Zotero

Use Zotero Desktop from Codex to enable/probe the local API, search a local Zotero library, list items/collections/tags, export BibTeX, insert citation keys into LaTeX or Markdown drafts, read indexed full text when requested, and import BibTeX/RIS records into Zotero through the connector server. Use when the user mentions Zotero, citations, references.bib, BibTeX export, local Zotero API, localhost:23119, or adding citations from a Zotero library.

Invalid

This skill can't be scored yet

Validation errors are blocking scoring. Review and fix them to unlock Quality, Impact and Security scores. See what needs fixing →

Zotero

Use this skill to operate a user's local Zotero Desktop library from Codex.

Core helper:

python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py <command>

Resolve <plugin-root> by going two directories up from this SKILL.md file.

The helper is stdlib-only and follows the repo convention of running plugin Python helpers with python3 / #!/usr/bin/env python3; it does not require Codex-specific runtime discovery.

Fast starts

Check readiness in one command:

python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py status --json

Enable the local API and restart Zotero if needed:

python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py enable --restart

Search and export citation data:

python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py search "transformer" --json
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py export-bibtex --out references.bib

Insert a citation from Zotero into a draft and keep references.bib in sync:

python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py cite --query "Attention Is All You Need" --tex paper.tex --bib references.bib --marker '<cite>'

Workflow

Start with status --json. Do not rediscover prefs, ports, or profile paths manually unless the helper fails.
If local_api_enabled_pref is false, run enable --restart when the user asked you to operate Zotero. This updates Zotero's local preference and restarts Zotero so port 23119 comes up.
Use read-only local API commands for normal work:
- inventory for item/collection/tag summaries.
- search <query> for papers/items.
- export-bibtex or sync-bib for .bib files.
- cite for inserting a citation into a draft.
Only retrieve attachment file URLs or full text when the user asks for PDFs, attachment paths, or full-text content.
Treat Zotero library writes as explicit write actions. Before import-bibtex, import-ris, or connector save commands, confirm the exact record/source and destination unless the user's prompt already explicitly asked to add/import it.

Common commands

# Readiness and route map
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py status --json
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py probe --json

# Library inventory
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py inventory
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py collections
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py tags

# Search and export
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py search "BERT"
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py export-bibtex --out references.bib
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py export-bibtex --item-key PXW99EKT
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py citations --style apa --json

# Draft editing
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py cite --item-key PXW99EKT --tex paper.tex --bib references.bib --marker '<cite>'
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py cite --query "BERT" --markdown notes.md --bib references.bib --marker '<cite>'

# Attachments and full text; use only on request
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py children PXW99EKT --json
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py fulltext 2JAZS9U8 --out attention-fulltext.txt
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py file-url 2JAZS9U8

# Writes to Zotero; confirm first unless explicitly requested
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py selected-target --json
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py import-bibtex --file new-reference.bib --yes
python3 <plugin-root>/skills/zotero/scripts/zotero.py import-ris --file new-reference.ris --yes

Output standards

For inventory/search, return title, creators, year, Zotero item key, and BibTeX key when available.
Explain the two-key distinction when relevant: Zotero item keys like PXW99EKT are not the same as exported BibTeX keys like vaswani_attention_2023.
For .bib export, return the absolute output path and entry count.
For draft citation insertion, report the edited file, inserted citation key, and updated .bib path.
For blockers, name the exact gate: Zotero app missing, local API disabled, port closed, connector unavailable, no matching item, or write not confirmed.

Route details

Read references/local-api-routes.md only when you need endpoint details beyond the helper commands.

Repository: openai/plugins
Path: plugins/zotero/skills/zotero/SKILL.md
Commit: 11c74d6

Last updated: 17 days ago
First committed: 3 months ago

Is this your skill?

If you maintain this skill, you can claim it as your own. Once claimed, you can manage eval scenarios, bundle related skills, attach documentation or rules, and ensure cross-agent compatibility.