Insert citations
Insert Markdown citations while typing or from the command palette, using the primary or secondary citation format.
ZotLit inserts Markdown citations from your Zotero library in two ways: an inline suggester that appears while you type, and a command-palette picker.
Insert while typing
The citation suggester triggers when you type [@ in the editor. A dropdown appears with items from your Zotero library.
Start a citation
Type [@ in the editor. A suggestion list appears.
Search and select
Continue typing to filter the list. Select an item and press Enter to insert the citation.
By default, this inserts the primary citation format (e.g. [@citationKey]).
Insert the secondary format (optional)
To insert the secondary citation format instead (e.g. @citationKey), end your query with / before pressing Enter. The instruction row in the suggester shows "/ Enter to insert secondary citation" as a reminder.
If the selected item has no citation key, nothing is inserted and a notice appears: "Selected item has no citekey: {key}."
Suggester settings
- Citation suggester (default: on): enables or disables the inline suggester. Find it at the top of Settings > ZotLit.
- Show citekey in suggestions (default: off): shows each item's citation key beside its title in the suggester list. Find it at the top of Settings > ZotLit.
Insert from the command palette
Open the citation picker
Open the command palette (Ctrl+P on Windows/Linux, Cmd+P on macOS) and run:
A picker appears with your Zotero library.
Select an item
Search for an item and press Enter to insert the primary citation.
Press Shift+Enter to insert the secondary citation instead.
Citation formats
ZotLit ships two citation templates:
| Template | Settings label | Default output | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Citation | Bracketed citation | [@citationKey] |
| Secondary | Alternate citation | Bare citation | @citationKey |
These are the default outputs. You can change them by editing the Citation and Alternate citation templates in Settings > Templates.