OneCite: MCP server, setup and security

What OneCite does

According to its repository: “Generate academic citations from DOI, arXiv, titles, or URLs in BibTeX, APA, MLA formats.”

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. OneCite is listed under Terminal and OS, a category of 115 servers in the directory, where it ranks #78 by stars.

Topics declared by the repository: arxiv, bibliography, bibtex, citation, citation-style-language, citeproc.

Installing and connecting OneCite

Distribution modes declared in the official MCP registry:

• PyPI package (Python, started with uvx or pip)

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: Python.

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.

Points found for OneCite:

• System access: the Terminal and OS category gives the agent control over files, a terminal, code or a browser. A booby-trapped instruction in content the agent reads (prompt injection) can then turn into an action.

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 August 12, 2025, the HzaCode/OneCite repository has 67 stars and 8 forks, with 1 open issues. It has more stars than 58% of the servers in the directory. Last change 3 months ago. Version published in the registry: 0.0.11 (October 12, 2025).

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