Getting Started

TexStylus is a collaborative LaTeX editor. You write documents in a Monaco-based editor (or a structured block editor), compile them to PDF, and review and discuss them with your team in real time.

Your first project, step by step

Create an account. Sign up with your email address and click the verification link sent to your inbox. If you don't see it, check your spam folder or the troubleshooting guide for help.
Open the dashboard. After signing in you land on the projects dashboard where all of your projects are listed.
Create a project. On the dashboard, click New Project (or Create New Project). Give it a name (a description and an organization are optional) and create it. You can also:
- browse the Templates section/page to start from a template, or
- open a project and use the workspace Import PDF button to bring in an existing PDF as editable LaTeX.
Open your first file. New projects open into the workspace, or click a .tex file in the sidebar Files tab. The file opens in the editor.
Write some LaTeX. Type in the editor — syntax is highlighted and, in supported projects, environment and block names are colorized. See Editor.
Compile to PDF. Click Compile in the toolbar (or use the command palette). The compiled PDF appears in the preview panel. See Compiling.
Review the output. Use the PDF preview, jump between your source and the rendered page with preview sync, and fix any errors shown in the Problems panel. See Preview and Workspace.
Share with your team. Click Share to invite collaborators. See Sharing a Project.

What you'll see in the workspace

The workspace is laid out for an edit–compile–review loop:

Toolbar   [Back] [Sidebar] [Source|Split|Preview] [Compile] [Palette] [PDF Import] [Share] [Comments] [Chat]
Sidebar   |   Editor (Monaco or block editor)   |   PDF Preview
Status bar [Compile status] [Out of date] [Ln, Col] [save] [connected/offline]

The sidebar holds your Files, Outline, Docs, Assets, Versions, Activity, and Members tabs. See Workspace.
The editor is the main writing surface. It auto-saves a few seconds after you stop typing, so you rarely need to save manually (though Ctrl+S works).
The PDF preview shows the latest successful compile and stays in sync with your cursor.
The status bar at the bottom shows save state, compile status, cursor position, and whether you are connected and how many others are present.

Common first actions

Goal	How
Get an empty file to PDF	Type a simple document, click Compile, open Preview.
Open the command palette	Press `Ctrl+P` and type a command such as "Compile".
Add a comment on a line	Select text in the editor, then click Comment on the floating toolbar.
Invite a teammate	Click Share in the toolbar and enter their email with a role.
Talk to your team	Open the Chat panel (bottom-right bubble or toolbar).
Ask the AI for help	Click the sparkles AI Assistant button, or select text and choose AI Explain.
Jump to a section	Use the Outline tab in the sidebar.

Importing a PDF

Open a project and click the Import PDF toolbar button. Choose a PDF and TexStylus converts it into editable LaTeX (and, where applicable, a structured document you can edit as blocks). Imported files appear under imports/ in the sidebar and open automatically.

Guided tour

The first time you open a workspace, a short guided tour points out the main areas. You can dismiss it, and it won't show again once you have completed it.

Next steps

Workspace — tour the editor layout and every panel.
Editor — writing and editing features, autosave, diagnostics.
Compile — the compilation workflow and fixing errors.
Preview — PDF review and editor-preview sync.
Comments — annotating and discussing.
Chat — talking with your team while you work.
AI Assistant — writing and formatting help.
Collaboration — real-time editing with others.
Keyboard Shortcuts — speed up your workflow.