MCP Server for Zotero Plugin Development

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables AI assistants to build, test, and debug Zotero 7+ plugins. It provides 25 tools for UI inspection, JavaScript execution, build integration, logging, database access, and plugin management.

How it works: Zotero 7+ is built on Firefox ESR, so this server communicates with Zotero through Firefox's built-in Remote Debugging Protocol (RDP). A small companion plugin (MCP Bridge for Zotero) starts the DevTools server inside Zotero, and this MCP server connects to it.

AI Assistant (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.)
         | MCP Protocol (stdio)
         v
    MCP Server (this package)
         | Firefox RDP (TCP port 6100)
         v
    Zotero + MCP Bridge Plugin

Prerequisites

• Node.js >= 20
• Zotero 7+ (release, beta, or dev build)
• MCP Bridge for Zotero plugin installed in Zotero — download the latest XPI

Installing the MCP Bridge plugin

1. Download zotero-mcp-bridge-*.xpi from GitHub Releases
2. In Zotero: Tools > Add-ons > gear icon > Install Add-on From File...
3. Select the downloaded .xpi file
4. Restart Zotero

The plugin automatically starts a DevTools server on port 6100 when Zotero launches.

Setup

Claude Desktop

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zotero-dev": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@introfini/mcp-server-zotero-dev"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add zotero-dev -- npx -y @introfini/mcp-server-zotero-dev

Cursor / Windsurf / Other MCP clients

Configure the MCP server with:

• Command: npx
• Arguments: -y @introfini/mcp-server-zotero-dev

Or install globally:

npm install -g @introfini/mcp-server-zotero-dev

Tools (25)

JavaScript Execution & Inspection

Tool	Description
zotero_ping	Test connection to Zotero and get version info
zotero_execute_js	Execute JavaScript in Zotero's privileged chrome context
zotero_get_pref	Get a Zotero preference value
zotero_set_pref	Set a Zotero preference value
zotero_search_prefs	Search and list Zotero/Firefox preferences
zotero_inspect_object	Inspect a JavaScript object to discover methods and properties
zotero_open_preferences	Open Zotero's preferences window, optionally navigating to a pane

UI Inspection

Tool	Description
zotero_screenshot	Capture a screenshot of Zotero (main window, specific window, or element)
zotero_inspect_element	Find DOM elements by CSS selector
zotero_get_dom_tree	Get a simplified DOM tree structure
zotero_get_styles	Get computed CSS styles for an element
zotero_list_windows	List all open Zotero windows

Logging & Debugging

Tool	Description
zotero_read_logs	Read Zotero's debug log output
zotero_read_errors	Read errors from Zotero's error console
zotero_clear_logs	Clear the debug log buffer and error console
zotero_watch_logs	Start/stop watching for new log messages

Build Integration

Tool	Description
zotero_scaffold_build	Build a Zotero plugin using zotero-plugin-scaffold
zotero_scaffold_serve	Start/stop the dev server with hot reload
zotero_scaffold_lint	Run ESLint on a plugin project
zotero_scaffold_typecheck	Run TypeScript type checking

Plugin Management

Tool	Description
zotero_plugin_reload	Reload a Zotero plugin
zotero_plugin_list	List all installed plugins
zotero_plugin_install	Install a plugin from a local XPI file

Database Access (Read-only)

Tool	Description
zotero_db_query	Execute a SELECT query on Zotero's database
zotero_db_schema	Get database schema information
zotero_db_stats	Get database statistics

Prompts (5)

Prompt	Description
setup-dev	Set up Zotero plugin development environment from scratch
debug-plugin	Connect to Zotero and start debugging your plugin
fix-errors	Find and fix errors from Zotero's error console
inspect-api	Interactive exploration of Zotero's JavaScript APIs
migrate-z7	Help migrate a plugin from Zotero 6 to Zotero 7

Configuration

Environment variables (all optional):

Variable	Default	Description
ZOTERO_RDP_PORT	6100	RDP port to connect to
ZOTERO_RDP_HOST	localhost	RDP host address
ZOTERO_DATA_DIR	auto-detected	Zotero data directory path
ZOTERO_PROFILE_PATH	auto-detected	Zotero profile path

Troubleshooting

"Cannot connect to Zotero"

1. Make sure Zotero is running
2. Verify the MCP Bridge plugin is installed (Tools > Add-ons)
3. Restart Zotero after installing the plugin
4. Check port 6100 is not blocked: lsof -i :6100

"Port already in use"

• Another Zotero instance may be running, or Zotero was started with the -debugger flag (which uses port 6000). The MCP Bridge uses port 6100 to avoid conflicts.

License

MIT