openalex_get_work
Get full metadata for a scholarly work by OpenAlex ID or DOI.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-malamutemayhem-unclick-mcp-server/openalex-get-work.md
What openalex_get_work does on UnClick
AI agents call openalex_get_work to retrieve information from UnClick without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
id | string | Yes | OpenAlex ID (e.g. W2741809807) or DOI URL. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why openalex_get_work is rated Low
This tool queries scholarly work metadata from OpenAlex (a public academic bibliographic database) and returns information. It performs no writes, deletions, code execution, or financial transactions. The blast radius of misuse is minimal — an agent could at worst retrieve metadata it shouldn't, but cannot modify records, execute code, or cause financial harm.
From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Get full metadata for a scholarly work' — a retrieval operation with no modification, deletion, or execution capability.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs openalex_get_work safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and UnClick, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For openalex_get_work, this is the rule to start with:
openalex_get_work is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect UnClick, apply this rule, and every openalex_get_work call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about openalex_get_work
Get full metadata for a scholarly work by OpenAlex ID or DOI. It is categorised as a Read tool in the UnClick MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
openalex_get_work accepts 1 parameter: id. Required: id. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the UnClick MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for openalex_get_work: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches UnClick. Nothing to install.
openalex_get_work is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the openalex_get_work rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for openalex_get_work. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
openalex_get_work is provided by the UnClick MCP server (@unclick/mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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