Update Zotero Item
zotero_update_itemPartially update a Zotero item by specifying fields to change, with version checking to prevent overwriting concurrent edits.
Instructions
Apply a partial update to an existing Zotero item.
Args:
item_key (string, required)
current_version (number, required): the item's version at the time you last read it (from zotero_get_item). Prevents accidentally overwriting a concurrent edit.
fields (object, required): the fields to change, e.g. {"title": "Corrected Title", "date": "2026"}. Array-valued fields (tags, collections) are REPLACED entirely, so include the full desired array, not just the additions.
Returns the updated item. Fails with a version-mismatch error if the item changed since current_version was read - in that case, call zotero_get_item again and retry.
Don't use when: adding the item to a collection is the only goal - zotero_add_items_to_collection is simpler and avoids the version-conflict risk.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| fields | Yes | Partial field updates to apply, e.g. {"title": "New Title", "tags": [{"tag": "reviewed"}]}. Only listed fields are changed; array fields like 'tags' and 'collections' are replaced wholesale, not merged - fetch the item first if you need to append rather than overwrite. | |
| item_key | Yes | The Zotero key of the item to update | |
| current_version | Yes | The item's current 'version', from zotero_get_item or zotero_search_items - required to prevent overwriting concurrent changes |