Live now
Journal citation styles, powered by CSL
Citation Style Language is the open standard behind Zotero and Mendeley. Nearly every journal publishes its exact style as a CSL file, and CitApp now renders with the same engine. Pick your journal's style by name in the CSL library and get every comma right.
How the CSL library works
- 1Open the style picker when you create a project, or change style later from the project card menu.
- 2Choose from the CSL library group: APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago, Nature, Science, The Lancet, BMJ, IEEE, Vancouver, OSCOLA and more.
- 3Markers and the reference list render to that exact specification, in English or Swedish.
- 4Change your mind later and switch styles. The sources stay, only the formatting changes.
Why CSL matters
The official spec, not an imitation
A CSL file is the style, maintained by the community and often by the journal itself. CitApp renders it with citeproc, the same engine Zotero uses, so the output matches the guide by construction.
A curated bundle that will grow
The library starts with about 25 of the styles students and researchers ask for most. The full CSL repository holds thousands, and search across all of it is the next step.
Deterministic output
Like CitApp's custom styles, CSL rendering is rule-based. The same source always produces the same reference, with no AI in the loop.
Common questions
Which CSL styles are included?
About 130 to start: APA 7 and 6, MLA 9, Chicago author-date and notes, Harvard (Cite Them Right), Vancouver/NLM, IEEE, Nature, Science, Cell, The Lancet, BMJ, PLOS, ACS, AMA, ASA, APSA, AAA, CSE, MHRA, OSCOLA, journal house styles from Elsevier, Springer, SAGE and Taylor and Francis, and around 20 UK and Australian university Harvard styles.
What if my style is not in the bundle?
Use the support button in the app and name the journal or university. Requests decide which styles get added next. You can also build your own style with the custom style builder.
Are CSL styles free?
Yes. The CSL library is included for free, same as the built-in styles.
What is CSL exactly?
Citation Style Language, an open XML format that describes how citations and bibliographies should be formatted. It powers Zotero, Mendeley and many publisher tools.
Does it work in Swedish?
Yes. Set the project language to Swedish and dates and terms follow, so an undated source renders as u.å. instead of n.d.
More from CitApp
Pick your journal's style by name
Save your sources once, then render them in APA, Nature or Vancouver with one switch. The whole reference list follows.
Create a free account