JabRef
v5
v5
  • JabRef Bibliography Management
  • Installation
  • Getting started
  • Collect
    • Add entry manually
    • Add entry using an ID
    • Add entry using reference text
    • Searching externally using Online Services
    • Add entry using PDFs
    • Browser Extension
    • Import
      • Custom import filters
      • Import inspection window
  • Organize
    • Edit an entry
    • Groups
    • Keywords
    • Mark and grade
    • Comment on an entry
    • Searching within the library
    • Complete information using online databases
    • Manage associated files
    • Manage field names and their content
    • Best practices
    • Cleanup entries
    • Check integrity
    • Find duplicates
    • Merge entries
    • Save actions
  • Cite
    • BibTeX and biblatex
    • Pushing to external editor application
    • Export to Microsoft Word
    • OpenOffice/LibreOffice integration
  • Share
    • Sharing a Bib(la)TeX Library
    • Shared SQL Database
      • Migration of pre-3.6 SQL databases into a shared SQL database
    • Export
      • Custom export filters
    • Send as email
  • Configuration
    • Customize the citation key generator
    • Customize entry types
    • Customize general fields
    • Customize key bindings
    • Library properties
    • Entry preview setup
    • Manage external file types
    • Manage protected terms
    • The string editor
  • Advanced information
    • Main Window
    • Entry Editor
      • Links to other entries
      • The Bibtex / Biblatex source tab
      • The 'owner' field
      • Time stamp field
      • LaTeX Citations Tab
    • About BibTeX and its fields
    • Strings
    • Field content selector
    • URL and DOI links in JabRef
    • Command line use and options
    • Automatic Backup (.sav and .bak) and Autosave
    • XMP metadata support in JabRef
    • Remote operation
    • Custom themes
    • Journal abbreviations
    • New subdatabase based on AUX file
    • How to expand first names of an entry
    • Debugging your library file
    • Resources
    • License
    • Knowledge
      • MS Office Bibliography XML format
      • Comparison of the Medline (txt), Medline (xml), and RIS format
      • EndNote Export Filter
  • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Linux
    • Mac OS X
    • Windows
  • Discussion Forum
  • Contribute to JabRef
    • How to Improve the Help Page
    • How to translate the JabRef User Interface
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On this page
  • The field "keywords"
  • Management of keywords
  • Managing the keywords of specified entries
  • List of often-used keywords
  • Searching for entries based on keywords
  • Grouping entries based on keywords

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  1. Organize

Keywords

Keywords help you in organizing, sorting and searching your entries.

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The field "keywords"

Keywords can be added to your entries in a specific field. In the entry editor, the keywords field is displayed in the General tab. There, you can add new keywords to an entry by typing it in. If auto-completion is activated for the field keywords (File → Preferences → Entry editor), suggestions are given based on existing keywords.

By default, the keyword separator is a comma. It can be redefined in the preferences (File → Preferences → Groups).

If some entries have a keyword separator differing from the prescribed one, you can use menu Edit → Find and replace. For example, you may want to replace semi-columns (;) by commas (,). Select the radio button "Limit to Fields" and type in "keywords" as the relevant field.​​

Additionally, the values (relevance, priority, etc.) can be added to the keywords field automatically. This will allow you to group, sort, and search your library based on the special field values. See in File → Preferences → Entry table the item "Special fields" and select "Synchronize with keywords".

Management of keywords

Managing the keywords of specified entries

Select at least one entry and go to Edit → Manage keywords.

The keyword list is displayed in two modes:

  • the keywords shared by ALL of the selected entries.

  • the keywords appearing in ANY of the selected entries.

You can edit a keyword by double-clicking on it, or by clicking on the pencil icon. A keyword can be deleted by clicking on the minus icon.

List of often-used keywords

To fasten the addition of often-used keywords, JabRef can store the list of your preferred keywords.

Go to File → Manage content selectors.

Searching for entries based on keywords

Grouping entries based on keywords

First, click on the field name "Keywords". Then, enter the list of your preferred keywords. Now, when you start to type one of your preferred keywords, JabRef will display a list of the matching ones (independently of the auto-completion). For more details, see the help section about .

You can search for entries having specific keywords. For this, use a regular expression search, such as anykeyword matches apple or keywords = modell?ing. For more details, see the help section about .

Different types of groups can be created based on the values of the field keywords. See the help section about .

Managing content selectors
Searching within the library
Groups
special field