openalex-database

Query and analyze scholarly literature via the OpenAlex API.

1|Updated Mar 4, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/Hung-3008/agusta --skill openalex-database-hung-3008
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: openalex-database
Source: https://github.com/Hung-3008/agusta/tree/main/.agents/skills/openalex-database
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Hung-3008/agusta --skill openalex-database-hung-3008

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

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

What problem does it solve?

Researchers often need a scalable way to query 240M+ scholarly works, identify trends, and perform bibliometric analyses across authors, institutions, topics, and sources. This skill consolidates OpenAlex API access into a cohesive workflow to search for papers, track citations, discover OA publications, and analyze research output.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Search and filter works by title, abstract, topic, year, OA status, or other metadata.
  • Find works by author or institution to assemble a publication list or analyze collaboration patterns.
  • Open Access & trends: identify OA availability, citation trends, and topic distributions across time for bibliometric studies.
  • Batch lookups, sampling, and advanced queries: perform bulk DOIs lookups, random sampling with seed for reproducibility, and complex filtering patterns.

Quick Start

Perform a quick test by creating an OpenAlexClient with your email and running a simple, high-level search.

Frequently Asked Questions about openalex-database

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I search scholarly literature and filter works by citation count or open access status?

You can search scholarly literature and filter works by citation count or open access status using the OpenAlex API, which supports filtering 240M+ works by title, abstract, topic, year, and OA status to retrieve targeted bibliometric results.

Can I perform batch DOI lookups and random sampling for reproducible bibliometric analysis?

Yes, you can perform batch DOI lookups and random sampling for reproducible bibliometric analysis using the OpenAlex API, which supports bulk lookups, random sampling with seed for reproducibility, and pagination with per-page limits.

How do I trace author and institution collaboration patterns across open access publications?

Trace author and institution collaboration patterns across open access publications by querying the OpenAlex database to find works by specific authors or institutions, assembling publication lists, and analyzing research output and topic distributions.

Does querying the OpenAlex database require a requests library and an email for the polite pool?

Querying the OpenAlex database requires the Python requests library for API access, and providing an email via the OpenAlexClient enables polite pool access for faster, more reliable response rates during batch lookups and pagination.

What's the best way to analyze research trends and topic distributions across time for a large set of works?

The best way to analyze research trends and topic distributions across time for a large set of works is using the OpenAlex API group_by functionality, which allows you to aggregate and analyze citation trends and topic distributions across millions of works.

Are there limitations when using complex filter patterns for advanced queries in bibliometric studies?

Limitations when using complex filter patterns for advanced queries in bibliometric studies include managing pagination and per-page limits carefully to avoid API rate restrictions, though utilizing the polite pool via email helps mitigate throughput constraints.