Zotero Lite FAQs

Question 1

What is Zotero Lite?

Accepted Answer

Zotero Lite is a high-performance Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that seamlessly integrates your Zotero library with AI research assistants like Claude, Cursor, and Gemini CLI. It enables fully local, AI-powered literature review and knowledge management.

Question 2

Which AI clients are compatible with Zotero Lite?

Accepted Answer

Zotero Lite is MCP-native, offering direct compatibility with popular clients such as Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Gemini CLI, and any other Model Context Protocol client. This allows for flexible integration into your preferred AI toolkit.

Question 3

Can I customize the AI's behavior or prompts for my research?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Zotero Lite features user-editable prompts. You can easily customize existing prompt files (e.g., for literature review, comparative review) or create new ones to tailor the AI's analysis sections and output format precisely to your specific research style and needs.

Question 4

Does Zotero Lite require cloud services or API keys?

Accepted Answer

No, Zotero Lite operates entirely locally on your computer. It requires no cloud dependency, external API keys, or internet connection for its core functions, ensuring data privacy and offline accessibility.

Question 5

How does Zotero Lite enhance my research workflow?

Accepted Answer

It provides 10 composable atomic MCP tools for tasks like searching items, retrieving annotations, and creating notes directly in Zotero. Additionally, it offers 4 customizable research prompts (knowledge discovery, literature review, comparative review, bibliography export) to guide AI through common academic tasks efficiently.

Zotero Lite

Zotero Lite

About

Key Features

Use Cases

About

Key Features

Use Cases