MCP or Not?

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Community onlyClaude connector: not verified

Zotero MCP server & Claude connector

Does Zotero have an official MCP server or Claude connector?

Community only

As of October 2026, no official Zotero MCP server is verified, and no Zotero team statement on one was found. Community options include the open-source 54yyyu/zotero-mcp, which runs locally against Zotero's local API, and a third-party hosted proxy that uses your Zotero API key. Review any server before giving it library access.

Last checked

Verdict and evidence

What we checked
zotero-mcp (54yyyu)
Published by
54yyyu (community)
Runs
Runs locally
Sign-in
None
Stage
unknown
Plan
Free (MIT). Zotero 7+ with the local API enabled; writes via Zotero 10+ local authorization or a Zotero Web API key.

Evidence

What an AI can do in Zotero

Read

  • Advanced search of the libraryzotero_advanced_search
  • Get item metadatazotero_get_item_metadata
  • Get item full textzotero_get_item_fulltext
  • Get annotationszotero_get_annotations

Create

  • Add an item by DOIzotero_add_by_doi
  • Create a collectionzotero_create_collection

Update

  • Merge duplicate itemszotero_merge_duplicates

Delete

  • Delete an annotationzotero_delete_annotation

From the publisher’s documentation for the version we checked. Not every tool is listed.

Setup

Claude (claude.ai / Desktop)

Install, enable Zotero's local API (Settings > Advanced), then auto-configure Claude Desktop.

uv tool install zotero-mcp-server
zotero-mcp setup
Source

Claude Code

README suggests either installing the skill or adding the same mcpServers entry to ~/.claude.json.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "zotero-mcp",
      "env": { "ZOTERO_LOCAL": "true" }
    }
  }
}
Source

Safety check

  • Flag

    Publisher verified

    Individual GitHub account (54yyyu), not Zotero.

  • Pass

    Auth model

    Default local mode reads the running Zotero via its local API (ZOTERO_LOCAL true), no key. Writes on Zotero 10+ use a one-time local authorization; older versions use a ZOTERO_API_KEY.

  • Flag

    Write and delete access

    Includes add, merge-duplicates and delete-annotation tools; writes are optional and need explicit authorization (authorize-local) in local mode.

  • Unknown

    Tool-description injection scan

    Read the README and tool ids from docs/tools.md; no AI-directed text seen, but tool description text was not reviewed. Optional extras call external services (embeddings, Scite).

  • Pass

    Repo maintenance

    Pushed 2026-10-16, not archived, about 5,450 stars, MIT.

Other options

Built and maintained by third parties, not Zotero. Check the safety notes before connecting one to a real account.

MCP for Zotero (hosted service, Alejandro Arnaud)

Alejandro Arnaud · Hosted (remote) · API key or token

Search library items · Add items · Manage collections and tags · Export citations

  • ⚠ Publisher verified: Independent developer posting on the Zotero forums; no Zotero endorsement in the thread.
  • ⚠ Auth model: Needs your Zotero API key given to a third-party hosted proxy, which the author says stores only encrypted credentials.
  • ⚠ Write and delete access: Can add items and manage collections and tags; read-only options not described.

FAQ

Does Zotero have an official MCP server?

No official Zotero MCP server is verified as of October 2026. Zotero's support site does not mention MCP, no zotero GitHub org repository for it was found, and a Zotero forum request for MCP support has no team reply. The MCP projects on the forum are community-built.

Which Zotero MCP should I use?

54yyyu/zotero-mcp is the most-starred community option and runs locally against Zotero's local API. Review any option before use.

Can an MCP change my Zotero library?

Some tools can add, merge or delete items. In local mode, writes need an explicit authorization step.

Is Zotero a Claude connector?

Not verified; no claude.com connector page was found.

Is my library data sent anywhere?

Local mode keeps it on your machine. A hosted proxy needs your Zotero API key and processes requests on its own servers.

Last reviewed .

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