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biohackerrrrrr

Academic Paper Fetcher

by biohackerrrrrr · GitHub ↗ · v1.0.0
cross-platform ⚠ suspicious
1799
Downloads
3
Stars
7
Active Installs
1
Versions
Install in OpenClaw
/install paper-fetcher
Description
Fetch academic papers from Sci-Hub given a DOI. Automatically downloads PDFs and saves them to research/papers/ with clean filenames. Use when the user provides a DOI or requests a paper from PubMed.
Usage Guidance
This skill mostly does what it says (downloads PDFs from a hard-coded Sci‑Hub domain). Before installing, consider: 1) Legal/ethical: Sci‑Hub distributes copyrighted material in many jurisdictions — ensure you are comfortable with that risk. 2) Undeclared runtime dependency: the Python script calls curl via subprocess but the skill metadata does not list curl as required; ensure curl and network access are available and acceptable. 3) Mismatched claims: SKILL.md mentions browser navigation and Obsidian/automation integrations that are not implemented in the script — don’t assume those features exist. 4) Safety: downloaded PDFs can contain exploits (rare) and files are written to your workspace path; run the script in a sandboxed environment if you are unsure. 5) If you want more confidence, ask the author to (a) declare required binaries (curl), (b) remove or implement claimed integrations, and (c) optionally allow selecting an alternative, lawful source (publisher APIs, institutional access) instead of Sci‑Hub.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill Name: paper-fetcher Version: 1.0.0 The skill is classified as suspicious due to its interaction with `sci-hub.su`, a domain known for copyright infringement, which introduces inherent supply chain risks (e.g., potential for serving compromised content, though the script only downloads PDFs). Additionally, the `scripts/fetch_paper.py` script allows writing downloaded files to an arbitrary `output_dir` specified via command-line arguments, which could lead to path traversal vulnerabilities if the agent passes untrusted input, despite the `SKILL.md` suggesting a contained path. There is no clear evidence of intentional malicious behavior like data exfiltration or persistence.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
The skill's stated purpose (fetch papers by DOI from Sci‑Hub) matches the included script, which constructs Sci‑Hub URLs and downloads PDFs. However the SKILL metadata claims no required binaries while the script calls curl via subprocess; that binary is effectively required but not declared. SKILL.md also mentions 'use browser' and integrations (Obsidian, research automation) that are not implemented in the script—these are mismatches between description and actual capability.
Instruction Scope
SKILL.md instructs the agent to 'navigate' Sci‑Hub and save files to workspace/research/papers/ and to process multiple DOIs; the script implements that flow using curl and local file writes. The instructions do not ask to read unrelated system files or secrets. Minor scope creep: integration claims (Obsidian sync, automatic discovery from research runs) are described but there is no code to perform those integrations, so the agent would need additional logic to realize them.
Install Mechanism
There is no install spec (instruction-only skill with a bundled script). That keeps disk/write risk low. The included Python script will run as-is; there is no package download or archive extraction. Note: network access and curl must be available at runtime even though they are not declared.
Credentials
The skill declares no required environment variables or credentials, which is appropriate. However it fails to declare a required runtime dependency: the script invokes curl via subprocess.run. The mismatch between declared requirements (none) and actual runtime needs (curl, network access) is a proportionality/information issue that could cause unexpected failures or surprises.
Persistence & Privilege
The skill does not request permanent presence (always: false) and does not modify other skills or system-wide settings. It writes files only into the provided output directory (default current directory); the SKILL.md prescribes workspace/research/papers/ but the script will accept an output_dir parameter, which is reasonable behavior.
How to Use
  1. Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
  2. Run the install command in chat: /install paper-fetcher
  3. After installation, invoke the skill by name or use /paper-fetcher
  4. Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.0.0
Initial release
Metadata
Slug paper-fetcher
Version 1.0.0
License
All-time Installs 7
Active Installs 7
Total Versions 1
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Academic Paper Fetcher?

Fetch academic papers from Sci-Hub given a DOI. Automatically downloads PDFs and saves them to research/papers/ with clean filenames. Use when the user provides a DOI or requests a paper from PubMed. It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 1799 downloads so far.

How do I install Academic Paper Fetcher?

Run "/install paper-fetcher" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.

Is Academic Paper Fetcher free?

Yes, Academic Paper Fetcher is completely free (open-source). You can download, install and use it at no cost.

Which platforms does Academic Paper Fetcher support?

Academic Paper Fetcher is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).

Who created Academic Paper Fetcher?

It is built and maintained by biohackerrrrrr (@biohackerrrrrr); the current version is v1.0.0.

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