Install & Compatibility
Where this runs
tested against v1.4.4 · pip install
no network on importno background threads
Install × environment matrix
Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux
muslpy 3.10–3.95 runs
installs and imports cleanly · install 0.0s · import 0.332s · 20.4MB
glibcpy 3.10–3.95 runs
installs and imports cleanly · install 2.6s · import 0.286s · 21MB
18MB installed
● package 18MB
Code
Verified usage
Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.
bibtexparser
✓ import bibtexparser
This quickstart demonstrates how to read a BibTeX file, access and modify entries within the `BibDatabase` object, and then write the data back to a new file. It covers both reading with `bibtexparser.read_file` and writing with `bibtexparser.dump`, as well as direct manipulation of `BibDatabase` objects.
import bibtexparser
from bibtexparser.bibdatabase import BibDatabase
from bibtexparser.bparser import BibTexParser
import os
# Create a dummy .bib file for demonstration
dummy_bib_content = """
@article{doe2023example,
title={An Example Article},
author={Doe, John and Smith, Jane},
journal={Journal of Examples},
year={2023},
volume={1},
number={1},
pages={1-10}
}
@book{smith2022guide,
title={A Guide to Everything},
author={Smith, Jane},
publisher={Example Press},
year={2022}
}
"""
# Ensure the file exists for the example
with open('temp_references.bib', 'w') as f:
f.write(dummy_bib_content)
# 1. Read a BibTeX file
with open('temp_references.bib') as bibtex_file:
# Using the default parser
bib_database = bibtexparser.read_file(bibtex_file)
print("--- Parsed Database ---")
for entry in bib_database.entries:
print(f"ID: {entry['ID']}, Title: {entry.get('title')}")
# 2. Access and modify entries
if bib_database.entries:
first_entry = bib_database.entries[0]
print(f"\nFirst entry authors: {first_entry.get('author')}")
first_entry['note'] = 'Added by example'
print(f"First entry new note: {first_entry.get('note')}")
# 3. Create a new BibDatabase and add an entry
new_bib = BibDatabase()
new_bib.entries.append({
'ID': 'example2024new',
'ENTRYTYPE': 'misc',
'title': 'New Entry Added',
'year': '2024'
})
# 4. Dump (write) to a new BibTeX file
with open('output.bib', 'w') as output_file:
bibtexparser.dump(new_bib, output_file)
print("\nNew entry saved to output.bib")
# Clean up dummy files
os.remove('temp_references.bib')
os.remove('output.bib')
Debug
Known issues
breakingVersion 2.0.0 (currently in beta) introduces significant breaking changes. Key changes include the renaming of `entry.pop_field` to `entry.pop`, changes in default arguments for middleware, and potential renames for `write_file` parameters. Code written for 1.x.x will likely not work with 2.x.x without modifications.fixConsult the 2.x migration guide upon its release. For now, stick to 1.x.x for production code or thoroughly test beta versions.
affects: 2.0.0bX and later (upcoming 2.0.0 stable)
gotchaThe `BibTexParser` class and `BibDatabase` class are located in submodules (`bibtexparser.bparser` and `bibtexparser.bibdatabase` respectively) and cannot be directly imported from the top-level `bibtexparser` module.fixUse explicit submodule imports: `from bibtexparser.bparser import BibTexParser` and `from bibtexparser.bibdatabase import BibDatabase`.
affects: 1.x.x
gotchaVersion 1.4.4 explicitly requires `pyparsing>=3.0.0`. Older versions of `pyparsing` might lead to import errors or parsing issues.fixEnsure `pyparsing` is updated to version 3.0.0 or higher (`pip install --upgrade pyparsing`).
affects: 1.4.4
gotchaThe BibTeX entries are stored as dictionaries within the `bib_database.entries` list. Accessing fields like 'title' or 'author' should be done using dictionary syntax (`entry['title']` or `entry.get('title')`). Missing keys will raise a `KeyError` if accessed directly, so `get()` is often safer.fixUse `entry.get('field_name', default_value)` for safe access to fields that might be optional or missing from some entries. affects: 1.x.x
Upgrade
Version history
1.4.4latest on PyPI · released Jan 29, 2026
Audit
Dependencies
pyparsingrequiredRequired for parsing BibTeX files. Version 1.4.4 requires pyparsing>=3.0.0.