Agent skill

Sci Zotero

by ShZhao27208 in ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

Interact with your Zotero library to sync references, add citations by DOI/ISBN/PMID, and manage PDFs.

MITAuto-check: notesResearch & Science

Install Sci Zotero

skills CLI
$ npx skills add ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write --skill sci-zotero -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write sci-zotero --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/sci-zotero .claude/skills/sci-zotero && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
sci-zotero
GitHub stars
209
Token cost
~452 tokens
SKILL.md length
190 words
Files
4
Skills in repo
9
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Interact with your Zotero library to sync references, add citations by DOI/ISBN/PMID, and manage PDFs.

  • Zotero-related requests
  • SKILL.md covers Triggers, Usage and © License & Copyright
  • Runs Python scripts from its folder; needs ZOTERO_API_KEY
  • Tasks that involve Citation management

What it does

Sci Zotero is an agent skill from ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write. Interact with your Zotero library to sync references, add citations by DOI/ISBN/PMID, and manage PDFs. Triggers on Zotero-related requests.

Its SKILL.md is about 450 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 3 other files (for example `_meta.json` and `zotero.py`).

It sits in Research & Science, covering Citation management. It works with Zotero. The repository describes itself as: Academic research skills suite for AI Agent — literature search/download (WoS+Elsevier+Springer), PDF extraction, figure cropping, review writing, Zotero sync, and PPT/Html… The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Zotero-related requests
  • Tasks that involve Citation management

Example prompts

  • “/sci-zotero”

Requirements

  • Python 3
  • A credential in ZOTERO_API_KEY

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 357766f. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Ships script files (Python), which the agent can run.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names these keys or tokens, usually read from environment variables:

    • ZOTERO_API_KEY

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Sci Zotero loads about 452 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 38 tokens; SKILL.md has 190 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~38
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~452

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check: notes

The automated check noted patterns worth knowing about, such as sudo or a known installer.

  • NoteMentions a .env fileSKILL.md:30
    ### Configuration (`~/.aut_sci_write/.env`)

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write at commit 357766f, republished under its MIT licence (© ShZhao27208). 190 words, ~452 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/sci-zotero/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 3 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
sci-zotero
description
Interact with your Zotero library to sync references, add citations by DOI/ISBN/PMID, and manage PDFs. Triggers on Zotero-related requests.
author
Shuo Zhao
license
MIT
copyright
© 2026 Shuo Zhao. All rights reserved.
triggers
Zotero, zotero, 同步文献, 文献管理, add citation, sync zotero

Sci-Zotero — Zotero Library Integration

Interact with your Zotero library to sync references, add citations by DOI/ISBN/PMID, and manage PDFs.

Triggers

  • "sync zotero library"
  • "add citation [identifier]"
  • "check pdfs in zotero"
  • "fetch pdfs for zotero items"
  • "search zotero for [query]"

Usage

This skill wraps the local zotero.py CLI located in the same skill directory.

Configuration (~/.aut_sci_write/.env)
  • ZOTERO_API_KEY: Your Zotero API key.
  • ZOTERO_USER_ID: Your Zotero User ID (for personal libraries).
  • ZOTERO_GROUP_ID: Your Zotero Group ID (for group libraries).
Commands
  • items: List top-level items.
  • add-doi [DOI]: Add an item by DOI.
  • add-isbn [ISBN]: Add an item by ISBN.
  • fetch-pdfs: Automatically find and attach open-access PDFs.

Aut_Sci_Write — Autonomous Scientific Writer

  • Author: Shuo Zhao
  • License: MIT License
  • Copyright: © 2026 Shuo Zhao. All rights reserved.
  • Original Work: This is an original work created by the author. No reproduction, redistribution, or commercial use without explicit permission. Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software... (See the LICENSE file in the root directory for the full MIT terms.)

This skill is part of the Aut_Sci_Write suite. For full license terms, see the LICENSE file in the project root.

© ShZhao27208, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 3 other files in skills/sci-zotero of ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write.

  • SKILL.md
  • .gitignore
  • _meta.json
  • zotero.py

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 357766f

Compare with similar skills

Sci Zotero next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Sci Zotero compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Sci Zotero this skillShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write209—~452Automated safety check: NotesMIT
Systematic Review ScreenerImbad0202/academic-research-skills51k—~8.4kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence
Citation Verification GuideGalaxy-Dawn/claude-scholar5.7k2 repos~1.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Cnki Exportcookjohn/cnki-skills9832 repos~1.7kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Annotate Paper54yyyu/zotero-mcp5.3k—~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Zotero CLI54yyyu/zotero-mcp5.3k—~2.3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

Similar skills

  • Systematic Review Screener

    Imbad0202/academic-research-skills

    Screens records for systematic, scoping and rapid reviews against fixed eligibility rules, using two blinded AI reviewers and a third adjudicator, with traceable PRISMA counts.

