Install Zotero in Fedora

Download Zotero distribution package from here

Extract the downloaded package to $HOME/.local/share/zotero ^[1],

Create a script in $HOME/.local/bin containing the following:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
$HOME/.local/share/zotero/zotero & # Run Zotero in the background.

Ensure $HOME/.local/bin is loaded into your $PATH by placing the line export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin in your .profile or .bashrc file,

Add a desktop launcher for Zotero by executing:

#!/usr/bin/env/bash

echo "[Desktop Entry]" >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
echo "Type=Application" >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
echo "Encoding=UTF-8" >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
echo "Name=Zotero" >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
echo "Comment=Zotero" >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
echo "Exec=$HOME/.local/bin/zotero" \
    >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
echo "Icon=$HOME/.local/share/zotero/chrome/icons/default/default256.png" \
    >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
echo "Terminal=false" >> $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop
chmod +x $HOME/.local/share/applications/zotero.desktop

The content of the zotero.desktop file should be in the end as follows:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Zotero
# Original has:
# Exec=bash -c "$(dirname $(readlink -f %k))/zotero -url %U"
Exec=/home/<user>/.local/bin/zotero
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Encoding=UTF-8
Categories=Office;
Comment=Zotero
MimeType=text/plain
Icon=/home/<user>/.local/share/zotero/chrome/icons/default/default256.png

The above file did not show up in Gnome menu, however. The original shortcut did:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Zotero
Exec=bash -c "$(dirname $(readlink -f %k))/zotero -url %U"
Icon=/home/patryk/.local/share/zotero/chrome/icons/default/default256.png
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Categories=Office;
MimeType=text/plain

Search for "Zotero" in your "Applications" menu to check whether the shortcut appeared there. Click on the shortcut to verify the application starts.