Biorxiv MCP Server - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Biorxiv MCP Server

before you install - you'll need

Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL before connecting. BIORXIV_MAILTO is optional or environment-specific per the README.

Claude Code

claude mcp add cyanheads-biorxiv-mcp-server -- npx -y @cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyanheads-biorxiv-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

license no standard license detected - usage rights unclear; check the repo before commercial use

npm package @cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server - published under the repo owner's npm scope (@cyanheads)

registry namespace io.github.cyanheads is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Biorxiv MCP Server can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

What you can build

With this server connected, an agent can fetch full metadata, abstract, revision history, and journal crosswalk for one or more preprints by DOI, list preprints posted or updated within a date interval, with optional server and category filters, search preprints by keyword and/or author via EuropePMC for relevance ranking, enriched with bioRxiv/medRxiv metadata, and resolve a preprint DOI to its journal publication record (journal DOI, name, published date).

The 6 tools it gives your agent

Extracted from the project's README - what biorxiv-mcp-server lets an agent do.

biorxiv_get_preprint: - Fetch full metadata, abstract, revision history, and journal crosswalk for one or more preprints by DOI
biorxiv_list_recent: - List preprints posted or updated within a date interval, with optional server and category filters
biorxiv_search_preprints: - Search preprints by keyword and/or author via EuropePMC for relevance ranking, enriched with bioRxiv/medRxiv metadata
biorxiv_get_published_version: - Resolve a preprint DOI to its journal publication record (journal DOI, name, published date)
biorxiv_get_fulltext: - Retrieve a preprint's full text as best-effort Markdown extracted from its rendered HTML article page
biorxiv_list_categories: - List valid subject category strings for bioRxiv and medRxiv

Latest releases

v0.2.4 · 2026-08-09

EuropePMC rate-limit classification · EuropePmcService classifies HTTP 429 from EuropePMC as a retryable rate_limited error carrying the parsed Retry-After wait, instead of surfacing search_unavailable with the wait…

v0.2.3 · 2026-08-09

Origin rate-limit classification, listing fail-closed, and search enrichment · BiorxivApiService classifies HTTP 429 from api.biorxiv.org as a retryable rate_limited error carrying the parsed Retry-After wait, instead…

v0.2.2 · 2026-08-09

full-text caching, 429 handling, both-server DOI resolution · biorxiv_get_fulltext: extracted articles are cached per version in ctx.state, so offset paging serves subsequent chunks from cache instead of refetching and…

04 · Who maintains Biorxiv MCP Server

biorxiv-mcp-server is maintained by cyanheads. We track 125 MCP servers from cyanheads - 124 actively maintained, 1,730 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Dec 2024. Full record: all servers from cyanheads.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server
category: other - ranked #196 of 848 actively-maintained other servers as of 2026-08-25.
release cadence: 10+ releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-08-09)
registry: io.github.cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server (active, first published 2026-05-23 · 19 versions)
packages: npm:@cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server · npm:@cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server

06 · Biorxiv MCP Server FAQ

Is Biorxiv MCP Server still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-08-09 and it shipped 10+ releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

What can Biorxiv MCP Server do?

With this server connected, an agent can fetch full metadata, abstract, revision history, and journal crosswalk for one or more preprints by DOI, list preprints posted or updated within a date interval, with optional server and category filters, search preprints by keyword and/or author via EuropePMC for relevance ranking, enriched with bioRxiv/medRxiv metadata, and resolve a preprint DOI to its journal publication record (journal DOI, name, published date).

How do I install Biorxiv MCP Server?

Run `npx -y @cyanheads/biorxiv-mcp-server`. The README documents 3 environment variables (MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, BIORXIV_MAILTO) to set first. Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL before connecting. BIORXIV_MAILTO is optional or environment-specific per the README. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Biorxiv MCP Server run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via npx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

07 · Alternatives to Biorxiv MCP Server

Alternatives to Biorxiv MCP Server

Maintained other servers if Biorxiv MCP Server isn't the fit.

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