite MCP configuration
unless --replace-credential or --replace-config is given explicitly.
A generic credential manager can be used instead. The store command receives the new key on standard input; it must not expect the key in a command-line argument. The retrieval command prints the key on standard output when the MCP server starts:
For an explicit owner-only file instead of a credential manager:
The file is created with owner-only permissions and is never overwritten. The platform, helper-command, and file forms put references such as these in client configuration:
At startup, source precedence remains OOKCITE_API_KEY,
OOKCITE_API_KEY_COMMAND, OOKCITE_API_KEY_FILE, then the platform credential
reference. With none of them the server starts anonymous. setup --key remains
available for existing deployments that intentionally keep the key in client
configuration.
Credential retrieval obeys two constraints:
- Retrieval receives closed standard input, so it cannot consume MCP JSON-RPC.
- Retrieval is bounded by
OOKCITE_API_KEY_TIMEOUT, which defaults to 10 seconds, and its output is never copied into diagnostics.
Consult your client's MCP documentation for its configuration-file location.
Use the mcpServers.ookcite JSON above when automatic setup is unavailable,
then restart the client or reload its MCP servers.
Optional env (stdio MCP, all clients):
| Variable | Purpose |
|---|---|
OOKCITE_API_KEY | Higher rate limits + collection tools (optional for basic lookup/format) |
OOKCITE_API | Override API base URL (default https://ookcite-api.turtletech.us) |
OOKCITE_MCP_READ_ONLY | 1 hard-disables collection mutations (review / CI automation) |
OOKCITE_MCP_ALLOW_MUTATE | 0 denies mutations; unset or 1 allows (API key still required server-side) |
OOKCITE_STARTUP_PROBES | 1 runs auth + npm update checks on stderr before accepting MCP connections (default off for faster connect) |
OOKCITE_API_KEY_COMMAND | Command printing the key on stdout; stdin is closed |
OOKCITE_API_KEY_FILE | Owner-protected file whose first line is the key |
OOKCITE_API_KEY_TIMEOUT | Seconds allowed for credential retrieval (default 10) |
OOKCITE_CREDENTIAL_STORE | platform to load a platform credential reference |
OOKCITE_CREDENTIAL_SERVICE | Platform credential service name (default ookcite-mcp) |
OOKCITE_CREDENTIAL_ACCOUNT | Platform credential account name (default default) |
MCP usage tips
- Prefer batch tools (
verify_references,batch_format,batch_add_to_collection,import_bibliography) over many single-citation calls. - Collection mutations require
OOKCITE_API_KEY. Destructive tools (delete_collection,remove_from_collection,unshare_collection) are annotated for clients that honor MCP tool hints. - The server writes diagnostics to stderr only on the MCP path; stdout is reserved for JSON-RPC.
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 |
batch_resolve | Resolve many citation strings in one request (max 50) |
enhanced_search | Corpus search with author / category / citation facets |
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 |
list_styles | Page through the full CSL style list |
group_cite | Generate grouped in-text markers (e.g. [1-3]) |
Account
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
usage | Plan in effect plus daily (and monthly) lookups remaining |
ORCID
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
orcid_search | Find ORCID profiles by name, affiliation, or ORCID ID |
orcid_profile | Fetch one ORCID profile by ID |
ingest_orcid | Index an ORCID profile's publications so they are searchable |
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; returns entry_id per match |
check_duplicates | Check for duplicates; returns entry_id for matches |
delete_collection | Delete a collection |
update_collection | Update name, description, or style |
remove_from_collection | Remove an entry by entry_id, bare DOI, or doi:10.x/y |
update_entry_metadata | Correct a saved entry's title, authors, year, DOI, … |
merge_entries | Merge two entries of one collection into one |
update_tags | Set tags on a collection |
reorder_collection | Reorder entries |
Typical workflow:
- Keep
references.biborlibrary.bibunder version control in your project - Import that file into an OokCite collection with
import_bibliography - Use
search_collection,check_duplicates, andexport_collectionwhile revising - Treat the collection as an audit/export companion, not the only copy of your bibliography
Removing a single entry: call search_collection (or check_duplicates) to
see each hit as entry_id: … (and optionally aliases: doi:… when the stored id
is opaque). Pass that entry_id to remove_from_collection, or pass the paper's
bare DOI / doi:10.x/y — the server resolves aliases locally before the API call.
