Zotlink
Production‑ready MCP server for Zotero to save open preprints (arXiv, CVF, bio/med/chemRxiv) with rich metadata and smart PDF attachments — with upcoming support for publisher databases (Nature, Science, IEEE Xplore, Springer).
What is Zotlink?
Zotlink is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to production‑ready mcp server for zotero to save open preprints (arxiv, cvf, bio/med/chemrxiv) with rich metadata and smart pdf attachments — with upcoming support for publisher databases (nature, scien...
Production‑ready MCP server for Zotero to save open preprints (arXiv, CVF, bio/med/chemRxiv) with rich metadata and smart PDF attachments — with upcoming support for publisher databases (Nature, Science, IEEE Xplore, Springer).
This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Production‑ready MCP server for Zotero to save open preprint
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx zotlinkConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Zotlink
ZotLink is a production-ready Python MCP server that connects AI assistants to your local Zotero reference manager, enabling them to save academic preprints from arXiv, CVF OpenAccess, bioRxiv, medRxiv, and chemRxiv directly into your Zotero library with rich metadata and automatic PDF attachments. Researchers use ZotLink so that Claude can add papers to their Zotero library mid-conversation — eliminating the manual copy-paste workflow of capturing citations found during literature reviews or AI-assisted research sessions.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.10+ installed
- Zotero desktop application installed and a local Zotero library configured
- pip install zotlink and playwright browser support (python -m playwright install chromium)
- The ZOTLINK_ZOTERO_ROOT environment variable pointing to your Zotero data directory
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Claude Code
Install ZotLink and Playwright
Install ZotLink from PyPI and download the Chromium browser used for PDF capture on difficult sources.
pip install zotlink
python -m playwright install chromiumRun the auto-configuration wizard
The init command detects your Zotero directory and outputs the exact JSON block to paste into your MCP client config.
zotlink initOr manually set your Zotero path
If auto-detection fails, specify your Zotero data directory explicitly.
zotlink init /Users/yourname/ZoteroAdd ZotLink to your MCP client configuration
Paste the configuration into your Claude Desktop config file (macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
{
"mcpServers": {
"zotlink": {
"command": "zotlink",
"args": [],
"env": {
"ZOTLINK_ZOTERO_ROOT": "/Users/yourname/Zotero"
}
}
}
}Verify Zotero connectivity
In Claude, ask it to check Zotero status using the check_zotero_status tool before saving papers.
Save your first paper
Ask Claude to save a paper by its arXiv URL. ZotLink will extract metadata and attach the PDF automatically.
Zotlink Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for ZotLink using the ZOTLINK_ZOTERO_ROOT environment variable.
{
"mcpServers": {
"zotlink": {
"command": "zotlink",
"args": [],
"env": {
"ZOTLINK_ZOTERO_ROOT": "/Users/yourname/Zotero"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Research workflows enabled by ZotLink's four MCP tools.
- "Save this paper to my Zotero library: https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.06825"
- "Extract the metadata from https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.00001 and add it to Zotero with the PDF"
- "What Zotero collections do I have?"
- "Is Zotero running and connected?"
- "Save the CVPR 2024 paper at this CVF URL to my Zotero library"Troubleshooting Zotlink
Zotero connectivity check fails
Ensure Zotero is running and that ZOTLINK_ZOTERO_ROOT correctly points to your Zotero data directory (the folder containing 'zotero.sqlite'). Run 'ls $ZOTLINK_ZOTERO_ROOT' to confirm the path exists.
PDF attachment fails or browser errors on Linux
Install Playwright's system dependencies: 'sudo apt-get install -y libnss3 libatk1.0-0 libatk-bridge2.0-0 libcups2 libxkbcommon0 libxcomposite1 libxdamage1 libxrandr2 libgbm1 libasound2'. Then re-run 'python -m playwright install chromium'.
Source not supported (e.g., journal article behind paywall)
ZotLink currently supports arXiv, CVF, bioRxiv, medRxiv, and chemRxiv only. Publisher databases like Nature and IEEE Xplore are listed as upcoming. For unsupported sources, use Zotero's built-in browser connector.
Frequently Asked Questions about Zotlink
What is Zotlink?
Zotlink is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that production‑ready mcp server for zotero to save open preprints (arxiv, cvf, bio/med/chemrxiv) with rich metadata and smart pdf attachments — with upcoming support for publisher databases (nature, science, ieee xplore, springer). It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Zotlink?
Follow the installation instructions on the Zotlink GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Zotlink?
Zotlink works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Zotlink free to use?
Yes, Zotlink is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Zotlink Alternatives — Similar Knowledge & Memory Servers
Looking for alternatives to Zotlink? Here are other popular knowledge & memory servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
MemPalace
★ 52.6kA local AI memory system that stores all conversations verbatim and organizes them into navigable structures. It provides 19 MCP tools for AI assistants to search and retrieve past decisions, debugging sessions, and architecture debates automatically
Kratos
★ 25.7k🏛️ Memory System for AI Coding Tools - Never explain your codebase again. MCP server with perfect project isolation, 95.8% context accuracy, and the Four Pillars Framework.
Context Mode
★ 15.4kAn MCP server that preserves LLM context by intercepting large data outputs and returning only concise summaries or relevant sections. It enables efficient sandboxed code execution, file processing, and documentation indexing across multiple programm
Memu
★ 13.7kMemory for 24/7 proactive agents like OpenClaw.
MemOS
★ 9.3kMemOS (Memory Operating System) is a memory management operating system designed for AI applications. Its goal is: to enable your AI system to have long-term memory like a human, not only remembering what users have said but also actively invoking, u
Everos
★ 5.4kBuild, evaluate, and integrate long-term memory for self-evolving agents.
Browse More Knowledge & Memory MCP Servers
Explore all knowledge & memory servers available in the MCPgee directory. Each server includes setup guides for Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Set Up Zotlink in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
Ready to use Zotlink?
Browse our complete directory of 33,000+ MCP servers, read setup guides for your editor, and start building with the Model Context Protocol.