Notes & knowledge / CONNECTION GUIDEZotero MCP Servers for Claude Code & Codex
An MCP connection supports Zotero library discovery, reference management and annotation workflows.
Integration documentation MCP · Live & file workflows
An MCP connection supports Zotero library discovery, reference management and annotation workflows.
Platforms: See documentation
Claude Code · Documented
The maintainer documents Claude Code setup for this connection.
Codex · MCP compatible
The source names this agent for zotero-cli; compatibility with the separate MCP interface is inferred from the protocol.
Cursor · MCP compatible
The source names this agent for zotero-cli; compatibility with the separate MCP interface is inferred from the protocol.
Requirements and limitations
Python 3.10+ and the server; enable Zotero local API for desktop access or configure the remote API separately.
Local desktop access and remote-library access are different configurations; optional plugin tools need the plugin.
API · Live app
Zotero’s internal JavaScript API exposes library data to plugins and in-application scripts.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Claude Code · Not documented
The native interface is documented, but no setup for this coding agent is established by this source.
Codex · Not documented
The native interface is documented, but no setup for this coding agent is established by this source.
Cursor · Not documented
The native interface is documented, but no setup for this coding agent is established by this source.
Requirements and limitations
A compatible Zotero plugin or in-application JavaScript execution workflow.
This API runs within Zotero. External agents need a plugin or bridge and must respect Zotero’s data model.
CLI · Live & file workflows
The Zotero command-line interface exposes library search, reading, annotation and reference-management workflows to shell agents.
Platforms: See documentation
Claude Code · Documented
The maintainer documents Claude Code setup for this connection.
Codex · Documented
The maintainer documents Codex setup for this connection.
Cursor · Documented
The maintainer documents Cursor setup for this connection.
Requirements and limitations
Python 3.10+ and the server; enable Zotero local API for desktop access or configure the remote API separately.
Local desktop access and remote-library access are different configurations; optional plugin tools need the plugin.
MCP · Live app
A local Zotero MCP bridge for searching libraries, reading attachments and citation export.
Platforms: Not documented
Claude Code · Documented
The integration documentation explicitly names this client.
Codex · Documented
The integration documentation explicitly names this client.
Cursor · MCP compatible
MCP support suggests compatibility; this client is not documented by the maintainer.
Requirements and limitations
Zotero 7 or 8 running with its local API enabled, Python 3.10 or newer and the Zoty Bridge plugin.
The companion plugin is required for PDF attachment and collection assignment.
Compare connections
Compare how each route works, what it can do, and what you need to run it.
| Connection | Workflow and platform | Capabilities | Documented agents | Requirements and limitations |
|---|
Zotero MCP
MCP | Live & file workflows
See documentation | | Claude Code | Python 3.10+ and the server; enable Zotero local API for desktop access or configure the remote API separately.
Local desktop access and remote-library access are different configurations; optional plugin tools need the plugin. |
|---|
Zotero JavaScript API
API | Live app
Windows, macOS, Linux | | See compatibility | A compatible Zotero plugin or in-application JavaScript execution workflow.
This API runs within Zotero. External agents need a plugin or bridge and must respect Zotero’s data model. |
|---|
Zotero CLI
CLI | Live & file workflows
See documentation | | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor | Python 3.10+ and the server; enable Zotero local API for desktop access or configure the remote API separately.
Local desktop access and remote-library access are different configurations; optional plugin tools need the plugin. |
|---|
Zoty MCP
MCP | Live app
Not documented | | Claude Code, Codex | Zotero 7 or 8 running with its local API enabled, Python 3.10 or newer and the Zoty Bridge plugin.
The companion plugin is required for PDF attachment and collection assignment. |
|---|
How it works
MCP · Live & file workflows
See documentation
Capabilities
Search library items and read annotations · Organize references and produce citations
Documented agents
Claude Code
Requirements and limitations
Python 3.10+ and the server; enable Zotero local API for desktop access or configure the remote API separately.
Local desktop access and remote-library access are different configurations; optional plugin tools need the plugin.
How it works
API · Live app
Windows, macOS, Linux
Capabilities
Script library items inside Zotero
Documented agents
See compatibility
Requirements and limitations
A compatible Zotero plugin or in-application JavaScript execution workflow.
This API runs within Zotero. External agents need a plugin or bridge and must respect Zotero’s data model.
How it works
CLI · Live & file workflows
See documentation
Capabilities
Search library items and read annotations · Organize references and produce citations
Documented agents
Claude Code · Codex · Cursor
Requirements and limitations
Python 3.10+ and the server; enable Zotero local API for desktop access or configure the remote API separately.
Local desktop access and remote-library access are different configurations; optional plugin tools need the plugin.
How it works
MCP · Live app
Not documented
Capabilities
Search library and attachment text · Browse collections · Export citations
Documented agents
Claude Code · Codex
Requirements and limitations
Zotero 7 or 8 running with its local API enabled, Python 3.10 or newer and the Zoty Bridge plugin.
The companion plugin is required for PDF attachment and collection assignment.
Questions before setup
Does one integration cover every workflow?
No such claim is made. Check the capability list, requirements and limitations of each route, then test a copy of a representative project.