download-paper

Download full-text PDFs from IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, and DOI links.

Updated Apr 14, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/BraveDistribution/claude-skills --skill download-paper
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: download-paper
Source: https://github.com/BraveDistribution/claude-skills/tree/main/download-paper
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/BraveDistribution/claude-skills --skill download-paper

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires selenium, webdriver-manager, requests, and includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Download full-text PDFs from IEEE Xplore, Elsevier/ScienceDirect, and DOI links using institutional access (Technical University Kosice). Use this skill whenever the user shares a paper URL and wants to download or read it, or when you need to fetch a paper during research. Triggers on IEEE Xplore links, ScienceDirect links, DOI links, or when the user says things like "download this paper", "get the PDF", "fetch this article", or pastes a publisher URL.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • IEEE Xplore — downloads via headless Chrome + Selenium with institutional IP-based access.
  • Elsevier / ScienceDirect — uses Elsevier REST API via ELSEVIER_API_KEY.
  • DOI links — resolved automatically to the correct publisher.

Quick Start

Use this skill to download a paper PDF by providing a publisher URL or DOI.

Frequently Asked Questions about download-paper

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I download academic papers from IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect using institutional access?

To download academic papers from IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect using institutional access, this skill uses a headless Chrome browser for IEEE and the Elsevier REST API for ScienceDirect to fetch full-text PDFs automatically. It requires institutional IP-based access or a valid ELSEVIER_API_KEY.

Can I fetch a PDF directly from a DOI link without knowing the publisher?

Yes, you can fetch a PDF directly from a DOI link without knowing the publisher. The skill implements automatic DOI resolution, which identifies the correct publisher and routes the download request through the appropriate vendor-specific method to retrieve the full-text PDF.

Do I need Selenium and webdriver-manager to automate ScienceDirect PDF downloads?

You do not need Selenium and webdriver-manager to automate ScienceDirect PDF downloads. The skill uses the Elsevier REST API via the ELSEVIER_API_KEY for ScienceDirect. Selenium and webdriver-manager are only required for headless Chrome downloads from IEEE Xplore.

What is the best way to automate fetching full-text PDFs from publisher links during a research workflow?

The best way to automate fetching full-text PDFs from publisher links during a research workflow is to use this skill's vendor-specific download methods. It resolves DOIs, handles IEEE Xplore via headless browser, queries the Elsevier API, and saves PDFs locally with built-in error handling.

Why does my IEEE Xplore PDF download fail even with institutional access?

Your IEEE Xplore PDF download might fail if the institutional IP-based access is not properly configured or if the headless Chrome environment encounters a loading error. The skill includes local saving with error handling to manage these constraints, but valid institutional network access is strictly required.

Does this PDF download skill work with academic publishers outside of IEEE and Elsevier?

The skill currently supports IEEE Xplore, Elsevier/ScienceDirect, and general DOI links. While DOI resolution can redirect to various publishers, the actual full-text PDF download methods are specifically implemented for IEEE and Elsevier using institutional access constraints.