scix-client

scix-client gives your AI assistant direct access to the SciX / NASA ADS database. Search the literature, build bibliographies, analyze citation networks, manage personal libraries, resolve object names via SIMBAD/NED, and export references in BibTeX, AASTeX, or 15 other formats — all from natural language.

It also works standalone: as a CLI tool, a Python library, or a Rust crate.

Research workflows: literature reviews, bibliography management, citation analysis, reference export, object resolution, paper details, library collaboration, annotation/notes

One binary (scix) does everything. Python bindings are auto-generated from the Rust types — zero extra maintenance.

You need a free SciX / ADS API token from https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/user/settings/token. Every path below asks for it once and stores it for you.

Claude Desktop: one-click install

1. Download scix-vX.Y.Z.mcpb from the latest release (macOS universal + Windows in one file).
2. Double-click it (or drag it onto Claude Desktop → Settings → Extensions).
3. Paste your API token when asked. Done — no terminal, no PATH, no JSON.

Everything else: install scix, then scix setup

Pick any one installer:

# One-line installer (prebuilt binary, no Rust toolchain)
curl -sSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/yipihey/scix-client/main/install.sh | sh

# Python (also gives you the scix_client module)
pip install scix-client        # or: pipx install scix-client / uv tool install scix-client

# Rust
cargo install scix-client      # compiles locally
cargo binstall scix-client     # prebuilt binary via cargo-binstall

Then:

scix setup

The wizard asks for your token (offering to open the token page), validates it, saves it to ~/.config/scix/token, and registers the server with every editor it finds: Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Zed, Gemini CLI, Codex CLI, Windsurf. Run it again any time; it is idempotent.

• scix setup claude-code — configure only one editor
• scix setup --yes — non-interactive (uses SCIX_API_TOKEN, configures all detected editors)
• scix login — just save the token, touch no editor configs
• scix doctor — check binary, PATH, token, API connectivity, and detected editors

Install badges

After scix login, any MCP host can run plain scix serve with no environment setup:

GUI editors do not see your shell PATH. If a badge-installed server cannot find scix, run scix setup cursor (or whichever editor) once; it writes the absolute path.

No install at all

With uv present, this works as the command in any MCP config:

{ "command": "uvx", "args": ["scix-client", "serve"], "env": { "SCIX_API_TOKEN": "your-token" } }

Manual setup

... [View full README on GitHub](https://github.com/yipihey/scix-client#readme)