6 ms·

JabRef – Literature Management

57 points by smartmic 2y ago

evanjrowley 2y ago
The main reason I haven't adopted Zotero is their lack of a Android app. Something like that on the road map for JabRef?
- techwizrd 2y ago
  I'm working on a Zotero Android app to assist with my own research. I hope to have something releasable next year.
- shwouchk 2y ago
  Jabref uses bibtex as internal format, which is fairly standard. There are some apps on the play store if you search for "bibtex", though i personally haven't tried them. I guess the main difficulty might be in regards to how you store the file links and associated files.
  - trueismywork 2y ago
    Zotero can output bib file. I use those files in production seamlessly
    - shwouchk 2y ago
      It can and I've used this as well to export from zotero, but there's a subtle difference in workflow between having to "export" your db in order to use it on another device (not to mention being bound to a browser extension) and having your db in a text based format that a multitude of software can directly work with.
- MaxRegret 2y ago
  Zotero has a beta Android app [1][2]. I haven't used it, so I don't know if any functionality is missing. [1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.zotero.android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.zotero.and... [2] https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/110371/available-for-beta-testing-zotero-for-android https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/110371/available-for-be...
- somethingsome 2y ago
  Zoo for zotero is pretty good ;) I think the dev do not work on it anymore, but it's in a very usable state and open source.
- mbreese 2y ago
  Their site only lists Desktop (Mac, Windows, and Linux) and web browser extensions, so I'm guessing no. I'd like be to be wrong. Are there other Android apps that aren't necessarily provided by Zotero? They seem to have a pretty open API for access to your online library. For example, I used to use a completely different iOS app than the Zotero proper app for annotating PDFs.
- jonnydubowsky 2y ago
  I like Zoo for Zotero on Android. With a bit of customization it gets the job done. https://github.com/mickstar/Zoo-For-Zotero https://github.com/mickstar/Zoo-For-Zotero
brudgers 2y ago
At Github, https://github.com/JabRef/jabref https://github.com/JabRef/jabref
mnkv 2y ago
how does this compare to zotero?
- trueismywork 2y ago
  Doesn't. I used jabref for a long time, zotero is better. Zotero has integration with browsers and sync which is its biggest advantage
- decafb 2y ago
  I love that Jabref supports working with multiple libraries (having multiple open the same time, moving entries between). Best Zotero could do was restart with difference preference files (has that changed? haven't used it in some time). And really like that Jabref syncing requires just syncing the library folder. Zotero syncing really nudges you to the paid plan. setting up webdav just isn't as simple and the list of supported providers isn't that long. It really helped me that the backend is a plain bibtex file. I could resolve issues with it myself. I can also version libraries with git.
browningstreet 2y ago
It's confusing that the name of the app and the domain name are spelled differently.
vouaobrasil 2y ago
I've tried JabRef, Zotero, and Mendeley. The latter two seem more modern and friendly in some ways but I prefer JabRef. Works well with LaTeX/BiBTeX and it looks more old-school, which I like. Mendeley's advantage is that it has free online storage.
- elashri 2y ago
  Have you tried zotero 7? It is currently in beta but they polished the UI and the UX is now much better than before. If not, I would recommend that you give it a try.
  - setopt 2y ago
    Zotero 7 is excellent. I also like the official Zotero iPad app, which is quite decent to read and annotate papers in your Zotero library on the go.
  - pridkett 2y ago
    The new iPad app for Zotero 7 is great. Editing just seems to work. I use my WebDAV server for storage and my changes just show up across devices without worrying. Really great way to manage papers. Now if only there were an iPad with a screen like the Remarkable (or a Zotero app for the Remarkable).
  - rossant 2y ago
    Zotero 7 is the first usable version in 15 years for me. And it's great.
- Eddy_Viscosity2 2y ago
  I use zotero with the better bibtex extension. But when I finalize a document, I use jabref and its 'make a new library from .aux file' tool which can then create a .bib file with only the references used in the document. Much easier to archive than my full zotero library with thousands of entries. Also makes it easier to fine tune any edits to the .bib references for that specific document and template.
donalbrecht 2y ago
I’ve recently become a Zotero user. I’m liking the mobile support in the iOS ecosystem. Jabref highlights search and discovery in the docs. Does anyone have opinions on how that compares to the other apps?

