BYTETOOLS

BibTeX Generator

Create BibTeX entries with an auto-generated citation key and escaped LaTeX characters, or paste existing BibTeX to read it back as a sorted reference list.

Authors

1.

Written to the file as Surname, Given names joined by the word “and”, which is how BibTeX identifies where one name ends and the next begins.

The ten characters LaTeX treats as syntax — backslash, ampersand, percent, dollar, hash, underscore, braces, tilde and caret — are escaped for you, so a title like “Cost & benefit” compiles instead of breaking the build. Which fields a style file actually prints depends on the style you load, so an entry can be valid BibTeX and still show less than you typed. Everything happens in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

What is the BibTeX Generator?

A BibTeX generator writes entries such as @article or @inproceedings from typed fields, generating a citation key from the author surname, year and first title word, and escaping the characters LaTeX treats as syntax.

  • Seven BibTeX entry types with the correct field list shown for each
  • Citation key generated from surname, year and first title word, and overridable
  • All ten LaTeX special characters escaped so entries actually compile
  • Three capitalisation-protection modes, from per-word braces to the whole title
  • Download as a .bib file, or copy the matching cite command
  • Parse mode reads pasted BibTeX back as a sorted, readable reference list

How to use the BibTeX Generator

  1. 1

    Choose whether to build a new entry or read pasted BibTeX back as a list.

  2. 2

    In build mode, pick an entry type and add the authors and title.

  3. 3

    Fill in the remaining fields shown for that entry type.

  4. 4

    Set a custom citation key and capitalisation protection if you need to.

  5. 5

    Copy the entry, download it as a .bib file, or paste BibTeX into the parse mode.

About the BibTeX Generator

The ByteTools BibTeX Generator writes valid .bib entries from ordinary form fields. Choose an entry type — @article, @book, @inproceedings, @incollection, @phdthesis, @online or @misc — and the field list changes to match. A citation key is generated from the first author's surname, the year and the first word of the title, and you can override it.

The details that break a LaTeX build are handled automatically. All ten characters LaTeX treats as syntax are escaped, so an ampersand in a title compiles instead of failing, and capitalisation is brace-protected so a style file cannot lowercase an acronym like DNA. Page ranges are written with the double hyphen BibTeX expects.

A second mode goes the other way: paste existing BibTeX and it is parsed, sorted by author and year, and shown as a readable reference list with the braces and escapes stripped. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you type or paste is uploaded.

Frequently asked questions

What is a BibTeX citation key?

It is the label you pass to the cite command in LaTeX, and it must be unique within your bibliography. A common convention, used by default here, is the first author's surname followed by the year and the first word of the title, such as smith2020sleep.

Why do BibTeX titles need curly braces?

Many style files lowercase title words, which would turn DNA into dna. Wrapping a word in braces protects its capitalisation. This tool can brace words with internal capitals, brace the whole title, or leave it alone.

Which characters need escaping in BibTeX?

The ten LaTeX treats as syntax: backslash, ampersand, percent, dollar, hash, underscore, both braces, tilde and caret. An unescaped ampersand in a title is one of the most common reasons a bibliography fails to build, so they are all escaped for you.

How do you write page ranges in BibTeX?

With a double hyphen, as in 112--130, which LaTeX renders as an en dash. This tool converts whatever dash you type into the double-hyphen form automatically.

Why does my bibliography not show all the fields I entered?

Because the style file decides what to print. An entry can be perfectly valid BibTeX and still display less than you typed, since styles like plain, abbrv and apalike each select and order fields differently.

Is my bibliography data uploaded?

No. Both building and parsing happen in JavaScript inside your browser tab, so no entry you type or paste is transmitted anywhere. The download is generated locally too.

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