LaTeX Editor

A local, Overleaf-style LaTeX editor inspired by OpenPrism and OpenAI Prism. Write LaTeX on the left, see your compiled PDF on the right — with an AI assistant that can rewrite your document from natural language instructions.

![Dark mode split view with file tree, editor, PDF preview, and AI panel]

Features

• Split view — LaTeX source editor alongside live PDF preview
• File tree — open and manage an entire project folder with multiple files
• Multi-tab editor — open several .tex files at once, with unsaved-change indicators
• One-click compile — ⌘+Enter saves and compiles via pdflatex
• AI assistant — describe a change in plain English; Claude rewrites your LaTeX and lets you Apply or Discard
• Streaming AI responses — output appears word by word, just like a chat interface
• Light / Dark mode — toggle in the top bar, preference saved across sessions
• Resizable panes — drag any panel border to adjust widths
• Right-click context menu — rename or delete files directly from the tree

Requirements

Python

Python 3.8 or later. Check with:

python3 --version

LaTeX

BasicTeX (lightweight, ~140 MB) or full MacTeX (~5 GB):

# Recommended: BasicTeX
brew install --cask basictex

# After installing, reload your PATH:
eval "$(/usr/libexec/path_helper)"

If your document uses extra packages (e.g. acmart, beamer), install them with:

sudo tlmgr update --self
sudo tlmgr install <package-name>

Common packages:

sudo tlmgr install acmart beamer biblatex collection-fontsrecommended

AI assistant (optional)

An Anthropic API key — paste it into Settings (⚙) inside the editor. The key is stored locally in your browser and never sent anywhere except api.anthropic.com.

Installation

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/latex-editor.git
cd latex-editor
bash run.sh

The launcher will:

1. Create a Python virtual environment
2. Install flask and anthropic automatically
3. Open http://localhost:8080 in your browser

Usage

Open a project folder

By default the editor opens the project/ folder inside the repo. To open your own folder:

bash run.sh /path/to/my/paper

Keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
⌘ Enter	Compile current file
⌘ S	Save current file
⌘ K	Toggle AI assistant panel

AI assistant

1. Click the ⌘K button (top right) or press ⌘K to open the AI panel
2. Enter your Anthropic API key in Settings (⚙) if you haven't already
3. Type an instruction, e.g.:
   • "Add a table of contents"
   • "Change the font size to 12pt"
   • "Add a bibliography section with BibTeX"
   • "Convert the itemize list to a numbered list"
4. Click Apply to replace your source with the AI's version — it compiles automatically

File management

• New file / folder — use the + buttons in the file tree header
• Rename / Delete — right-click any file or folder
• Files with unsaved changes show a • dot on their tab

Project structure

latex-editor/
├── app.py              # Flask server (compile, file API, AI streaming)
├── run.sh              # One-click launcher
├── templates/
│   └── index.html      # Full editor UI (single-file, no build step)
├── project/            # Default project folder (your .tex files go here)
└── README.md

Troubleshooting

pdflatex not found BasicTeX was installed but the PATH hasn't updated. Run:

eval "$(/usr/libexec/path_helper)"

Then restart the server.

File 'somepackage.cls' not found Install the missing package:

sudo tlmgr install somepackage

Port already in use macOS AirPlay uses port 5000. The editor runs on 8080 by default. If 8080 is also taken, edit the last line of app.py and change port=8080.

AI returns an error Check that your API key is correct in Settings (⚙). Keys start with sk-ant-.

License

MIT