Choose a document engine
Understand how LaTeX, Typst, and Markdown become a PDF, and choose the compiler your project needs.
Цей контент ще не доступний вашою мовою.
An engine turns your source into the document people read. Choose the document language when you create a project. For a LaTeX project, you can also choose which LaTeX compiler runs the build.
Choose a language
Section titled “Choose a language”| Your work | Start with | How it becomes a PDF |
|---|---|---|
A journal submission, an established thesis class, or an existing .tex project | LaTeX | Tectonic, or a compiler run through latexmk |
| A new paper, report, or resume with concise typesetting syntax | Typst | The bundled Typst compiler |
| A prose draft, notes, or a document you want to export to several formats | Markdown | Pandoc converts the source to LaTeX; Tectonic produces the PDF |
The choice determines the editor toolbar, source syntax, and available export formats. Changing a LaTeX compiler does not translate the document into Typst or Markdown.
Tectonic
Section titled “Tectonic”Use Tectonic for a straightforward LaTeX setup. It comes with Oleafly, downloads the TeX packages a build needs, and caches them for later builds. Start here when your template does not require a particular compiler.
Compile once while online before traveling. A cached project can compile offline; a new package may still need a download. Enable Settings → General → Offline mode to tell Tectonic to use its cache.
pdfLaTeX
Section titled “pdfLaTeX”Choose pdfLaTeX when a publisher or existing project specifies it. It follows the traditional LaTeX workflow and is a useful match for older classes and package combinations. It needs a TeX distribution with latexmk installed.
XeLaTeX
Section titled “XeLaTeX”Choose XeLaTeX for a project that asks for it, particularly one using fontspec, OpenType fonts, or multilingual text. Make sure the fonts named by the source are installed or included with the project. It also runs through latexmk.
LuaLaTeX
Section titled “LuaLaTeX”Choose LuaLaTeX for a template that requires it, Lua-based typesetting, or Oleafly’s tagged-PDF workflow. Tagged PDFs carry document structure that assistive technology can use. Run the preflight checks to inspect the result; the compiler choice alone does not establish the quality of the tags.
The Typst compiler is bundled with Oleafly. Create a Typst project, write in .typ files, and click Recompile. There is no separate TeX installation to configure for this workflow.
Typst has its own syntax, packages, and font handling. Use the Typst writing guide for a complete starting document and the toolbar controls.
Markdown
Section titled “Markdown”Markdown uses Pandoc to prepare a typeset document and Tectonic to build its PDF. Open Settings → Engines → Markdown to install Pandoc when it is missing. Then open your Markdown project and compile it.
Use Markdown writing for headings, lists, math, and the visual editor. The export guide explains which output formats the project offers.
Set a default for new projects
Section titled “Set a default for new projects”Open Settings → Engines → LaTeX and choose the default compile engine. This sets the starting preference for new LaTeX projects. An existing project’s saved compiler remains its own choice.
Change the current project’s compiler
Section titled “Change the current project’s compiler”Open the compiler control in the project toolbar. Choose Tectonic, pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, or LuaLaTeX, then compile. Read the log if a template needs a package or font that the selected installation does not have.
Detect an existing TeX distribution
Section titled “Detect an existing TeX distribution”Open Settings → Engines → LaTeX and review the detected toolchain. Oleafly checks for a complete compiler setup, including latexmk and the supporting tools. A partial system installation does not take priority over a working managed installation.
Install managed TinyTeX
Section titled “Install managed TinyTeX”Use the install control in the LaTeX engine settings if you need a traditional compiler and do not have one. Oleafly downloads its own TinyTeX installation under ~/.oleafly/tinytex; administrator access is not required. Allow roughly 250 MB for the initial download and additional space for packages.
Manage packages
Section titled “Manage packages”The package list in LaTeX engine settings lets you filter packages, inspect descriptions, and add or remove them. Tagging badges identify packages that need extra attention when producing a tagged PDF. These controls manage the TeX distribution used by latexmk; Tectonic has a separate cache.