> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.scite.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# For coding agents

> Compact integration context for Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, and other coding agents working with Scite.

Use this page as the shortest path from an integration task to a working Scite request. For machine-readable context, use the automatically generated [documentation index](/llms.txt), [complete documentation](/llms-full.txt), or [OpenAPI specification](/openapi.json).

## Choose the right integration

| Path         | Use it when                                                                                                      | Start here                                                            |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **MCP**      | The coding agent should search literature or retrieve citation data as tools during a conversation               | Connect to `https://api.scite.ai/mcp`; see [Scite MCP](/mcp/overview) |
| **REST API** | The agent is writing an application, batch workflow, or integration that owns its requests and response handling | Use `https://api.scite.ai`; see the [Quickstart](/quickstart)         |

Prefer MCP for research inside an MCP-compatible agent. Prefer REST when you need direct endpoint control, persistent application logic, or an OpenAPI-based client.

## Make a request without credentials

Papers and Tallies are public. Use either endpoint to confirm connectivity before debugging authentication:

```bash theme={null}
curl 'https://api.scite.ai/papers/10.1038/nature12373'
```

```bash theme={null}
curl 'https://api.scite.ai/tallies/10.1038/nature12373'
```

The Papers response includes publication metadata. The Tallies response counts supporting, contradicting, mentioning, and unclassified citation statements.

## Authenticate safely

**Need an API key?** On Pro, create one in the [API Console](https://scite.ai/users/me/api). Creating a key doesn't grant every optional scope; see [Authentication](/authentication) for feature access. For higher limits or managed credentials, [contact sales](https://scite.ai/contact).

Keep the key in an environment variable rather than source code, prompts, command history, or logs. Paste it at this hidden shell prompt:

```bash theme={null}
read -s SCITE_API_KEY
export SCITE_API_KEY
```

Then pass it as a bearer token:

```bash theme={null}
curl -G 'https://api.scite.ai/api_partner/search' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SCITE_API_KEY" \
  --data-urlencode 'term="machine learning" AND healthcare' \
  --data-urlencode 'limit=5'
```

Use the minimum scopes required by the integration. A valid key can still receive `403 User not authorized` when its account or scopes don't include the requested feature.

## Choose a capability

| Capability                                   | Use it for                                                                   | Access                                                         |
| -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Papers](/guides/papers-and-authors)         | Publication metadata, identifiers, authors, and retraction status            | Public read endpoints                                          |
| [Smart Citations](/guides/smart-citations)   | Citation tallies, citation relationships, and journal-level signals          | Tallies are public; citation graph and journals require scopes |
| [Search and recommendations](/guides/search) | Literature discovery across metadata and citation context                    | Pro evaluation or separately licensed access                   |
| [Collections](/guides/collections)           | Reusable paper sets shared across the API, UI, and MCP                       | Collections scope; writes also require **Write**               |
| [Reference Check](/guides/reference-check)   | Evaluate a document's references for retractions and contradicting citations | Paid license                                                   |
| [Assistant](/guides/assistant)               | Generate cited answers to research questions                                 | `assistant` scope                                              |
| [Evidence](/guides/evidence)                 | Search patents, grants, clinical trials, and regulatory data                 | Separate per-dataset scopes                                    |
| [MCP](/mcp/overview)                         | Give compatible AI tools literature-search and citation tools                | Premium subscription and OAuth, or an `mcp`-scoped key         |

Creating an API key does not grant every capability. Use the access matrix in [Authentication](/authentication#feature-access) before treating a `403` as a code defect.

## Integration rules for agents

* Treat `401` as a missing, invalid, expired, or revoked credential. Treat `403` as an access or scope problem.
* Do not retry `401`, `403`, `404`, or `422` without changing the request. Retry `429` and transient `5xx` responses with exponential backoff and jitter.
* Read the returned rate-limit headers instead of hard-coding a request rate.
* Preserve the exact task ID returned by Assistant or Reference Check. Poll with backoff and an overall timeout.
* Check `hits[].citations[].snippetHidden` before using Search citation text. Self-service keys return redacted snippets.
* Use the response schema in the **API Reference** tab; do not infer fields from examples alone.

See [Errors and rate limits](/errors-and-rate-limits) for status handling, retry behavior, and asynchronous polling guidance.

## What to read next

* [Quickstart](/quickstart): make public and authenticated requests
* [Authentication](/authentication): plans, scopes, and Enterprise credentials
* [Scite MCP](/mcp/overview): OAuth and API-key setup for MCP clients
* **API Reference**: exact parameters, request bodies, and response schemas