db-openalex

Query and analyze scholarly literature using the OpenAlex database API.

Updated Mar 13, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/biomaps-infra/blender-opencode --skill db-openalex
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: db-openalex
Source: https://github.com/biomaps-infra/blender-opencode/tree/main/.opencode/skills/db-openalex
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/biomaps-infra/blender-opencode --skill db-openalex

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires requests, and includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill provides access to a vast, open catalog of scholarly works, enabling researchers and analysts to efficiently find, analyze, and understand academic literature without complex API integrations.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Literature Search: Find papers by keywords, authors, institutions, or topics.
  • Bibliometric Analysis: Analyze citation counts, publication trends, and research output.
  • Data Discovery: Identify open access publications, influential works, and research collaborations.
  • Use Case: A researcher needs to find all papers on "CRISPR gene editing" published after 2020 that are open access and highly cited. This Skill can perform that query and return a ranked list.

Quick Start

Initialize the OpenAlex client with your email address to begin querying the database.

Frequently Asked Questions about db-openalex

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I find open access academic papers on a specific topic?

To find open access academic papers, you can query the OpenAlex database by keywords and filter the results to only include open access publications. This Skill searches over 240 million scholarly works and returns matching open access literature.

Can I use Python to analyze research trends and track citations?

Yes, you can use Python scripts to analyze research trends and track citations by querying the OpenAlex API. The Skill provides helper functions to retrieve citation counts, analyze publication trends, and conduct bibliometric analysis across scholarly works.

What is the best way to find highly cited papers by a specific institution?

The best way to find highly cited papers by an institution is to query the OpenAlex database using the institution filter and sort the results by citation count. This Skill directly queries the API to return a ranked list of works from that institution.

Do I need an API key to search scholarly literature with OpenAlex?

You do not need an API key to search scholarly literature with OpenAlex, but you should initialize the client with your email address. Providing your email in the Python API requests helps OpenAlex route your queries more efficiently.

Does this bibliometric analysis tool support filtering by publication year?

Yes, this bibliometric analysis tool supports filtering by publication year when querying the OpenAlex API. You can specify date ranges, such as finding papers published after 2020, to refine your academic search results.

What are the limitations of using OpenAlex for literature reviews?

A limitation of using OpenAlex for literature reviews is that it relies on the OpenAlex database coverage, which includes over 240 million works but may have metadata gaps. The Skill's analysis is limited to the bibliometric data returned by the API.