Academic Automation Skill
Academic Automation Skill searches PubMed and CNKI and saves full texts to a folder when the user already has access.
- 104 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- On macOS the skill requires Accessibility and Chrome automation permissions, meaning control of the whole system UI.
- The agent works in a logged-in browser with your accounts and database access.
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add skills/academic-automation-skillDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- On macOS the skill requires Accessibility and Chrome automation permissions, meaning control of the whole system UI.
- The agent works in a logged-in browser with your accounts and database access.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Academic Automation Skill is an agent skill that searches PubMed and CNKI, plus Web of Science and Google Scholar, from a plain-language request. The result is a bibliography with a link for every entry; entries without a link go into a separate incomplete list. Full texts are downloaded into a chosen folder through your own logged-in Chrome account or institutional access. Files are checked for completeness, same-name files are never overwritten, and interrupted searches or batch downloads resume. The skill supplies no accounts or databases.
Who it is for. Students, graduate researchers and academics who have database access and want to stop collecting literature by hand.
Good fit when
- A literature overview with a bibliography and links is needed on a topic.
- A list of titles is given and every article must be downloaded from CNKI one by one.
- A list of PMIDs exists and the papers are wanted from open PMC only, without a browser.
- A download was interrupted and has to continue from where it stopped.
Not a fit when
- There is no subscription or institutional access and paid papers are wanted for free.
- The agent cannot be allowed to control the system interface.
- The machine runs Linux and browser automation is required.
Example request
Search PubMed for Mendelian randomization papers from the last five years, build a bibliography and download what is available.Limitations
Version 2.0.0 RC3 is a release candidate. On macOS the skill asks for Accessibility permission and Chrome and System Events automation, meaning control of the whole system UI. On Windows the browser runs through the Playwright extension and a token, and support is marked as preview. Linux works for offline processing only. Only Google Chrome is supported. The skill does not bypass CAPTCHAs or logins and waits for you. Last commit: 6 November 2026.
How to disable. Remove the skill folder from the agent skills directory and revoke the Accessibility and automation permissions in system settings. On Windows remove the Playwright extension and the token variable. Downloaded papers and task records stay in your folder.
FAQ
Where do full texts come from?
From public PMC or from the publisher site through your logged-in Chrome. The skill cannot get a paid paper for free.
Why does macOS need Accessibility permission?
For automatic PDF saving through system dialogs. The author states plainly to skip the skill if that permission is a concern.
What about CAPTCHAs and logins?
The skill does not bypass them. It stops, you pass the check in the browser, and the task continues.
Is a browser needed for PubMed?
No. Search through the official API and PMC downloads need only Python and a network connection.
Does it work on Windows?
Yes, with preview status: Playwright with the official Chrome extension and a token drives the browser, and system Save dialogs are left to you.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Automation Skill (this card) | no | 104 | ||
| Scholar Search MCP | no | not required | 246 | searches publications through MCP; Academic Automation Skill drives the browser and downloads full texts with your access |
| paper-radar | no | 224 | tracks new papers; Academic Automation Skill builds bibliographies and PDFs on demand |
README in short
The README splits capabilities by database and platform: PubMed has preview status, while CNKI, Web of Science and Google Scholar are supported. Test details are in VERIFICATION.md.