Over the years, the reference management software Zotero has also become increasingly popular at the TUHH. On August 9, 2024, the long-awaited version 7 of the open source software was released. The update for Windows, macOS and Linux operating systems includes a refreshed design and new functions. In the following overview, we show you what else has changed when collecting, managing and citing literature with Zotero.
- New user interface and night mode
- Performance
- Webpage snapshots and EPUB support
- New plugin architecture
- Further features
- Further information
New user interface and night mode
The Zotero interface has been completely redesigned. But the all-clear can be given straight away. Everything looks a little more modern, but the familiar Zotero “feel” and basic layout have not been lost with version 7.
- A new element area replaces the previous horizontal tabs with vertical sections (tidier layout)
- Night mode, a now indispensable feature on computers, tablets and smartphones, is now also available in Zotero as an alternative to light mode
- Zotero now also offers a “Compact” and “Loose” mode, which can be used to customize the display according to your own preferences, similar to the choice of line spacing in scientific papers, for example
Performance
Zotero itself speaks of a noticeable increase in performance and native support for various operating systems in version 7. And indeed, the first few hours of testing have confirmed this impression, with the new version appearing even cleaner and more robust than Zotero 6.
Annotate webpage snapshots and EPUB support
Two frequently requested functions have been added to the new PDF reader from Zotero. Firstly, EPUB files can now also be used. The advantage of this format is that the content is optimized for display on devices. A PDF, on the other hand, is often referred to as merely a digital representation of a paper document.
With Zotero 7, it is now also possible to edit webpage snapshots directly in the PDF reader. As with PDF full text, screenshots can now be annotated and marked up. There are also new annotation options for editing PDF full texts:
- Freehand drawings
- Underlining
- Text annotations
New plugin architecture
The functions of Zotero have been extended over many years by various plugins. Although plugin development is said to have been simplified, it is advisable to check whether individually used plugins are already compatible with Zotero 7 or whether they will be offered for Zotero 7 in the future. In the Zotero forums, for example, there is a lively exchange about possible alternatives to the no longer supported Zotfile plugin.
Further features
Zotero 7 offers a whole range of other improvements for regular work with scientific literature. Among other things, we noticed the following in the first few hours of testing:
- Improved accessibility
- Clickable links in the metadata are clearly recognizable and can be accessed via an “Show online” button
- Attachment preview in the main window
- Collection affiliations can be viewed in the metadata of the respective entry
In addition, there are many other improvements for which it is worth exploring the new version individually in detail.