Internal Logic

Detailed explanation of how BibTeX Validator processes, validates, and enriches your bibliography.

Validation Pipeline

The core validation logic follows a multi-stage pipeline designed for accuracy and performance.

Process Flow

        flowchart LR
    Start([Input BibTeX]) --> Parser{Parse}
    Parser --> |Entries| Validator[Validation Engine]

    subgraph Parallel[Parallel Processing]
        direction TB
        Validator --> Check{Check IDs}
        Check --> |Has DOI| Crossref[Fetch Crossref]
        Check --> |Has arXiv| Arxiv[Fetch arXiv]
        Check --> |Missing| Scholar[Search Backup\nScholar/DBLP]

        Crossref --> Normalize[Normalize Data]
        Arxiv --> Normalize
        Scholar --> Normalize
    end

    Normalize --> Compare{Comparison}
    Compare --> |Match| StatusOk[Identical]
    Compare --> |Mismatch| StatusDiff[Conflict]
    Compare --> |New Data| StatusNew[Review]

    StatusOk --> Result([Final Result])
    StatusDiff --> Result
    StatusNew --> Result

    classDef distinct fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    class Start,Result distinct;
    

1. Parsing & Identification

The validator first parses the .bib file using bibtexparser. It then identifies the best strategy for each entry:

• DOI-based: Preferred method. Queries Crossref directly.

• arXiv-based: Used for preprints. Queries arXiv API.

• Search-based: Fallback. Uses Title/Author to search Google Scholar or DBLP.

2. Parallel Execution

To ensure high performance even with large bibliographies, the validator processes entries in parallel.

• Concurrency: Uses ThreadPoolExecutor to handle multiple network requests simultaneously.

• Rate Limiting: Implements smart delays to respect API rate limits (e.g., Crossref, arXiv).

3. Smart Comparison

The system doesn’t just check for equality; it understands bibliographic data:

• Normalization: Standardizes author names, page numbers, and dates before comparing.

• Fuzzy Matching: Detects minor stylistic differences (like “Journal of…” vs “J. of…”) to avoid false alarms.

Data Source Priority

When multiple sources provide data for the same field, the validator applies a strict priority system to ensure the highest quality metadata.

Priority	Source	Best For
1	Crossref	Official DOIs, Publisher Metadata
2	arXiv	Preprints, Latest Revisions
3	Zenodo	Datasets, Software, GitHub Links
4	DBLP	Computer Science Conferences
5	DataCite	General Datasets
6	PubMed	Biomedical Literature
7	Semantic Scholar	AI-driven discovery, Missing DOIs
8	OpenAlex	General Backup

Scoring & Status Logic

Each field in an entry is assigned a validation status based on the comparison:

• Identical: Perfect match (after normalization).

• Different: Content matches but format differs slightly (>70% similarity).

• Conflict: Significant content mismatch (e.g., completely different year).

• Review: Using data from API to fill a missing local field.