Zotero Bridge
Let coding agents search your Zotero library, collections, tags, and PDFs from the local SQLite database during research-heavy builds.
Overview
Zotero Bridge is an Idea-phase Developer Tools MCP server that lets agents query and read your local Zotero SQLite library, collections, tags, and PDFs.
What is this MCP server?
- Reads local Zotero SQLite database for collections and metadata
- Supports tagging workflows and PDF reading through MCP tools
- npm stdio package identifier zotero-bridge at version 1.0.3
- GitHub source at Combjellyshen/ZoteroBridge
- stdio MCP bridge—no hosted Zotero cloud API required for local library access
- npm package zotero-bridge version 1.0.3
- stdio transport via MCP registry
- Targets Zotero SQLite database (local install)
Community signal: 10 GitHub stars.
What problem does it solve?
Copy-pasting papers and PDF excerpts into the chat breaks flow when your evidence already lives in Zotero.
Who is it for?
Indie builders and researchers who already use Zotero and want Claude or Cursor to reason over that library during ideation and specs.
Skip if: Teams that need team-wide cloud Zotero API governance without local SQLite access, or builders with no Zotero install.
What do I get? / Deliverables
After installing zotero-bridge, agents can search and interact with your Zotero data through MCP instead of manual exports.
- stdio MCP server wired to local Zotero data
- Agent-accessible collection, tagging, and PDF reading operations
- Research workflows that stay inside your existing Zotero corpus
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Journey fit
Citation-backed research belongs before you lock scope—agents need your existing papers and notes while exploring competitors and technical feasibility. Research is the canonical shelf because the server targets Zotero SQLite: collections, tagging, and PDF reading—not production deploy or growth analytics.
How it compares
Local library MCP bridge, not a citation formatter skill or web scraper.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is Zotero Bridge for?
Solo builders and researchers using Zotero locally who want MCP agents to browse collections, tags, and PDFs from the SQLite database.
When should I use Zotero Bridge?
Use it during idea and research work when your agent needs grounded answers from papers and notes you already curated in Zotero.
How do I add Zotero Bridge to my agent?
Install the npm package zotero-bridge, configure stdio MCP in your agent host, and ensure Zotero’s local SQLite database is available on the machine running the server.