MCP server

Zotero MCP Server

Search, read and annotate papers in your Zotero library, local or web. Community-maintained (54yyyu on GitHub), not by the company whose product it connects to. It runs locally on your machine over stdio. Setup below for 12 clients (checked 2026-10-25). Repo and registry data checked 2026-10-24.

Maintainer: Community
Runs: Local (stdio)
Repo: 54yyyu/zotero-mcp
GitHub: ★ 5,551, last push 2026-10-16 (checked 2026-10-24)
License: MIT
Registry: io.github.54yyyu/zotero-mcp
Connects to: Zotero

Install the Zotero MCP Server

Pick your client. Each tab starts the same local command. Config shapes checked against each client's docs on 2026-10-25.

Run in a terminal. Everything after -- is the command that starts the server. docs

claude mcp add --transport stdio zotero -- uvx zotero-mcp-server serve

Claude Desktop only: Settings > Developer > Edit Config opens claude_desktop_config.json. Add this, save and restart the app. docs

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (all projects) or .cursor/mcp.json (this project), or use the install button. docs

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to Cursor

Add to .vscode/mcp.json (note the "servers" key and the type), or use the install button. Command Palette > "MCP: Open User Configuration" for all workspaces. docs

{
  "servers": {
    "zotero": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to VS Code

Run codex mcp add zotero -- uvx zotero-mcp-server serve, or add this to ~/.codex/config.toml. docs

[mcp_servers.zotero]
command = "uvx"
args = ["zotero-mcp-server", "serve"]

Run in a terminal (-s user adds it for all projects; the default is this project). docs

gemini mcp add -s user zotero uvx zotero-mcp-server serve

Run in a terminal; it writes ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json. docs

copilot mcp add zotero -- uvx zotero-mcp-server serve

Add to mcp_config.json: ~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json on macOS and Linux (older installs: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json), %APPDATA%\devin\ on Windows. docs

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to Zed's settings.json (or Settings > AI > MCP Servers > Add Server). Remote servers without an Authorization header sign in with OAuth. docs

{
  "context_servers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to opencode.json in the project (or ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json). docs

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "zotero": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "uvx",
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json (all projects) or .kiro/settings/mcp.json (this project). docs

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ]
    }
  }
}

MCP Servers > Configure > Configure MCP Servers opens cline_mcp_settings.json; add this entry. docs

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "zotero-mcp-server",
        "serve"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Security notes

The local server runs with your user's permissions (uvx downloads it from PyPI on first run).
Content it reads from the app (tasks, pages, comments) can carry prompt-injection instructions. Keep approval prompts on for anything that writes.
Community code: read it (or at least the tools it registers) before you give it credentials.

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FAQ

What does the Zotero MCP Server do?+

Search, read and annotate papers in your Zotero library, local or web.

Is the Zotero MCP server official?+

Community-maintained (54yyyu on GitHub), not by the company whose product it connects to.

How do I add Zotero to Claude Code?+

Run: claude mcp add zotero -- uvx zotero-mcp-server serve. Add --scope project to share it with your team through .mcp.json.

How do I use the Zotero MCP server in Cursor or VS Code?+

Open the Cursor or VS Code tab above: it has the mcp.json entry and a one-click install link. Cursor uses the "mcpServers" key; VS Code uses "servers" and needs a type ("stdio").

Does Zotero work in ChatGPT and claude.ai?+

No: it runs locally over stdio, and ChatGPT and claude.ai only connect to remote servers. Use it in Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code or another client that can start a local process.

What are the alternatives to the Zotero MCP server?+

Other productivity MCP servers: Notion, WordPress MCP Adapter, Atlassian (Jira & Confluence), Todoist and monday.com.

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