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Web search and extraction · MCP server

Citation Intelligence: MCP server, setup and security

Citation Intelligence is an open-source MCP server published on GitHub that lets an AI agent check which URLs different AI services cite for a query. Its repository has 9 stars and its last commit is from October 13, 2026 and it is licensed under MIT.

Actively maintained

What Citation Intelligence does

According to its repository: “Check which URLs Perplexity, Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Bing and Google AI Overviews cite for any query. Self-hosted.”

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standard plug between an AI agent and an outside service: once the server is connected, its tools show up in the agent, which decides when to call them. Citation Intelligence is listed under Web search and extraction, a category of 159 servers in the directory, where it ranks #117 by stars.

Topics declared by the repository: claude-code-plugin, aeo, ai-citation, ai-overview, chatgpt, gemini.

Installing and connecting Citation Intelligence

Distribution modes declared in the official MCP registry:

  • npm package (Node.js, usually started with npx)

It works with any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and most recent agents). You add one entry to the client's MCP configuration: server name, start command or URL, environment variables. Project language: TypeScript.

Security: what to check

Connecting an MCP server means installing software that talks straight to your agent: it runs with your rights and the model trusts its tool descriptions. The risk therefore depends on what it can touch and how far its code can be trusted.

None of the risk signals we track (system access, secrets, missing licence, abandonment) applies to Citation Intelligence. That does not replace reading the code.

Good practice: grant only the rights needed (least privilege), require human approval for irreversible actions, and run the AI agent security check.

Project activity and maintenance

Created on May 21, 2026, the AutomateLab-tech/citation-intelligence repository has 9 stars and 0 forks, with 0 open issues. It has more stars than 24% of the servers in the directory. It received changes this month. Version published in the registry: 0.12.1 (October 13, 2026).

Stars measure attention, not quality: a recent, heavily promoted project can collect them fast, while a useful but niche server will have few.

WigoloWigolo : 5.5K5.5KExa MCP serverExa MCP server : 5.2K5.2KJobSpyJobSpy : 4.6K4.6KTolgeeTolgee : 4.1K4.1KArxiv MCP serverArxiv MCP server : 3.2K3.2KTrieveTrieve : 2.7K2.7KTavily MCPTavily MCP : 2.5K2.5KOpen webSearchOpen webSearch : 1.9K1.9KCitation IntelligenceCitation Intelligence : 99
GitHub stars of the most followed servers in the category (log scale); Citation Intelligence in orange. Checked October 25, 2026.

Verdict

Citation Intelligence is a reasonable choice; check the points below before connecting it.

Strengths

  • Active project: recent commit
  • Listed in the official MCP registry
  • Permissive licence (MIT)

Limitations

  • Few visible users

Frequently asked questions

How do I install Citation Intelligence?

Citation Intelligence is distributed as npm package (Node.js, usually started with npx). Add it to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code…) following the README of AutomateLab-tech/citation-intelligence.

Is Citation Intelligence free?

The code is published under the MIT licence and can be used free of charge.

Is Citation Intelligence safe?

No risk signal found (system access, secrets, licence, abandonment). As with any MCP server, keep rights minimal and read the code before sensitive use.

Is it an official server?

Nothing says so: it is a project published by AutomateLab-tech on GitHub. Check who maintains it before giving it access.

What are the alternatives to Citation Intelligence?

In the same category: Exa MCP server, Brave search MCP server, Arxiv MCP server, and JobSpy. Exa MCP server and Brave search MCP server score higher on our grid.

Related articles

Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score