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Zotero Command-Line Helper

Lets an agent read, cite, export and annotate your Zotero reference library through a command-line tool.

Source Download skill
Repository
HKUDS/CLI-Anything
Stars
58,084
Licence
Apache-2.0
Files
1 file

What it does

Once installed, the agent can operate Zotero desktop, a popular reference manager, through a command-line tool instead of guessing at its files. It can list collections, search items, read notes and attachments, render citations and bibliographies in styles such as APA, export records, add child notes to existing items, and assemble item details into structured context for analysis. The skill says it works with Zotero's own local interfaces rather than reimplementing Zotero.

Great for

  • Researchers or students who want an agent to search their Zotero library and format citations or bibliographies
  • Developers building a workflow that pulls structured Zotero item data into an analysis or writing pipeline

Skip it if

  • Users who need stable, unattended edits to their library: the SKILL.md says experimental SQLite write commands are non-stable power-user operations and could affect library data
  • Users who need to attach files to existing items, since arbitrary existing-item attachment upload is stated to be out of scope

Try asking

  • “Render an APA citation for item ABC123 using my Zotero library”
  • “List the items in the collection I currently have selected in Zotero”
  • “Add a note saying 'Key takeaway: sample size was small' under item XYZ789”
  • “Export context for my recent reading on this topic, including notes and links, so you can summarise it”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Zotero Command-Line HelperInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the Apache-2.0 licence and an attribution note.

    skills.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip skills.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip skills.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Enable Zotero's Local API first (enable-local-api command) and keep Zotero open, since many commands depend on the live app
  • If a bare item key exists in more than one library, run session use-library before follow-up commands to avoid acting on the wrong item
  • Back up your Zotero library before trying any experimental SQLite write commands

What's inside

  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from HKUDS/CLI-Anything under the Apache-2.0 licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.