LaTeX Environment Setup
Quick Reference
When to use this skill:
- •Installing LaTeX on a new machine
- •Setting up MacTeX distribution
- •Configuring Skim PDF viewer with SyncTeX
- •Verifying LaTeX installation
- •Troubleshooting missing packages
Recommended Stack
| Component | Purpose | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MacTeX 2025 | Full LaTeX distribution (TeX Live 2025) | ✅ Recommended |
| Skim 1.7.11 | PDF viewer with SyncTeX support | ✅ macOS only |
| TeXShop 5.57 | Integrated LaTeX IDE (optional) | ✅ Native macOS |
Quick Start
Install MacTeX
bash
brew install --cask mactex # Size: ~4.5 GB (includes everything)
Verify Installation
bash
tex --version # Expected: TeX 3.141592653 (TeX Live 2025) pdflatex --version latexmk --version
Test Compilation
bash
echo '\documentclass{article}\begin{document}Hello World!\end{document}' > test.tex
pdflatex test.tex
ls test.pdf # Verify PDF created
Post-Installation Checklist
- • Verify
tex --versionshows TeX Live 2025 - • Verify
latexmk --versionshows 4.86a+ - • Verify
pdflatex test.texcreates PDF - • Install Skim if using mactex-no-gui
- • Test SyncTeX: compile with
-synctex=1flag - • Configure Skim preferences for editor integration
- • Add
/Library/TeX/texbinto PATH if needed - • Test package installation:
sudo tlmgr install <package>
Reference Documentation
For detailed information, see:
- •Installation - Full MacTeX vs lightweight options, Skim installation
- •Verification - Check installation, verify PATH, test compilation
- •Package Management - Check, install, search for packages with tlmgr
- •Skim Configuration - Enable SyncTeX, configure preferences for editor integration
- •Troubleshooting - PATH issues, tlmgr problems, permissions
See Also:
- •Build Workflows: Use
latex/buildskill for latexmk automation - •Table Creation: Use
latex/tablesskill for tabularray usage