# Pyzotero

> Interact with Zotero reference management libraries using the pyzotero Python client. Retrieve, create, update, and delete items, collections, tags, and attachments via the Zotero Web API v3. Use this skill when working with Zotero libraries programmatically, managing bibliographic references, exporting citations, searching library contents, uploading PDF attachments, or building research automat…

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-leonchaox-qinyan-academic-skills-pyzotero`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [LeonChaoX](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/leonchaox)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Content & Media](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/content-and-media)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [LeonChaoX](https://github.com/LeonChaoX)
- **Source:** https://github.com/LeonChaoX/qinyan-academic-skills/tree/main/skills/01-论文检索与文献管理/pyzotero

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-leonchaox-qinyan-academic-skills-pyzotero
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Pyzotero

Pyzotero is a Python wrapper for the [Zotero API v3](https://www.zotero.org/support/dev/web_api/v3/start). Use it to programmatically manage Zotero libraries: read items and collections, create and update references, upload attachments, manage tags, and export citations.

## Authentication Setup

**Required credentials** — get from https://www.zotero.org/settings/keys:
- **User ID**: shown as "Your userID for use in API calls"
- **API Key**: create at https://www.zotero.org/settings/keys/new
- **Library ID**: for group libraries, the integer after `/groups/` in the group URL

Store credentials in environment variables or a `.env` file:
```
ZOTERO_LIBRARY_ID=your_user_id
ZOTERO_API_KEY=your_api_key
ZOTERO_LIBRARY_TYPE=user  # or "group"
```

See [references/authentication.md](references/authentication.md) for full setup details.

## Installation

```bash
uv add pyzotero
# or with CLI support:
uv add "pyzotero[cli]"
```

## Quick Start

```python
from pyzotero import Zotero

zot = Zotero(library_id='123456', library_type='user', api_key='ABC1234XYZ')

# Retrieve top-level items (returns 100 by default)
items = zot.top(limit=10)
for item in items:
    print(item['data']['title'], item['data']['itemType'])

# Search by keyword
results = zot.items(q='machine learning', limit=20)

# Retrieve all items (use everything() for complete results)
all_items = zot.everything(zot.items())
```

## Core Concepts

- A `Zotero` instance is bound to a single library (user or group). All methods operate on that library.
- Item data lives in `item['data']`. Access fields like `item['data']['title']`, `item['data']['creators']`.
- Pyzotero returns 100 items by default (API default is 25). Use `zot.everything(zot.items())` to get all items.
- Write methods return `True` on success or raise a `ZoteroError`.

## Reference Files

| File | Contents |
|------|----------|
| [references/authentication.md](references/authentication.md) | Credentials, library types, local mode |
| [references/read-api.md](references/read-api.md) | Retrieving items, collections, tags, groups |
| [references/search-params.md](references/search-params.md) | Filtering, sorting, search parameters |
| [references/write-api.md](references/write-api.md) | Creating, updating, deleting items |
| [references/collections.md](references/collections.md) | Collection CRUD operations |
| [references/tags.md](references/tags.md) | Tag retrieval and management |
| [references/files-attachments.md](references/files-attachments.md) | File retrieval and attachment uploads |
| [references/exports.md](references/exports.md) | BibTeX, CSL-JSON, bibliography export |
| [references/pagination.md](references/pagination.md) | follow(), everything(), generators |
| [references/full-text.md](references/full-text.md) | Full-text content indexing and retrieval |
| [references/saved-searches.md](references/saved-searches.md) | Saved search management |
| [references/cli.md](references/cli.md) | Command-line interface usage |
| [references/error-handling.md](references/error-handling.md) | Errors and exception handling |

## Common Patterns

### Fetch and modify an item
```python
item = zot.item('ITEMKEY')
item['data']['title'] = 'New Title'
zot.update_item(item)
```

### Create an item from a template
```python
template = zot.item_template('journalArticle')
template['title'] = 'My Paper'
template['creators'][0] = {'creatorType': 'author', 'firstName': 'Jane', 'lastName': 'Doe'}
zot.create_items([template])
```

### Export as BibTeX
```python
zot.add_parameters(format='bibtex')
bibtex = zot.top(limit=50)
# bibtex is a bibtexparser BibDatabase object
print(bibtex.entries)
```

### Local mode (read-only, no API key needed)
```python
zot = Zotero(library_id='123456', library_type='user', local=True)
items = zot.items()
```

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [LeonChaoX](https://github.com/LeonChaoX)
- **Source:** [LeonChaoX/qinyan-academic-skills](https://github.com/LeonChaoX/qinyan-academic-skills)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** yes
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-leonchaox-qinyan-academic-skills-pyzotero
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/leonchaox
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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