Introduction to LaTeX¶

Topic: LaTeX Lesson: 1 of 16 Prerequisites: Basic computer literacy, text editor familiarity Objective: Understand what LaTeX is, install a TeX distribution or access Overleaf, and compile your first document

What is TeX and LaTeX?¶

The History of TeX¶

TeX (pronounced "tech") is a typesetting system created by Donald Knuth in 1978. Knuth, a legendary computer scientist, was frustrated with the poor quality of mathematical typesetting in the revised edition of his book series "The Art of Computer Programming." He decided to create his own typesetting system that could produce beautiful, publication-quality documents, especially those containing complex mathematical formulas.

TeX is a low-level markup language that gives users precise control over document formatting. However, this precision comes at the cost of complexity—writing raw TeX can be tedious and requires deep knowledge of typesetting conventions.

Enter LaTeX¶

LaTeX (pronounced "lah-tech" or "lay-tech") was created by Leslie Lamport in the 1980s as a set of high-level macros built on top of TeX. LaTeX abstracts away many of TeX's low-level details, allowing users to focus on the logical structure of their documents rather than formatting minutiae.

Think of it this way: - TeX: The engine—a powerful, low-level typesetting language - LaTeX: A user-friendly interface built on top of TeX

Today, when people say "LaTeX," they typically mean the combination of the TeX engine and the LaTeX macro package.

Why Use LaTeX?¶

LaTeX vs. Word Processors (Word, Google Docs)¶

Advantages of LaTeX:

Superior Typography: LaTeX produces professionally typeset documents with excellent kerning, ligatures, and hyphenation
Mathematical Typesetting: Unparalleled support for complex mathematical formulas and equations
Consistent Formatting: Separation of content and presentation ensures consistency throughout large documents
Cross-References: Automatic numbering and referencing of sections, equations, figures, and citations
Bibliography Management: Powerful integration with BibTeX/BibLaTeX for managing references
Version Control: Plain text format works seamlessly with Git and other version control systems
Stability: Documents created 20 years ago still compile today
Free and Open Source: No licensing costs

When Word Processors Might Be Better:

Short documents with simple formatting
Collaborative editing with non-technical users
Documents requiring extensive WYSIWYG editing
Business documents with company-specific templates
Tight deadlines with no time to learn LaTeX

LaTeX vs. Markdown¶

Markdown is great for simple documents, but LaTeX excels when you need: - Complex mathematical notation - Precise control over layout - Professional academic/scientific publications - Cross-referencing and bibliographies - Multi-chapter books with consistent formatting

TeX Distributions¶

A TeX distribution is a collection of programs, packages, and fonts needed to use LaTeX. The three major distributions are:

TeX Live (Recommended for Linux, Windows, macOS)¶

TeX Live is the most comprehensive, cross-platform TeX distribution.

Pros: - Available on all major operating systems - Includes virtually all LaTeX packages - Regular updates - Consistent across platforms

Installation: - Linux: Usually available through package managers ```bash # Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt-get install texlive-full

# Fedora sudo dnf install texlive-scheme-full

# Arch sudo pacman -S texlive-most ``` - Windows/macOS: Download installer from tug.org/texlive - Size: Full installation is ~7 GB

MiKTeX (Windows)¶

MiKTeX is a Windows-focused distribution with on-the-fly package installation.

Pros: - Smaller initial download - Automatic package installation when needed - Good Windows integration

Cons: - Primarily Windows (Linux/macOS versions exist but are less polished) - Automatic downloads can be slow during compilation

Installation: - Download from miktex.org

MacTeX (macOS)¶

MacTeX is essentially TeX Live packaged for macOS with additional Mac-specific tools.

Pros: - Optimized for macOS - Includes TeXShop (native Mac editor) - Same package collection as TeX Live

Installation: - Download from tug.org/mactex

Online Editors: Overleaf¶

Why Overleaf?¶

Overleaf (overleaf.com) is an online LaTeX editor that runs in your browser.

