Zotero CLI
CLI server for Zotero 7/8/9 — let AI manage your library. 70+ CLI commands for search, import, PDF, BibTeX, notes, and more. Works with Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT.
What is Zotero CLI?
Zotero CLI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to cli server for zotero 7/8/9 — let ai manage your library. 70+ cli commands for search, import, pdf, bibtex, notes, and more. works with claude, cursor, chatgpt.
CLI server for Zotero 7/8/9 — let AI manage your library. 70+ CLI commands for search, import, PDF, BibTeX, notes, and more. Works with Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- CLI server for Zotero 7/8/9 — let AI manage your library. 70
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx cli-anything-zoteroConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Zotero CLI
cli-anything-zotero is a CLI-based MCP server that gives AI assistants full control over a local Zotero 7/8/9 research library via a bridge plugin installed in Zotero itself. It exposes 70+ commands covering search, import (DOI, PMID, BibTeX, RIS), export (BibTeX, CSL-JSON, RIS, CSV), citation formatting, note management, PDF attachment, and semantic search with embedding models. Researchers, academics, and developers use it to automate citation workflows, build bibliographies directly from AI conversations, and let Claude or Cursor manage their entire reference library through natural language.
Prerequisites
- Zotero 7, 8, or 9 installed and running on your local machine
- Python 3.10 or later installed
- pip for Python package installation
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Cursor
- Optional: an OpenAI API key (OPENAI_API_KEY) for AI-powered analysis features and semantic search
Install the Python package
Install cli-anything-zotero from PyPI using pip.
pip install cli-anything-zoteroInstall the Zotero bridge plugin
Run the install-plugin command to automatically install the required bridge plugin into your Zotero application. This plugin enables the CLI to communicate with the running Zotero instance.
zotero-cli app install-pluginRestart Zotero and verify the connection
Restart Zotero to activate the newly installed plugin, then ping the bridge to confirm the CLI can communicate with Zotero.
zotero-cli app pingConfigure the MCP server in your client
Add the cli-anything-zotero server to your claude_desktop_config.json using the zotero-cli command as the MCP server entry point.
{
"mcpServers": {
"zotero": {
"command": "zotero-cli",
"args": ["mcp"],
"env": {
"OPENAI_API_KEY": "your_openai_key_here"
}
}
}
}Test with a library search
Restart your MCP client and ask Claude to search your Zotero library. If items are returned, the full integration is working.
Zotero CLI Examples
Client configuration
claude_desktop_config.json block for the cli-anything-zotero MCP server.
{
"mcpServers": {
"zotero": {
"command": "zotero-cli",
"args": ["mcp"],
"env": {
"OPENAI_API_KEY": "your_openai_key_here",
"ZOTERO_EMBED_API": "http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/embeddings",
"ZOTERO_EMBED_MODEL": "nomic-embed-text"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts that use cli-anything-zotero to manage a research library.
- "Search my Zotero library for papers about CRISPR gene editing published after 2020."
- "Import the paper at DOI 10.1038/s41586-024-07871-6 into Zotero and tag it as 'review'."
- "Export all items in my 'Machine Learning' collection as a BibTeX file."
- "Generate a formatted bibliography in APA style for the items tagged 'dissertation'."
- "Add the PDF at /Downloads/paper.pdf as an attachment to item KEY123 in my library."Troubleshooting Zotero CLI
zotero-cli app ping fails with a connection error
Make sure Zotero is running before pinging. If the plugin was just installed, restart Zotero completely. Also verify the bridge plugin appears in Zotero's Tools → Add-ons menu.
Semantic search returns no results or errors about embeddings
Semantic search requires an embedding service. Set ZOTERO_EMBED_API to a running embeddings endpoint (e.g. a local Ollama instance at http://127.0.0.1:11434/v1/embeddings) and set ZOTERO_EMBED_MODEL to a compatible model name.
DOI import fails for some papers
Some DOIs require network access to CrossRef or PubMed. Verify internet connectivity and try the PMID import alternative for PubMed-indexed papers. BibTeX file import ('zotero-cli import ris file.ris') is the most reliable fallback.
Frequently Asked Questions about Zotero CLI
What is Zotero CLI?
Zotero CLI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that cli server for zotero 7/8/9 — let ai manage your library. 70+ cli commands for search, import, pdf, bibtex, notes, and more. works with claude, cursor, chatgpt. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Zotero CLI?
Follow the installation instructions on the Zotero CLI GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Zotero CLI?
Zotero CLI works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Zotero CLI free to use?
Yes, Zotero CLI is open source and available under the Apache-2.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up Zotero CLI in Your Editor
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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