Software & Code Citation Generator
Cite a program you used, such as R, SPSS or a Python package. Enter the developer, the program's name, the year, the publisher and the web address, and get the reference in APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18 and 10,834 other styles — then add the version number the form does not ask for. Free, no sign-up.
How to Use the Software Citation Generator
- 1. Find the details. The program's website, its About dialog or its documentation gives the developer, the exact name, the version number and the release year. Many tools print a recommended citation, so look for a Cite or Citation page.
- 2. Enter them. Put the program's name in Title, the developer in Author(s), the publisher in Publisher / Site and the year of this version in Date / Year. Paste the download or home-page URL.
- 3. Set the descriptor. Type Computer software in Format / medium for APA. Leave it empty for MLA and Chicago.
- 4. Pick a style. Choose APA, MLA, Chicago or any of the 10,834 styles.
- 5. Add the version. Type it into the copied reference, as the notes below describe.
What a Software Citation Contains
A program is cited by its developer, the year of the version you used, its name, its version and the publisher. The version is the one detail that matters most, because behavior, and results, change from release to release.
| Element | APA 7 | MLA 9 | Chicago 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Developer or team | Developer, or the title if developer and publisher are the same | Developer |
| Title | Italic, sentence case | Italic, headline case | Italic, headline case |
| Version | (Version 4.4.1), after the title | Version 4.4.1, after the title | version 4.4.1, after the title |
| Descriptor | [Computer software] | None required | None required |
APA 7 (§10.10) puts the version in parentheses after the title and [Computer software] after that; the developer is the author, and the publisher is the source when it differs. APA does not ask for a reference for standard software, such as Microsoft Word, mentioned in passing; name the version in the text. MLA 9 treats the program as a stand-alone work: title, version, publisher, date, URL. If the developer and the publisher are the same, begin with the title. Chicago 18 cites software mostly in notes, with the version and the publisher and year in parentheses.
Software Citation Examples
R version 4.4.1, from the R Core Team. The details are those the R Project prints for its own citation; the style details follow each manual's pattern.
R, version 4.4.1
APA 7:
R Core Team. (2024). R: A language and environment for statistical computing (Version 4.4.1) [Computer software]. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org/
APA in-text:
(R Core Team, 2024)
MLA 9:
R Core Team. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Version 4.4.1, R Foundation for Statistical Computing, 2024, www.R-project.org/.
MLA in-text:
(R Core Team)
Chicago 18 note:
R Core Team, R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing, version 4.4.1 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, 2024), https://www.R-project.org/.
Chicago 18 bibliography:
R Core Team. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Version 4.4.1. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, 2024. https://www.R-project.org/.
What the Generator Gives You
Type R Core Team as the author and the generator inverts it to Team, R. C. in APA and Team, R. Core in MLA, because it recognizes group names by words such as Association or Institute and Team is not on its list. Fix the author in your document. The form has no version box: you can type (Version 4.4.1) at the end of the title, which APA then prints in the right place, but MLA and Chicago print the parentheses as typed, so rewrite them as Version 4.4.1 there. Enter Computer software in the format box for APA only, where it becomes the bracket; in MLA and Chicago it prints as a stray sentence.
Which Tool Do You Need?
- A program or package installed on a computer — this page.
- An app from the App Store or Google Play — the Mobile App Citation Generator.
- A repository on GitHub, with a CITATION.cff file — the GitHub Citation Generator.
- A video game — the Video Game Citation Generator.
- A dataset that a program produced — the Dataset Citation Generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite software in APA 7?
- Give the developer, the year, the title in italics, the version in parentheses and [Computer software], then the publisher and the URL: R Core Team. (2024). R: A language and environment for statistical computing (Version 4.4.1) [Computer software]. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. URL. In text: (R Core Team, 2024).
- How do I cite software in MLA 9?
- Give the developer, the title in italics, the version, the publisher, the year and the URL: R Core Team. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Version 4.4.1, R Foundation for Statistical Computing, 2024, www.R-project.org/. If the developer is also the publisher, begin with the title.
- How do I cite R, SPSS or Python?
- Use the developer's recommended citation. For R, type citation() in the console. For SPSS, the developer is IBM Corp., the title is IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, and the version number is shown in the Help menu. For a Python package, use the package's own page or its CITATION file.
- Do I need to cite Microsoft Word or Excel?
- Not if you only mention them. APA does not require a reference for standard software mentioned in passing. Cite software when it is a source of results, such as a statistical package or a tool you built on.
- What if there is no version number?
- Leave it out and give the year of the release. For a web-based tool, cite the page and add the date you used it, because the tool can change under you.
- Which citation styles does the software generator support?
- All 10,834 styles in the library, including APA 7, MLA 9 and Chicago 18. The source type is preset to Software / computer program.
Related Tools
How to cite a Software or App in each style
Format rules, templates, and worked examples for the styles most often required.