57 points by smartmic 2y ago

The main reason I haven't adopted Zotero is their lack of a Android app. Something like that on the road map for JabRef?

techwizrd 2y ago
I'm working on a Zotero Android app to assist with my own research. I hope to have something releasable next year.
shwouchk 2y ago
Jabref uses bibtex as internal format, which is fairly standard. There are some apps on the play store if you search for "bibtex", though i personally haven't tried them. I guess the main difficulty might be in regards to how you store the file links and associated files.
- trueismywork 2y ago
  Zotero can output bib file. I use those files in production seamlessly
  - shwouchk 2y ago
    It can and I've used this as well to export from zotero, but there's a subtle difference in workflow between having to "export" your db in order to use it on another device (not to mention being bound to a browser extension) and having your db in a text based format that a multitude of software can directly work with.
MaxRegret 2y ago
Zotero has a beta Android app [1][2]. I haven't used it, so I don't know if any functionality is missing. [1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.zotero.android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.zotero.and... [2] https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/110371/available-for-beta-testing-zotero-for-android https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/110371/available-for-be...
somethingsome 2y ago
Zoo for zotero is pretty good ;) I think the dev do not work on it anymore, but it's in a very usable state and open source.
mbreese 2y ago
Their site only lists Desktop (Mac, Windows, and Linux) and web browser extensions, so I'm guessing no. I'd like be to be wrong. Are there other Android apps that aren't necessarily provided by Zotero? They seem to have a pretty open API for access to your online library. For example, I used to use a completely different iOS app than the Zotero proper app for annotating PDFs.
jonnydubowsky 2y ago
I like Zoo for Zotero on Android. With a bit of customization it gets the job done. https://github.com/mickstar/Zoo-For-Zotero https://github.com/mickstar/Zoo-For-Zotero

brudgers 2y ago

At Github, https://github.com/JabRef/jabref https://github.com/JabRef/jabref

mnkv 2y ago

how does this compare to zotero?

trueismywork 2y ago
Doesn't. I used jabref for a long time, zotero is better. Zotero has integration with browsers and sync which is its biggest advantage
decafb 2y ago
I love that Jabref supports working with multiple libraries (having multiple open the same time, moving entries between). Best Zotero could do was restart with difference preference files (has that changed? haven't used it in some time). And really like that Jabref syncing requires just syncing the library folder. Zotero syncing really nudges you to the paid plan. setting up webdav just isn't as simple and the list of supported providers isn't that long. It really helped me that the backend is a plain bibtex file. I could resolve issues with it myself. I can also version libraries with git.

browningstreet 2y ago

It's confusing that the name of the app and the domain name are spelled differently.

vouaobrasil 2y ago

I've tried JabRef, Zotero, and Mendeley. The latter two seem more modern and friendly in some ways but I prefer JabRef. Works well with LaTeX/BiBTeX and it looks more old-school, which I like. Mendeley's advantage is that it has free online storage.

elashri 2y ago
Have you tried zotero 7? It is currently in beta but they polished the UI and the UX is now much better than before. If not, I would recommend that you give it a try.
- setopt 2y ago
  Zotero 7 is excellent. I also like the official Zotero iPad app, which is quite decent to read and annotate papers in your Zotero library on the go.
- pridkett 2y ago
  The new iPad app for Zotero 7 is great. Editing just seems to work. I use my WebDAV server for storage and my changes just show up across devices without worrying. Really great way to manage papers. Now if only there were an iPad with a screen like the Remarkable (or a Zotero app for the Remarkable).
- rossant 2y ago
  Zotero 7 is the first usable version in 15 years for me. And it's great.
Eddy_Viscosity2 2y ago
I use zotero with the better bibtex extension. But when I finalize a document, I use jabref and its 'make a new library from .aux file' tool which can then create a .bib file with only the references used in the document. Much easier to archive than my full zotero library with thousands of entries. Also makes it easier to fine tune any edits to the .bib references for that specific document and template.

donalbrecht 2y ago

I’ve recently become a Zotero user. I’m liking the mobile support in the iOS ecosystem. Jabref highlights search and discovery in the docs. Does anyone have opinions on how that compares to the other apps?