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# Pyzotero: An API Client for the Zotero API

# Quickstart

1. `uv add pyzotero` **or** `pip install pyzotero` **or** `conda install conda-forge::pyzotero`
2. You'll need the ID of the personal or group library you want to access:
    - Your **personal library ID** is available [here](https://www.zotero.org/settings/keys), in the section `Your userID for use in API calls`
    - For **group libraries**, the ID can be found by opening the group's page: `https://www.zotero.org/groups/groupname`, and hovering over the `group settings` link. The ID is the integer after `/groups/`
3. You'll also need<sup>†</sup> to get an **API key** [here][2]
4. Are you accessing your own Zotero library? `library_type` is `'user'`
5. Are you accessing a shared group library? `library_type` is `'group'`.

Then:

``` python
from pyzotero import Zotero
zot = Zotero(library_id, library_type, api_key)  # local=True for read access to local Zotero
items = zot.top(limit=5)
# we've retrieved the latest five top-level items in our library
# we can print each item's item type and ID
for item in items:
    print(f"Item: {item['data']['itemType']} | Key: {item['data']['key']}")
```

# Documentation

Full documentation of available Pyzotero methods, code examples, and sample output is available on [Read The Docs][3].

# Installation

* Using [uv][11]: `uv add pyzotero`
* Using [pip][10]: `pip install pyzotero`
* Using Anaconda: `conda install conda-forge::pyzotero`

Pyzotero also provides an optional [CLI](#command-line-interface) and [MCP server](#mcp-server) for working with a local Zotero library. Both require Zotero 7 with local API access enabled: Zotero > Settings > Advanced > "Allow other applications on this computer to communicate with Zotero".

# Command-Line Interface

Pyzotero includes an optional CLI for searching and querying your local Zotero library.

## Installing the CLI

* Using [uv][11]: `uv add "pyzotero[cli]"`
* Using [pip][10]: `pip install "pyzotero[cli]"`

Or run it directly without installing:

* Using [uvx][11]: `uvx --from "pyzotero[cli]" pyzotero search -q "your query"`
* Using [pipx][10]: `pipx run --spec "pyzotero[cli]" pyzotero search -q "your query"`

## Usage

```bash
# Search for top-level items
pyzotero search -q "machine learning"

# Search with full-text mode
pyzotero search -q "climate change" --fulltext

# Filter by item type
pyzotero search -q "methodology" --itemtype book --itemtype journalArticle

# Search for top-level items within a collection
pyzotero search --collection ABC123 -q "test"

# Output as JSON for machine processing
pyzotero search -q "climate" --json

# List all collections
pyzotero listcollections

# List available item types
pyzotero itemtypes
```

## Search Behaviour

By default, `pyzotero search` searches only top-level item titles and metadata fields.

When the `--fulltext` flag is used, the search expands to include all full-text indexed content, including PDFs and other attachments. Since most full-text content comes from PDF attachments rather than top-level items, the CLI automatically retrieves the parent bibliographic items for any matching attachments. This ensures you receive useful bibliographic records (journal articles, books, etc.) rather than raw attachment items.

## Output Format

By default, the CLI outputs human-readable text with a subset of metadata including:
- Title, authors, date, publication
- Volume, issue, DOI, URL
- PDF attachments (with local file paths)

Use the `--json` flag to output structured JSON.

# MCP Server

Pyzotero includes an optional [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) server that exposes your local Zotero library and Semantic Scholar integration as tools for LLMs. This lets sandboxed applications such as Claude Desktop access your Zotero library without needing direct CLI access.

## Installing the MCP server

* Using [uv][11]: `uv add "pyzotero[mcp]"`
* Using [pip][10]: `pip install "pyzotero[mcp]"`
* As a standalone tool: `uv tool install "pyzotero[mcp]"`

## Claude Desktop Configuration

Add the following to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

If `pyzotero-mcp` is installed:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "pyzotero-mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Or, without installing, using uvx:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "pyzotero[mcp]", "pyzotero-mcp"]
    }
  }
}
```

## Available Tools

### Zotero Library Tools

| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `search` | Search the local Zotero library by query, item type, collection, tag, or full-text content |
| `get_item` | Get a single Zotero item by its key |
| `get_children` | Get child items (attachments, notes) of a Zotero item |
| `list_collections` | List all collections in the library |
| `list_tags` | List all tags, optionally filtered by collection |
| `get_fulltext` | Get full-text content of a PDF or other attachment |

### Semantic Scholar Tools

| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `find_related` | Find semantically similar papers using SPECTER2 embeddings |
| `get_citations` | Find papers that cite a given paper |
| `get_references` | Find papers referenced by a given paper |
| `search_semantic_scholar` | Search across Semantic Scholar's paper index |

The Semantic Scholar tools can optionally check whether results already exist in your local Zotero library (enabled by default via the `check_library` parameter).

# Development

## Installing from Source

``` bash
git clone git://github.com/urschrei/pyzotero.git
cd pyzotero
git checkout main
# specify --dev if you're planning on running tests
uv sync
```

## Testing

Run `pytest .` from the top-level directory. This requires the `dev` dependency group to be installed: `uv sync --dev` / `pip install --group dev`

## Issues

The latest commits can be found on the [main branch][9], although new features are currently rare. If you encounter an error, please open an issue.

## Pull Requests

Pull requests are welcomed. Please read the [contribution guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md). In particular, please **base your PR on the `main` branch**.

## Versioning

As of v1.0.0, Pyzotero is versioned according to [Semver](http://semver.org); version increments are performed as follows:

1. MAJOR version will increment with incompatible API changes,
2. MINOR version will increment when functionality is added in a backwards-compatible manner, and
3. PATCH version will increment with backwards-compatible bug fixes.

# Citation

Pyzotero has a DOI:
[![DOI](https://zenodo.org/badge/1423403.svg)](https://zenodo.org/badge/latestdoi/1423403)
You may also cite Pyzotero using [CITATION.cff](CITATION.cff).
A sample citation (APA 6th edition) might look like:
> Stephan Hügel, The Pyzotero Authors (2019, May 18). urschrei/pyzotero: Version v1.3.15. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2917290

# License

Pyzotero is licensed under the [Blue Oak Model Licence 1.0.0][8]. See [LICENSE.md](LICENSE.md) for details.

[1]: https://www.zotero.org/support/dev/web_api/v3/start
[2]: https://www.zotero.org/settings/keys/new
[3]: http://pyzotero.readthedocs.org/en/latest/
[7]: https://nose2.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
[8]: https://opensource.org/license/blue-oak-model-license
[9]: https://github.com/urschrei/pyzotero/tree/main
[10]: http://www.pip-installer.org/en/latest/index.html
[11]: https://docs.astral.sh/uv
† This isn't strictly true: you only need an API key for personal libraries and non-public group libraries.