Advantages: - No installation required - Real-time preview - Collaborative editing (like Google Docs) - Access from any device - Hundreds of templates - Automatic compilation - Version history

Limitations: - Requires internet connection - Free tier has compilation timeout and limited collaborators - Less control over TeX distribution version

Perfect for: - Beginners learning LaTeX - Collaborative projects - Working across multiple computers - Quick document creation

Getting Started with Overleaf¶

Visit overleaf.com
Create a free account
Click "New Project" → "Blank Project"
Start typing LaTeX code in the left pane
See the PDF preview on the right

Desktop Editors¶

TeXstudio (Recommended for Beginners)¶

TeXstudio is a feature-rich, cross-platform LaTeX editor.

Features: - Syntax highlighting - Code completion - Integrated PDF viewer - Spell checking - Built-in symbol tables - Error highlighting

Installation: - Download from texstudio.org

VS Code + LaTeX Workshop¶

Visual Studio Code with the LaTeX Workshop extension is excellent for programmers already using VS Code.

Setup: 1. Install VS Code 2. Install LaTeX Workshop extension 3. Open a .tex file 4. Use Ctrl+Alt+B (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Option+B (Mac) to build

Advantages: - Integrated with existing workflow - Git integration - Customizable - Supports snippets

Vim and Emacs¶

For advanced users, Vim (with vimtex plugin) and Emacs (with AUCTeX) provide powerful LaTeX editing environments.

Your First LaTeX Document¶

Let's create a simple "Hello World" document.

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}

Hello, World! This is my first \LaTeX{} document.

\end{document}

Understanding the Code¶

\documentclass{article}: Declares the document type. article is for short documents like papers or reports.
\begin{document} and \end{document}: Everything between these commands is the document content.
\LaTeX{}: A special command that typesets the LaTeX logo with proper formatting.

Compiling the Document¶

On Overleaf¶

Paste the code into a new project
The PDF automatically appears on the right

On Your Computer¶

Using TeXstudio: 1. Save the file as hello.tex 2. Press F5 (or click the green arrow) 3. The PDF appears in the built-in viewer

Using Command Line:

pdflatex hello.tex

This creates hello.pdf in the same directory.

The Compilation Pipeline¶

Understanding what happens when you compile a LaTeX document is important for troubleshooting.

Basic Pipeline¶

hello.tex → pdflatex → hello.pdf

pdflatex reads your .tex file and directly produces a PDF.

Alternative Engines¶

latex: Produces DVI (DeVice Independent) format, requires conversion to PDF bash latex hello.tex # Creates hello.dvi dvipdf hello.dvi # Creates hello.pdf
xelatex: Supports Unicode and system fonts bash xelatex hello.tex
lualatex: Modern engine with Lua scripting support bash lualatex hello.tex

For beginners, pdflatex is the standard choice.

Multiple Passes¶

Some documents require multiple compilation passes:

First pass: Processes content, writes auxiliary files
Second pass: Resolves cross-references, table of contents
Additional passes: Sometimes needed for bibliography or complex cross-references

Example workflow for a document with citations:

pdflatex paper.tex    # First pass
bibtex paper          # Process bibliography
pdflatex paper.tex    # Second pass (update references)
pdflatex paper.tex    # Third pass (ensure consistency)

Most modern editors (TeXstudio, LaTeX Workshop) handle this automatically.

File Types Explained¶

When you compile a LaTeX document, several files are created:

Input Files¶

.tex: Your LaTeX source code (the only file you edit)
.bib: Bibliography database (BibTeX format)
.cls: Document class files (defines document structure)
.sty: Style package files (additional functionality)

Output Files¶

.pdf: The final compiled document (what you want!)

