
Zotero Mcp Local
io.github.piiinpiiinsPublished by GitHub account piiinpiiinsv0.1.4Updated Oct 24, 2026
Search, read PDFs, and find related papers in your local Zotero library. Read-only, 100% local.
Overview
Lets an assistant search and read a local Zotero library, including PDFs and related papers, without sending data off the machine.
- What you can do
- This local MCP server gives an assistant read access to a Zotero bibliographic database stored on the user's computer. It supports searching the library, reading PDF attachments, and finding related papers. The registry description states it is read-only and fully local. It runs as a local process over standard input/output and is intended for desktop MCP clients such as Claude Desktop.
- When to use it
- Use it when you keep references in Zotero and want an assistant to search your own library, pull text from attached PDFs, or surface related papers during research and writing. It suits desktop users who prefer their bibliographic data to stay on their machine.
- Requirements
- A local Zotero folder containing zotero.sqlite, Python 3.10 or newer, and the uv package manager. The server runs as a local stdio process and must be registered in the MCP client's configuration file with the correct absolute project path. If the Zotero database is not in the default location, set the ZOTERO_DB_PATH environment variable in the client's env block. No accounts or API keys are declared.
Installation
In SourceWeft
- Open Zotero Mcp Local in the dashboard and add it to a workspace.
- Enable the server for the chats that should use its tools.
Desktop only via STDIO. STDIO servers start a local process, so they need the SourceWeft desktop host.
Other MCP clients
Follow the launch instructions in the repository.
README
Zotero-MCP-lite 快速設定
這是一個提供給支援 Model Context Protocol (MCP) 客戶端使用的伺服器軟體,讓 AI 能夠具備讀取與搜尋您本機 Zotero 書目資料庫的技能。目前主流多搭配 Claude Desktop App 使用。
前置需求(Mac)
- Python >= 3.10:建議透過 Homebrew 安裝 (
brew install python),或至 Python 官網 下載安裝檔。 - uv 套件管理工具:打開終端機輸入
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh或brew install uv - Zotero 資料夾(含
zotero.sqlite)已放置在本機電腦上
Windows 使用者請改看 windows_install_guide.md,裡面有完整的前置需求、安裝步驟與除錯說明。
安裝步驟(Mac)
Windows 使用者請改看 windows_install_guide.md。
-
把整個專案資料夾複製到 Mac 任意位置(從 GitHub 下載 ZIP 解壓縮的話,資料夾名稱通常是
Zotero-MCP-lite-main,下面的範例都以它為準) -
打開終端機 (Terminal),在資料夾內執行:
-
修改
.mcp.json裡的路徑:- 把
/PATH/TO/Zotero-MCP-lite改成實際路徑
- 把
-
如果 Zotero 資料夾不在預設位置
~/Zotero/,請在 Claude 的 MCP 設定中加入env欄位:不要用
export ZOTERO_DB_PATH=...來設定:在終端機下的export只對那個視窗有效,從 Launchpad 或 Dock 開啟的 Claude Desktop 是另一個獨立的程序,讀不到。要讓 Claude 認得路徑,只能寫在設定檔的env欄位裡。(若只是想用下面的「驗證」指令在終端機測試,才需要export。)
如何連接到 Claude Desktop(Mac)
Windows 使用者請改看 windows_install_guide.md。
完成上方的「前置需求」與「安裝步驟」後,透過以下步驟將程式連接至 Claude:
-
開啟 Claude Desktop 的設定檔
claude_desktop_config.json(二擇一):方法 A — 從 Claude Desktop App 內開啟(推薦):
- 開啟 Claude Desktop App
- 點擊左上角選單 Claude → Settings
- 點選左側的 Developer
- 點擊 Edit Config 按鈕,系統會自動用文字編輯器打開
claude_desktop_config.json
方法 B — 手動開啟檔案:打開 Finder,按
Cmd + Shift + G,貼上~/Library/Application Support/Claude/,找到claude_desktop_config.json並用文字編輯器開啟。若檔案不存在,請自行新建。 -
將本資料夾中
.mcp.json的內容複製並合併至claude_desktop_config.json裡面 -
修改路徑:務必將剛貼上內容中的
/PATH/TO/Zotero-MCP-lite更改為本專案資料夾的實際絕對路徑例如,若您將資料夾放在桌面,路徑為
/Users/huang/Desktop/Zotero-MCP-lite-main,則claude_desktop_config.json應修改為:注意:如果您的
claude_desktop_config.json裡已有其他設定(如coworkScheduledTasksEnabled等),請確保mcpServers與它們平行放置,不要把其他設定放進mcpServers裡面。如果您在「安裝步驟」第 4 步加過
env(Zotero 不在預設位置):上面這份範例沒有env,請不要拿它整段覆蓋掉您的設定,把"env": { "ZOTERO_DB_PATH": "..." }那段保留在"args"後面即可。 -
完全重啟 Claude:儲存設定檔後,用
Cmd + Q完全結束 Claude Desktop(關掉視窗不算),再重新開啟。點開輸入框旁的「搜尋與工具」選單,看到zotero即表示伺服器啟動成功!(舊版 Claude Desktop 是在右下角顯示 🔌 或鐵鎚圖示。)
驗證
先 cd 到專案資料夾,再執行:
怎麼判斷成功:這個伺服器是靠標準輸入輸出溝通的,正常啟動時不會印出任何訊息,游標會停在那裡等待輸入。只要它沒有馬上跳回提示字元、也沒有噴出錯誤,就表示啟動成功,按 Ctrl + C 結束即可。反之,如果指令一秒內就結束並跳回提示字元,代表伺服器沒能啟動。
可能會看到一行
RuntimeWarning: 'src.zotero_mcp.server' found in sys.modules...,這是 Python 的提醒訊息,不影響運作,可以忽略。
除錯
Windows 常見問題請看 windows_install_guide.md 的除錯章節。
Mac 系統常見問題
- 找不到 Zotero 資料庫 (
zotero.sqlite)- 問題:不知道 Zotero 資料庫存放在哪裡,無法確定路徑。
- 解法:預設路徑通常為
~/Zotero/zotero.sqlite。如果找不到,請打開終端機 (Terminal) 輸入以下指令搜尋:- Spotlight 快速搜尋(推薦):
mdfind -name "zotero.sqlite" - 個人目錄深度搜尋:
find ~ -name "zotero.sqlite" 2>/dev/null
- Spotlight 快速搜尋(推薦):
進階版(Pro)
需要更完整的研究分析工具嗎?Pro 版多了四個工具:Connected Papers 關聯圖與視覺化、跨論文整理作者自述的研究限制與未來方向、跨論文關鍵段落搜尋(附頁碼)。
👉 Zotero-MCP Pro(US$30 一次買斷,含中英安裝指南與診斷工具):https://3718181853007.gumroad.com/l/calm-study-partner
Source: readme.md at commit 8ea7908
Tools
0Version history
1- v0.1.4LatestSep 16, 2026
Score
50% of the applicable checks met
How complete this listing is, computed from the registry entry, the endpoint and public sources. Not a rating of the server and not a statement that it is safe or working today: reachability is a dated check, and no installs or reviews go into the score.
- Reached in the last 30 days25 pts
Keep the endpoint answering the MCP handshake; SourceWeft probes it every 30 days.
- Auth declared10 pts
Declare the credential headers in the registry entry, or keep the endpoint answering the probe so its auth can be classified.
- Tools listed15 pts
Answer tools/list without a credential, or ship a package that starts in a sandbox without one.
- DescriptionRequired15 pts
- Logo10 pts
- Documentation15 pts
- License10 pts

