# openalex-database

Connects Claude Code to the OpenAlex catalog to query papers, analyze citations, and track research trends. Works without an API key.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code · 59 installs
- Author: davila7
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/HEAD/cli-tool/components/skills/scientific/openalex-database
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/openalex-database

## What it does

This skill integrates Claude Code with the OpenAlex database of over 240M research entries. Python helper scripts run queries across papers, authors, and universities. The agent can filter results by release year or open-access availability.

Setup needs Python and the `requests` library installed through `uv pip install requests`. The database requires no secret token. Passing an email address to the client connects to the polite pool, raising rate limits from 1 to 10 requests every second.

Direct searches for author names inside filters will fail. The skill relies on an explicit two-step flow: resolving the entity name to its database ID before fetching matching publications.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **claude-code-templates**
```bash
npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill scientific/openalex-database
```

2. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill openalex-database -a claude-code
```

3. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/openalex-database/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/openalex-database/

### Codex

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/openalex-database/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/openalex-database/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install davila7/claude-code-templates openalex-database
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/openalex-database/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates --path cli-tool/components/skills/scientific/openalex-database
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/openalex-database/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/HEAD/cli-tool/components/skills/scientific/openalex-database

## When to use it
- retrieve recent papers filtered by subject and open-access status
- look up all publications tied to an author or research center
- extract publication volume trends across years
- export queried academic records into a CSV file

## Example prompts
- Search OpenAlex for open access papers on machine learning published after 2020.
- Find works by Jennifer Doudna and sort them by citation count.
- Analyze research topics for Stanford University over recent years.

## Similar
- [anysearch](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/anysearch.md) — skill · 38500 installs
- [academic-paper](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/academic-paper.md) — skill · 10900 installs
- [nature-figure](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/nature-figure.md) — skill · 18800 installs
- [academic-paper-reviewer](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/academic-paper-reviewer.md) — skill · 9900 installs
- [nature-polishing](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/nature-polishing.md) — skill · 17500 installs
- [nature-citation](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/nature-citation.md) — skill · 15600 installs

From the same set: [davila7/claude-code-templates](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/davila7/claude-code-templates.md) — 804 cards

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md