Auxiliary Files (Can Be Deleted)¶

.aux: Auxiliary file with cross-reference information
.log: Detailed compilation log (useful for debugging)
.toc: Table of contents data
.lof: List of figures data
.lot: List of tables data
.out: PDF bookmarks (when using hyperref)
.bbl: Formatted bibliography (created by BibTeX)
.blg: BibTeX log file
.synctex.gz: Synchronization data for editor-PDF coordination

Pro Tip: You can safely delete all auxiliary files. They'll be regenerated on next compilation.

Many editors provide a "clean" command to remove these files:

# Manual cleanup
rm *.aux *.log *.toc *.out *.synctex.gz

Common Compilation Errors¶

Error: Undefined control sequence¶

Cause: You used a command that LaTeX doesn't recognize.

\textbf{This is bold}  % Correct
\bold{This is wrong}   % Error: \bold doesn't exist

Fix: Check command spelling or load the required package.

Error: Missing $ inserted¶

Cause: You used math symbols outside math mode.

The variable x is...         % Error: need math mode
The variable $x$ is...       % Correct

Error: File not found¶

Cause: LaTeX can't find a file you're trying to include.

Fix: Check file paths and ensure the file exists in the correct location.

A More Complete First Document¶

Let's create a slightly more realistic document:

\documentclass[12pt, a4paper]{article}

% Preamble - packages and settings
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}  % UTF-8 encoding
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}     % Font encoding
\usepackage{amsmath}         % Enhanced math support

% Document metadata
\title{My First \LaTeX{} Document}
\author{Your Name}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}

\maketitle

\section{Introduction}

This is my first real \LaTeX{} document. It includes:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Proper document structure
    \item Sections and subsections
    \item Mathematical equations
\end{itemize}

\section{Mathematical Content}

The Pythagorean theorem states that for a right triangle:
\[
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
\]

\section{Conclusion}

\LaTeX{} is a powerful typesetting system!

\end{document}

What's New Here?¶

[12pt, a4paper]: Options for document class (12-point font, A4 paper)
\usepackage{...}: Loading additional packages
\title, \author, \date: Document metadata
\maketitle: Generates title block from metadata
\section{...}: Creates a numbered section
\begin{itemize}...\end{itemize}: Bulleted list
\[...\]: Display math (equation on its own line)

Best Practices for Beginners¶

Start with Overleaf: Avoid installation headaches while learning
Use Templates: Overleaf has templates for papers, resumes, theses
Compile Often: Compile every few minutes to catch errors early
Read Error Messages: The .log file contains helpful information
One Sentence Per Line: Makes version control and editing easier
Comment Your Code: Use % to add explanatory notes
Organize Large Documents: Use \input{} to split chapters into separate files

Exercises¶

Exercise 1: Installation¶

Choose one of the following: - Create an Overleaf account and create a new blank project - Install TeX Live (or MiKTeX/MacTeX) and TeXstudio on your computer

Exercise 2: Hello World¶

Compile the basic "Hello World" document shown earlier. Verify that you get a PDF output.

Exercise 3: Personalized Document¶

Create a document with: - Your name as the author - A title of your choice - At least two sections - A bulleted list with at least three items - Today's date (use \today)

Exercise 4: Experiment¶

Try these modifications to see what happens: - Change article to report in \documentclass - Add [12pt] option: \documentclass[12pt]{article} - Change \today to a specific date like January 1, 2024 - Add a third section

Exercise 5: Error Recovery¶

Intentionally create an error by removing \end{document}. Try to compile. Read the error message. Fix the error.

Exercise 6: Explore Files¶

After compiling, look at the files created in your project directory. Open the .log file in a text editor and try to understand what it contains.

Summary¶

In this lesson, you learned: - The history and purpose of TeX and LaTeX - When to use LaTeX vs. other document preparation systems - How to install a TeX distribution or use Overleaf - The structure of a basic LaTeX document - How to compile your first document - Understanding the compilation pipeline and file types - Common errors and how to avoid them

In the next lesson, we'll dive deeper into document structure, exploring document classes, the preamble, sectioning commands, and how to organize larger documents.

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