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Getting Started

Requirements

  • Python 3.11+
  • uv (recommended) or pip

Installation

git clone https://github.com/your-username/openalex-pygui.git
cd openalex-pygui
uv sync

Running the App

uv run openalex-pygui

This launches the Flet desktop application with three tabs: Search, Library, and Settings.

Configuring the API Key

OpenAlex works without an API key, but adding one increases your rate limit from 10 to 100 requests per second.

  1. Go to the Settings tab
  2. Enter your OpenAlex API key in the "OpenAlex API Key" field
  3. Click Save Settings

You can obtain a free API key from openalex.org.

Polite Pool Email

For BibTeX retrieval via doi.org and Crossref, providing an email address is recommended. This puts you in the "polite pool" for content negotiation.

  1. Enter your email in the Polite Pool Email field on the Settings tab
  2. Click Save Settings

Theme

Switch between system, light, and dark mode from the Settings tab using the Theme dropdown. The preference is persisted across sessions.

Desktop Shortcut

Click Create Desktop Shortcut on the Settings tab to add a launcher to your desktop.