llm-for-zotero is a TypeScript-based open-source research agent for Zotero that supports multiple backends and agent-mode workflows. It provides grounded Q&A, note saving, and file-based notes with configurable providers and a beta Agent Mode.
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What it is
llm-for-zotero is an open-source research agent system deeply rooted in your Zotero library. It brings Large Language Models into the Zotero reader to answer questions, summarize papers, inspect figures, compare sources, and save notes to Zotero notes or local Markdown folders. It works with standard API providers, local OpenAI-compatible models, WebChat, Codex App-Server, and Claude Code.
How it works
The project integrates with Zotero to load papers and passages as context for the model. It supports multiple provider protocols, including responses_api, openai_chat_compat, anthropic_messages, and gemini_native. Agent Mode can read and search the library, draft notes, update metadata or tags with confirmation, and undo recent write actions in the same session. Long runs are cache-aware, preserving context and evidence across turns and compacting old transcript history when needed.
Getting started
Quick Start steps from README:
- Download the latest .xpi file from the Releases page.
- In Zotero, install Add-on From File, then select the .xpi.
- Restart Zotero.
- Open Preferences -> llm-for-zotero, choose a provider, enter the base URL, key, and model, then click Test Connection.
- Open a PDF in Zotero and click the LLM Assistant icon in the right-hand toolbar.
If you don’t want to use an API key, start with WebChat or Codex App Server.
Configuration: Open Preferences -> llm-for-zotero.
- Select your Provider.
- Paste API Base URL, secret key, and model name.
- Click Test Connection.
The plugin supports multiple provider protocols and can configure multiple providers/models for different tasks.
Recent releases
- v3.8.31 Release v3.8.31 (2026-07-29): Fixes; KaTeX SVG backgrounds transparent; Mermaid SVG background styles scoped.
- v3.8.30 Release v3.8.30 (2026-07-23): Performance; chat: Improve quote-classification performance; quote rendering speed.
- v3.8.29 Release v3.8.29 (2026-07-23): Enhancements; history: Add guarded conversation renaming; Standalone: Make the History pane resizable.
- v3.8.28 Release v3.8.28 (2026-07-21): Enhancements; agent-trace: Enhance agent activity rendering and duration formatting.
- v3.8.27 Release v3.8.27 (2026-07-16): Better PDF reading, Add Text, and source grounding; reliable full-paper reading with multi-paper support.
Traction
Stars: 2527
Behind the repo
(No startup/company link provided in the facts block.)
Caveats
License: AGPL-3.0 Created: 2026-01-29 Last push: 2026-07-29 Issues: 119 Languages: TypeScript Forks: 132