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Pipeworx openalex
by
Bruce Gutman
· GitHub ↗
· v1.0.0
· MIT-0
73
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0
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0
Active Installs
1
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Install in OpenClaw
/install pipeworx-openalex
Description
OpenAlex MCP — wraps the OpenAlex API (scholarly works, free, no auth)
Usage Guidance
This skill itself is an instruction-only wrapper that delegates work to an external Pipeworx gateway by running 'npx -y mcp-remote@latest' and then communicating with https://gateway.pipeworx.io/openalex/mcp. Before installing, consider: (1) Do you trust the Pipeworx gateway and the mcp-remote npm package? The skill will fetch and execute remote code unpinned at runtime, which can change behavior without notice. (2) The gateway will receive any queries you send — avoid sending sensitive data through it. (3) Prefer a pinned/package-vetted installation or self-hosting the MCP gateway if you need tighter control. (4) If you proceed, run it in a restricted/isolated environment and/or review the mcp-remote package source and the Pipeworx privacy/security documentation.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill
Name: pipeworx-openalex
Version: 1.0.0
The skill bundle provides a configuration to access the OpenAlex scholarly database via a remote MCP gateway hosted at gateway.pipeworx.io. It utilizes the standard mcp-remote utility to bridge the connection for searching academic works and authors. No malicious code, data exfiltration, or harmful prompt instructions were found in SKILL.md or _meta.json.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
Name and description match the actions described: the skill exposes OpenAlex-related MCP endpoints (search_works, search_authors, etc.) and references the Pipeworx pack homepage. There are no unrelated environment variables or config paths declared.
Instruction Scope
The SKILL.md's 'Connect' block instructs the agent to run 'npx -y mcp-remote@latest https://gateway.pipeworx.io/openalex/mcp', which will execute remote code and route requests via an external gateway. The instructions therefore cause runtime network activity and execution of code not present in the skill bundle; this is broader than a simple API wrapper and is not explicitly called out in the short description.
Install Mechanism
There is no install spec in the package, but the runtime config uses npx to fetch and run the latest mcp-remote from npm (-y and 'latest' tag). Running unpinned, latest packages via npx executes third-party code at runtime and can introduce supply-chain risk. The gateway URL (gateway.pipeworx.io) is an external endpoint that will receive traffic; neither the package nor the gateway are pinned or audited here.
Credentials
The skill declares no required environment variables or credentials, which is consistent with OpenAlex being a free API with no auth. No unexpected credential requests are present.
Persistence & Privilege
always is false (good). The skill allows normal autonomous invocation (disable-model-invocation: false). While autonomous use is expected for skills, combined with the npx runtime fetch and external gateway it increases the blast radius because the agent may autonomously fetch and execute remote code and contact a third-party server.
How to Use
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install pipeworx-openalex - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/pipeworx-openalex - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.0.0
Initial release
Metadata
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pipeworx openalex?
OpenAlex MCP — wraps the OpenAlex API (scholarly works, free, no auth). It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 73 downloads so far.
How do I install Pipeworx openalex?
Run "/install pipeworx-openalex" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is Pipeworx openalex free?
Yes, Pipeworx openalex is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does Pipeworx openalex support?
Pipeworx openalex is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).
Who created Pipeworx openalex?
It is built and maintained by Bruce Gutman (@brucegutman); the current version is v1.0.0.
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