Identification of key drivers of the microbial shikimic acid pathway during different materials composting

•The key factors affecting shikimic acid (SA) pathway were identified.•The key influencing factors of each metabolite were obviously different.•Only the SA content in lawn waste could be affected by physicochemical factors.•The more complex environment, the more factors that restrict protocatechuic acid.•A new direction for improving SA metabolic intensity during composting.