Software citation
Citing a program, package, or model as a source, including its version and — where the authors provide one — their preferred citation.
Software shapes results, so it belongs in the references. A software citation gives the authors, the name, the version, and a DOI or repository URL. Version is not optional: behaviour changes between releases, and “analysed in R” without a version is not reproducible.
Many projects ship a CITATION.cff file or a “how to cite” note naming a paper they would rather you cite. Follow it — that is the credit route the authors chose. AI tools are cited the same way, as software with a version and a date.
Do it on CitationEasy
See also
Data citationCiting a dataset as a source in its own right, with its own authors, title, version, repository, and DOI.DOI (Digital Object Identifier)A permanent identifier for a document — usually a journal article — that resolves to its current location no matter how many times the publisher moves it.CSL (Citation Style Language)An open XML format for describing how a citation style formats references, used by Zotero, Mendeley, Paperpile, and this site.