JabRef Portable

JabRef Portable is a software tool which was specifically built to help you create and maintain bibliography reference databases.

This is the portable version of JabRef therefore, the Windows registry will not be updated with new entries, and there will be no leftover files upon it removal.

Another aspect worth mentioning is that you can run JabRef Portable on any machine you can connect to, by simply placing the program files to a removable storage unit (e.g. USB flash drive). No need to worry about the installation process, as it is not a prerequisite.

The interface is intuitive and allows both experienced and inexperienced people to work with it, without encountering any type of issue. It encompasses a menu bar, several shortcut buttons and a panel to display all information added to your database.

This application enables you to add a large number of entry types, including articles, books, conferences, patents, manuals and proceedings. Regardless of your choice, you will be required to input information such as author, title, keywords, year and timestamps.

It is also possible to attach files to all types of entries, as well as URLs, use a search function, mark entries, automatically generate BibTeX keys and cleanup all entries (e.g. remove unnecessary symbols, run a HTML converter in title, make path of linked files relative etc.).

The utility can detect duplicates and remove the, synchronize file links and export information to the hard drive as XML, RTF, TXT, HTML, SQL, CSV, ODS or RIS files.

To conclude, JabRef Portable proves to be a pretty handy piece of software when you find yourself in need of an open-source bibliography reference manager. It has a good response time, a user-friendly interface, many features to tinker with and it does not hinder your computer’s performance.