RefForge is an innovative reference management application developed with Next.js and Tauri, aimed at simplifying the organization and citation of research materials. This powerful tool is designed to enhance productivity for researchers and academics by providing a user-friendly interface for managing references effortlessly.

Key Features

• Add New References: Quickly add references to your collection with ease.
• Edit Existing References: Modify reference details as needed.
• Delete References: Easily remove references that are no longer relevant.
• Search Functionality: A future feature that will allow users to search for specific references within their collection.
• Export Options: Ability to export references in various formats, including .bib files, for use in different applications.
• Import from arXiv: Seamlessly import references directly from arXiv.
• Database Export: Future support for exporting the entire database of references.
• BibTeX Import: A planned feature to import references from .bib files.
• Potential Vector Database Integration: Considering advanced features involving vector databases for enhanced data management.
• Synchronization Functionality: Plans to enable the synchronization of data across platforms using cloud services.

Technical Requirements

To begin with RefForge, ensure that the following software is installed on your system:

• Node.js (including npm)
• Rust

System Dependencies

RefForge relies on specific system dependencies:

• Linux (Debian/Ubuntu): Install required packages using the command:

  sudo apt-get update
  sudo apt-get install -y libwebkit2gtk-4.0-dev build-essential
  

• macOS: Install the required Xcode command line tools using:

  xcode-select --install
  

• Windows: Install Microsoft C++ Build Tools and select "Desktop development with C++" during installation.

Development Environment

To run RefForge in development mode, execute:

npm run tauri dev

This command starts the Next.js development server, compiles the Rust backend, and opens a native desktop window displaying the application.

Production Build

To create a production-ready standalone application, run:

npm run tauri build

This will generate an optimized application bundle tailored for your operating system, ready for distribution.