    51k GitHub stars~8.4k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Citation Verification Guide

    Galaxy-Dawn/claude-scholar

    Reference guidance for checking every citation in academic writing against canonical sources such as DOI, arXiv, CrossRef and Semantic Scholar, to catch fake or wrong references.

    5.7k GitHub starsUsed in 2 repos~1.9k tokens
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Cnki Export

    cookjohn/cnki-skills

    Export paper from CNKI and push to Zotero, or save as RIS file.

    983 GitHub starsUsed in 2 repos~1.7k tokens
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Annotate Paper

    54yyyu/zotero-mcp

    Read the open paper and write study annotations into its PDF with zotero-cli - a context box on the title, a four-part summary on the abstract, role-coded abstract highlights, one box per figure…

    5.3k GitHub stars~1.5k tokensUpdated 3 days ago
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Zotero CLI

    54yyyu/zotero-mcp

    Reads and edits a Zotero library from the shell with zotero-cli: search by keyword or meaning, read PDF text, manage tags, notes and collections, and export bibliographies.

    5.3k GitHub stars~2.3k tokensUpdated 3 days ago
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Deeppapernote

    917Dhj/DeepPaperNote

    Generate a high-quality deep-reading note for a single paper and write it into an Obsidian-style vault.

    1.2k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~5.9k tokens
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed

More from ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

All 9 skills in this repo
  • Sci Polish

    ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

    Two-stage academic paper polishing skill. An agent skill from ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write.

    209 GitHub stars~2.1k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Sci Review

    ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

    Specialized workflows for drafting, refining, and responding to academic literature reviews and peer review feedback.

    209 GitHub stars~673 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Sci Figure

    ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

    Extracts figures and sub-figures from academic PDF papers. An agent skill from ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write.

    209 GitHub stars~1.6k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Sci HTML

    ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

    Generate academic presentation-style HTML slide decks and browser reports from PDFs, structured text, Markdown, paper summaries, outlines, or research notes.

    209 GitHub stars~1.4k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check: notes
  • Sci Ppt

    ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

    Generate professional academic PowerPoint (PPTX) presentations from paper PDFs, structured outlines, or plain text.

    209 GitHub stars~757 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Sci Search

    ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write

    Academic paper search and metrics analysis. An agent skill from ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write.

    209 GitHub stars~1.7k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check: notes

Works with

Questions about Sci Zotero

What does Sci Zotero do?

Interact with your Zotero library to sync references, add citations by DOI/ISBN/PMID, and manage PDFs. Sci Zotero is an agent skill from ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write. Interact with your Zotero library to sync references, add citations by DOI/ISBN/PMID, and manage PDFs.

When should I use Sci Zotero?

Sci Zotero fits situations like: zotero-related requests; tasks that involve Citation management.

How do I install Sci Zotero in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write --skill sci-zotero -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/sci-zotero in ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write) into .claude/skills/sci-zotero in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Sci Zotero in Codex?

Run `npx skills add ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write --skill sci-zotero -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/sci-zotero in ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write) into .agents/skills/sci-zotero in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Sci Zotero in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write --skill sci-zotero -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/sci-zotero, .gemini/skills/sci-zotero, .github/skills/sci-zotero and .opencode/skills/sci-zotero in your project.

What does Sci Zotero need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Sci Zotero needs Python for the scripts in its folder and credentials named ZOTERO_API_KEY. Our summary lists: Python 3; A credential in ZOTERO_API_KEY.

Does Sci Zotero access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Sci Zotero safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found notes only (mentions a .env file), nothing it rates as a warning. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Sci Zotero use?

Sci Zotero is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Sci Zotero use?

About 452 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 1.8k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Sci Zotero?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Sci Zotero: Systematic Review Screener (Imbad0202/academic-research-skills, 51k stars), Citation Verification Guide (Galaxy-Dawn/claude-scholar, 5.7k stars), Cnki Export (cookjohn/cnki-skills, 983 stars) and Annotate Paper (54yyyu/zotero-mcp, 5.3k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Sci Zotero?

ShZhao27208 (a GitHub user) maintains it in ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write, which has 209 GitHub stars. The repository holds 9 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 13, 2026.

Source: ShZhao27208/Aut_Sci_Write on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.