Sharing & Collection Operations
| 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 |
Sharing is available to signed-in accounts with collections. Free accounts can import and batch-add within their daily quota. Merge and batch-move require an Academic or Business plan.
Utilities
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
generate_citation_keys | Better BibTeX-style keys for a list of DOIs |
expand_journal | Expand a journal abbreviation to its full name |
normalize_bibliography | Re-render BibTeX or RIS as canonical BibTeX |
These three require an Academic or Business plan.
Plans & Pricing
| Tier | Price | Lookups/day | API calls/month | Collections | Entries/collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anonymous | Free | 20 | -- | 0 | -- |
| Free | Free | 60 | -- | 4 | 200 |
| Academic | EUR 4/mo | 20,000 | 10,000 | 10 | 1,000 |
| Business | EUR 10/mo | 20,000 | 40,000 | 20 | 4,000 |
Re-lookups can be served without quota use when collection metadata is already available to the API. A retrieval that has to resolve the paper again can count against the current plan's quota. Paid Academic checkout is intended for students, researchers, and educators at accredited institutions; a verified ORCID can also qualify a signed-in account for Academic limits.
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.
For revision workflows, add:
Keep the project bibliography in a local
.bibfile under version control. Use OokCite collections for verification, deduplication, and export.
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.
Sign up for a free account (60 lookups/day), or upgrade to Academic (EUR 4/mo) or Business (EUR 10/mo) for higher monthly API limits, larger collections, paid utilities, merge, and batch-move.
Source layout
The crate is a thin MCP (stdio) wrapper around the public OokCite REST API. There is no local citation database; all state lives on the API.
| Path | Role |
|---|---|
src/main.rs | Binary entry: --version, setup, start MCP server |
src/cli.rs | Startup probes (validate OOKCITE_API_KEY via /api/v1/me, update check) |
src/setup.rs | ookcite-mcp setup / npx add-mcp client config installer |
src/server.rs | Server + #[tool_router] MCP tool handlers (plus unit tests at bottom) |
src/tool_args.rs | Tool argument structs (serde + schemars) |
src/constants.rs | API base URL, package version, reverse-lookup confidence threshold |
src/http_error.rs | error_detail and HTTP status classification for client-facing strings |
src/collection_entries.rs | Collection entry ids, bare DOI / doi: alias resolution, search lines |
src/resolve_helpers.rs | Reverse-lookup and free-text resolve payload helpers |
src/endpoints.rs | Endpoint registry (lib crate surface); contract-tested |
src/lib.rs | Library root (exports endpoints only) |
tests/api_contract.rs | Decrypts contract/openapi.json.age; asserts every endpoint exists |
contract/ | Age-encrypted OpenAPI snapshot + regen.sh |
npm/ | @turtletech/ookcite-mcp installer/wrapper (downloads release binary) |
demo/ | Asciinema recording scripts |
scripts/set-version.sh | Cocogitto pre-bump hook: Cargo.toml + npm/package.json version |
Collections / entry ids: search_collection and check_duplicates emit
entry_id: … lines. remove_from_collection accepts that id, a bare DOI, or
doi:10.x/y (resolved locally in collection_entries before the DELETE call).
Release: tag v* runs .github/workflows/release.yml (multi-arch GitHub
Release assets, crates.io, npm). Version bumps use cocogitto
(cog.toml + scripts/set-version.sh).
Why server.rs is large: rmcp's #[tool_router] / #[tool] macros keep
handlers on one impl Server. Further file splits without macro workarounds
add little user value; peel tests or add small helpers (resolve_many, shared
Me type) before fighting the macro.
Contributing / local checks
Live MCP smoke (optional; needs OOKCITE_API_KEY): add/search/remove with a
bare DOI on a throwaway collection, then delete_collection.
Documentation
License
MIT. see LICENSE.