How to Cite Computer Software

Learn how to properly cite software packages, programming languages, and scripts in APA format.

Basic Format

Author(s). (Year). Title of software (Version number) [Computer software]. Publisher. URL

Author(s). (Year). Title of software [Computer software]. Repository. URL

Examples

Commercial Software

IBM Corp. (2022). SPSS Statistics (Version 29.0) [Computer software]. IBM. https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics

Open Source Software

R Core Team. (2023). R: A language and environment for statistical computing [Computer software]. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org/

Research Software

Smith, J. D. (2023). DataAnalyzer (Version 2.1) [Computer software]. GitHub. https://github.com/jdsmith/data-analyzer

Key Elements

Software Information

  • Include version number
  • Specify software type
  • Note programming language
  • Add platform requirements

Developer Details

  • List individual developers
  • Include organization names
  • Note development teams
  • Specify maintainers if different

Access Information

  • Provide download location
  • Include repository links
  • Note license type
  • Specify access requirements

Special Cases

Additional Guidelines

  • For programming languages, cite the implementation
  • Include package dependencies if relevant
  • Note any required plugins or extensions
  • Specify development status (beta, stable, etc.)

In-Text Citations

First Citation

Use the full software name:

The analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics (Version 29.0; IBM Corp., 2022)...

Subsequent Citations

Use abbreviated form:

The results were analyzed (SPSS 29.0; IBM Corp., 2022)...

Software Types

Programming Languages

  • Cite specific implementation
  • Include compiler version
  • Note standard libraries
  • Specify runtime environment

Software Libraries

  • Include package manager info
  • Note version compatibility
  • Specify dependencies
  • Add installation instructions

Version Control

  • Use specific commit hashes for exact versions
  • Include release tags
  • Note branch information
  • Specify build numbers
  • Document any patches or hotfixes

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't omit version numbers
  • Don't use unofficial software names
  • Don't forget system requirements
  • Don't ignore license requirements
  • Don't mix different versions in citations