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Crossref (BYOK) — connector documentation

  • MCP endpoint: https://byok-crossref.connectorbay.com/mcp
  • REST API: POST https://byok-crossref.connectorbay.com/v1/tools/{tool_name}, described by the OpenAPI 3.1 spec at https://byok-crossref.connectorbay.com/openapi.json
  • Transport: Streamable HTTP, stateless, MCP specification 2025-06-18 or later
  • Authentication: your own Crossref Crossref Metadata Plus API token, sent in the X-Upstream-Key header of every request (never stored, logged or cached)
  • Health: https://byok-crossref.connectorbay.com/health · Tool schemas: https://byok-crossref.connectorbay.com/tools.json
  • Publisher: Unify Dynamics LLC · connectorbay.com/byok-crossref · agent@connectorbay.com

What Crossref (BYOK) is for

Crossref (BYOK) lets an AI assistant read your own Crossref data through the Crossref API with a key you supply (Crossref Metadata Plus API token). Read-only: 12 tools (search_works, get_work, get_doi_agency, search_journals, get_journal, list_journal_works, search_funders, get_funder, list_funder_works, search_members, get_member, get_prefix). The BYOK key travels with each request, is used for that one call only and is never stored, logged or cached; it is only ever sent to api.crossref.org. Unofficial connector by Unify Dynamics LLC: not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Crossref. Crossref and its logos are trademarks of their owners and are used only to say which service the connector works with.

Ask your assistant things like:

  • "Find recent journal articles about CRISPR base editing"
  • "Show the Crossref metadata for DOI 10.1038/nature14539"
  • "Which registration agency issued DOI 10.5281/zenodo.1234?"
  • "Which journals in Crossref have 'marine biology' in the title?"
  • "Tell me about the journal with ISSN 0028-0836"
  • "List the most cited articles in the journal with ISSN 0028-0836"

What it does

  • search_works: Search Crossref works (journal articles, books, preprints, datasets and more) by free text, author, journal and filters; returns DOI, title, authors, journal, date, type, publisher and citation count.
  • get_work: Get the Crossref record of one work by DOI: title, authors, journal, dates, publisher, type, references count, funders, license and links.
  • get_doi_agency: Find which DOI registration agency (Crossref, DataCite and so on) a DOI belongs to.
  • search_journals: Search journals known to Crossref by title, with publisher, ISSNs and DOI counts.
  • get_journal: Get one journal by ISSN: title, publisher, ISSNs, subjects and DOI counts per year.
  • list_journal_works: List works published in one journal (by ISSN), with the same search, filter and sort options as the general search.
  • search_funders: Search the Open Funder Registry by funder name; returns funder id, name, country and work counts.
  • get_funder: Get one funder by its registry id, including alternative names and sub-organizations.
  • list_funder_works: List works that acknowledge one funder, with search, filter and sort options.
  • search_members: Search Crossref member organizations (mostly publishers) by name; returns id, name, location, DOI prefixes and DOI counts.
  • get_member: Get one Crossref member by id: name, location, prefixes, DOI counts and metadata coverage.
  • get_prefix: Get the owner of a DOI prefix: the member name and prefix.

BYOK key

You bring your own Crossref Crossref Metadata Plus API token (https://www.crossref.org/services/metadata-delivery/plus-service/). Your assistant sends it in the X-Upstream-Key header with each request. ConnectorBay uses it for that one call only: it is never stored, logged or cached, never shown in an answer, and it is only sent to api.crossref.org over https, with no redirects followed. Create a key with the fewest permissions the tools need (read-only if the provider offers it), and revoke it at the provider whenever you like.

Data sources

Live from the Crossref API (api.crossref.org) with a BYOK key; documentation: https://www.crossref.org/documentation/retrieve-metadata/rest-api/. Endpoints checked against that documentation on 2026-10-16.

What it is not

Unofficial connector by Unify Dynamics LLC: not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Crossref. Crossref and its logos are trademarks of their owners and are used only to say which service the connector works with. It is read-only: it never creates, changes, sends or deletes anything in your Crossref account.

Built for: Worldwide. Languages: English.