Getting Started with LaTeX

Before we write our first document, we need to install a LaTeX distribution and an editor.

Step 1: Install a LaTeX Distribution

A LaTeX distribution provides all the tools and packages needed to process your LaTeX code and produce PDF documents.

Windows

• MiKTeX: A popular, lightweight distribution. It installs packages on-the-fly as you need them.
• TeX Live: A comprehensive distribution (large download) covering everything.

Recommendation: Go with MiKTeX if you have limited space, or TeX Live for a complete setup.

macOS

• MacTeX: Based on TeX Live, this is the standard distribution for macOS. It includes TeXShop and other utilities.

Linux

Most Linux distributions manage TeX Live through their package managers:

sudo apt-get install texlive-full  # Debian/Ubuntu (Note: lengthy install!)
sudo dnf install texlive-scheme-full # Fedora

Online Alternative (No Installation)

If you prefer not to install software, use Overleaf. It's a powerful online LaTeX editor with real-time collaboration and cloud storage. Perfect for beginners!

Step 2: Choose an Editor

A specialized LaTeX editor makes writing code much easier with syntax highlighting and auto-completion.

1. Visual Studio Code: The most popular code editor today. Install the LaTeX Workshop extension by James Yu. It is powerful and customizable.
2. TeXShop (macOS only): Simple and effective, comes with MacTeX.
3. TeXworks / TeXstudio: Dedicated LaTeX IDEs with many built-in features.

Recommendation: VS Code + LaTeX Workshop for a modern experience.