LaTeX editing without the account wall.

lattedit is a free browser workspace for people who want to write source, compile it, and read the resulting PDF without first moving their documents into another platform.

What the product does

A project begins as ordinary LaTeX files. The editor adds syntax highlighting, command and reference completion, file management, error navigation, and an integrated PDF reader. It supports pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, LuaLaTeX, BibTeX, and Biber. Projects can be imported from and exported to ZIP archives, so the files remain portable and usable with other TeX tools.

Why it is local-first

Anonymous projects live in IndexedDB inside the browser. There is no required registration and no hidden server database for those projects. Optional account sync is activated only when sign-in is configured and the user chooses to sign in. Compilation necessarily sends the current project files to the TeX service; those files are placed in an isolated temporary workspace and are automatically removed after a short idle period or service restart.

How it is built

The interface is a React and Vite application deployed on Vercel. The compiler is a restricted Node and TeX Live service deployed on Render. Exact repeat requests skip the TeX process, while edited documents reuse bounded LaTeX auxiliary state for faster cross-reference and bibliography builds.

Who it is for

lattedit is designed for students, researchers, engineers, writers, and software agents that need a clear LaTeX-to-PDF workflow. The no-key API supports deterministic document automation, demonstrations, and lightweight integrations. The service is provided without a paid tier; voluntary support helps cover compiler hosting costs.