The web interface¶

altero includes a browser application at /app/ for reference management, accounts, groups, sharing and instance administration.

Important boundary: the browser session does not authenticate the Zotero v3 API. Zotero Desktop continues to use an API key.

The web interface can replace Zotero Desktop for most everyday reference management. Create items, edit their fields, type, creators, tags and notes, upload, rename and replace attachments, organize collections and merge duplicates. It also works alongside Zotero Desktop, with changes synchronized between them.

What you can do¶

Installing it as an app¶

The interface can be installed on a phone, tablet or computer, and then opens in a window of its own:

• iPhone and iPad: open /app/ in Safari, then Share → Add to Home Screen. Not verified on a real device yet.
• Android and desktop Chrome or Edge: Install in the browser's menu or address bar.

An installed app opens without a network, but it shows no library offline: nothing from a library is stored on the device, so signing out of a shared machine leaves nothing behind. An open page checks for a new interface build every five minutes while visible, and when you return to the tab. If its build is outdated, it offers Reload once for that update. A manual reload already fetches the current interface, so it shows no further update prompt. Updating another tab never forces your current page to reload.

Accounts¶

Registration and personal settings are documented in Accounts and personal settings.

Registration is not generally open by default. It is available for the first account, when the instance enables open registration, or for an address with a group invitation.

Account settings¶

Users can manage their own credentials, email address, second factors and signed-in sessions from Settings. See Accounts and personal settings.

API keys¶

API keys used by Zotero Desktop can be reviewed and revoked from the browser. See Accounts and personal settings.

Connected applications¶

Third-party applications the account has approved are listed and can be disconnected from Settings, separately from API keys. See Accounts and personal settings for the screen and Connecting other applications for how an operator registers one.

Language and time zone¶

Language and time-zone preferences belong to the account, so they follow the user across browsers. See Accounts and personal settings.

Browsing a library¶

The browser presents a Zotero-like library view with collections/tags, an item list and item details. See Browsing and organizing a library.

Collections¶

Collections can be created, renamed, moved and removed in the browser. See Browsing and organizing a library.

Sharing one collection¶

A collection can also be shared by link without exposing the whole library or requiring the recipient to have an account. See Publishing and sharing.

Items¶

The browser supports making items and notes, editing their fields, type, creators, tags, related items and note text, adding and replacing files and web links, and filing, trashing, restoring, deleting and copying items. See Browsing and organizing a library.

Exporting items¶

The browser can write Zotero-supported export formats and CSL JSON for a library, collection or selection. See Moving, importing and exporting data.

My Publications¶

My Publications lets a user publish selected work under the terms collected by the Zotero-style publishing flow. See Publishing and sharing.

Profile pages¶

Published work appears on the user's profile page subject to the audience chosen by that account. See Publishing and sharing.

Publication visibility¶

Visibility is controlled by the account's publication/profile settings. The detailed behavior is in Publishing and sharing.

Touch interaction¶

Touch and pointer interaction details are documented in Browsing and organizing a library.

Tags¶

Tags can be renamed across a library from the browser. See Browsing and organizing a library.

Moving in from zotero.org¶

A personal library can be copied from zotero.org while preserving keys and versions the desktop client already knows. See Moving, importing and exporting data.

Import and export¶

A complete altero archive is for backup or moving between compatible instances. Ordinary export formats are for other applications. See Moving, importing and exporting data.

Administration¶

Instance administrators get a separate Administration area for accounts, storage, retention and sign-in providers. The role does not automatically grant access to every library. See Administration.

Groups¶

Users can view groups; group administrators can manage membership and policy. See Groups, invitations and activity.

Notifications and invitations¶

Group invitations, activity and opt-in notifications are documented in Groups, invitations and activity.

Group activity¶

The authenticated activity view can name the items and collections involved in changes. Email digests intentionally contain only counts. See Groups, invitations and activity.

Group notifications¶

Members choose their own notification subscriptions. See Groups, invitations and activity and Email.

Design¶

The browser follows the altero design system. Contributor-facing details are in Design system and Web implementation notes.

Not built yet¶

Some workflows still need Zotero Desktop, including PDF annotation and offline library access. See Web implementation notes for the current browser gaps and What works for the server feature status.