Zotero MCP Local MCP Server

by piiinpiiins Your server? Claim it

local only

Zotero MCP Local runs on your own machine — the client starts it, so there is no endpoint to ping. 86 installs a week from pypi. Last commit 26 Jul 2026.

Search, read PDFs, and find related papers in your local Zotero library. Read-only, 100% local.

Installs per day peak 40 · avg 15 · -47% w/w

a month agotoday

Installs / week

pypi · zotero-mcp-local

Stars

0 open issues

26 Jul 2026

Last commit

from GitHub

MIT

License

Python

What the code does

We read the source, 3 d ago · rules 995398eba69f

Capabilities

What this server is able to do. For an MCP server this is often the job itself — a terminal server runs commands because that is what it is for. Listed so you know what you are plugging in, not as an accusation.

Builds a file path from a variable src/zotero_mcp/database.py:690

            pdf_path = os.path.join(self.storage_dir, attachment_key, filename)

Is this your server and something here is wrong? Tell us — corrections are free and do not require a plan.

This code can reach further than it looks

We found places where it runs commands, builds paths or queries from values it is given. None of that is a flaw by itself — it becomes one when the code changes, and code changes quietly between releases. We re-read it on every one.

Connect this server

This server runs on your own machine — install it with the package manager and the client starts it for you. Package name taken from the official registry entry.

Claude Code Claude Desktop Codex Cursor VS Code

run in your terminal

claude mcp add zotero-mcp-local -- uvx zotero-mcp-local

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

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

~/.codex/config.toml

[mcp_servers.zotero-mcp-local]
command = "uvx"
args = ["zotero-mcp-local"]

.cursor/mcp.json

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

.vscode/mcp.json

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

Alternatives to Zotero MCP Local

same job, measured the same way

Zotero MCP

by 54yyyu

Search, read, annotate, and add to your Zotero research library, local or web.

7 146 installs/wk local only

Drafta

by rpegorov

Search, read and write notes in your local Drafta library over local stdio.

local only

Endnote MCP

by gokmengokhan

Search, cite, and read PDFs from your EndNote library in Claude Desktop

350 installs/wk local only

Savee

by savee

Read your Savee saves, boards and home feed, and search its public library. Read-only.

answering

MCP Zotero

by xevos117

Unofficial Zotero server: search your library, add papers by DOI, import PDFs, cite in Word

582 installs/wk local only

Zotero Native MCP

by dvdsosa

Read and write your local Zotero 10 library. No plugin, no zotero.org API key, no cloud.

260 installs/wk local only

SearchLink Lite

by namubase-searchlink

Google Search Console in your AI. Local, read-only, free and open source.

69 installs/wk local only

MarkIt

by fuzulsfriend

Search, save, and set reminders in your personal MarkIt library of links, posts, and notes.

8 tools answering

Zotero MCP Local — questions

Answers built from our own checks of this server.

Why is there no uptime for Zotero MCP Local?

Zotero MCP Local runs on your own machine over stdio — there is no network address to reach, so uptime cannot be measured for it by anyone. What can be measured is adoption: the pypi package zotero-mcp-local was installed 86 times last week.

How do I connect Zotero MCP Local?

Copy the ready config from this page. We generate it for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Codex, Cursor and VS Code, each in the form that client actually reads. It runs locally, so the command pulls zotero-mcp-local straight from pypi; nothing to host, nothing to sign up for.

How many people use Zotero MCP Local?

The pypi package zotero-mcp-local was installed 86 times in the last week. Week over week that is -47%. We show installs rather than GitHub stars on purpose: a star is a bookmark, an install is someone actually running it.

Is Zotero MCP Local open source?

Yes — it is published under the MIT licence, written in Python and 8 stars on GitHub. The source link is on this page, so you can read exactly what it does with your data before you connect it.