Add blog post: Setting up JabRef's LSP Server with Emacs

_data/authors.yml

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ koppor:
   url: https://github.com/koppor
 
 mentee:
- name: JabRef GSoC Mentee
+  name: JabRef GSoC Mentee
 
 palukku:
   name: Philip
@@ -48,3 +48,7 @@ wanling:
 yubo:
   name: Yubo Cao
   url: https://github.com/yubo-cao
+
+Techvian:
+  name: Ayush Kumar Singh
+  url: https://github.com/Techvian

_posts/2026-03-29-emacs-lsp-setup.md

@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+---
+title: Setting up JabRef's LSP Server with Emacs
+tags: [jabref, emacs, lsp, macos, tutorial]
+author: Ayush Kumar Singh
+---
+
+Hello! I'm Ayush, a student pursuing B.Tech in AI & Data Science Engineering at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, India. In this blog, I share my experience documenting the setup of Emacs with JabRef’s LSP server during an open-source contribution.
+
+---
+
+## What's happening here
+
+JabRef has a built-in LSP server called [**JabLS**](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/tree/main/.jbang). You run it in the background, connect Emacs to it via `eglot`, and you get autocomplete, diagnostics, and more when editing `.bib` files.
+
+There are two ways to get the LSP server running - using `jbang`, or using the development build of JabRef which lets you enable LSP directly from Preference. I tested the `jbang` approach personally, so that's what this guide covers in detail. The macOS steps here should also be relatively easy to adapt for Linux and Windows.
+
+---
+
+## What you need
+
+- macOS (tested on Apple M2)
+- Homebrew (package manager for macOS)
+- Emacs 29 or later
+- Jbang
+- Basic comfort with Terminal
+
+---
+
+## Method 1 - Using jbang
+
+### Step 1 - Install Emacs
+
+```bash
+brew install --cask emacs
+```
+
+![Emacs installing via Homebrew](../img/02-emacs-install.png)
+
+Verify it's working:
+
+```bash
+emacs --version
+```
+
+It will show that `GNU Emacs 30.2`.
+
+### Step 2 - Install jbang
+
+[jbang](https://www.jbang.dev) is a tool for running Java apps without a full build setup. JabLS uses it.
+
+```bash
+brew install jbangdev/tap/jbang
+```
+
+![Jbang installing via Homebrew](../img/04-Jbang-install.png)
+
+Then trust the JabRef source:
+
+```bash
+jbang trust add https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/
+```
+
+When prompted, type `2` to trust the JabRef repository permanently.
+
+### Step 3 - Start the JabLS server
+
+Open a Terminal window and run:
+
+```bash
+jbang jabls@jabref
+```
+
+The first time, it downloads some dependencies. wait for it - when you see this line, the server is ready:
+
+```
+INFO: LSP Server listening on port 2087...
+```
+
+![LSP server running on port 2087](../img/08-lsp-server-running.png)
+
+> **Important** Keep this Terminal window open. The LSP server needs to stay running while you edit `.bib` files in Emacs.
+
+### Step 4 - Configure Emacs
+
+Open your Emacs config file with `Ctrl + X` then `Ctrl + F`, type `~/.emacs.d/init.el` and press Enter.
+
+Add this Config:
+
+```elisp
+(require 'package)
+(add-to-list 'package-archives
+             '("melpa" . "https://melpa.org/packages/") t)
+(package-initialize)
+
+(require 'eglot)
+
+(add-to-list 'eglot-server-programs
+             `(bibtex-mode . ("localhost" 2087)))
+
+(add-hook 'bibtex-mode-hook 'eglot-ensure)
+```
+
+Use `Ctrl + X` then `Ctrl + S` for save the file.
+
+> **Note:** We use `eglot` here because it ships built-in with Emacs 29+ and connects to JabLS cleanly over TCP. No extra packages needed.
+
+### Step 5 - Test it
+
+Open it in Emacs:
+
+```bash
+emacs ~/Desktop/Chocolate.bib
+```
+
+You should see `[eglot:~]` appear in the mode line at the bottom - that means Emacs is connected to JabLS.
+
+![Eglot connected to JabLS](../img/13-eglot-connected.png)
+
+---
+
+## Method 2 - Using JabRef's development build (alternative)
+
+If you'd rather not use `Jbang`, the development build of JabRef includes an option to enable the LSP server directly from JabRef's **Preferences** - no extra tools needed.
+
+Download the latest development build for your platform from:
+
+**https://builds.jabref.org/main/**
+
+Pick the right folder for your system:
+- `macOS-silicon` — Apple M2/M3
+- `macOS-intel` — older Intel Macs
+- `linux-amd64` — Linux
+- `windows-amd64` — Windows
+
+Once installed, open JabRef --> go to **Preferences** --> look for the **LSP server** option and enable it. The server will start automatically when JabRef is open, and you can connect Emacs to it using the same `eglot` config from step 4 above.
+
+---
+
+## Every time you use it (Jbang method)
+
+JabLS doesn't start automatically - start it before opening Emacs:
+
+```bash
+# Termainal 1 - Keep open
+jbang jabls@jabref
+
+# Terminal 2 - open your file
+emacs yourfile.bib
+```
+
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+**Eglot not connecting**
+Make sure the JabLS server is running and showing `listening on port 2087` before opening Emacs.
+
+**No completions appearing**
+Make sure your cursor is inside a BibTex field value, not on the citation key. Press `Ctrl + Alt + i` to trigger completions manually.
+
+---
+
+## Wrapping up
+
+The trickiest part was figuring out that [JabLS](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/tree/main/.jbang) is the correct server to use, and that `eglot` connects to it more cleanly than `lsp-mode` for this use case. Once those two things clicked, the rest was straightforward.
+
+If you run into anything unexpected, the [JabRef issue tracker](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues) is active and the maintainers respond quickly.
+