TexLive
TexLive is a LaTeX distribution for scientific and technical typesetting. Write markup in .tex files, compile to PDF with pdflatex or xelatex. Professional alternative to Word for papers, theses, and technical documentation—version-controllable, mathematically precise, cross-platform.
LaTeX is markup language where commands start with backslash: \command{arg} or \command[option]{arg}. Bold text is \textbf{text}, italics is \textit{text}. Unlike Markdown, LaTeX separates content from presentation—you write the structure, LaTeX handles layout and typography.
% Compile: pdflatex main.tex \documentclass{article} \title{My Paper} \author{Me} \begin{document} \maketitle Hello, world! \end{document}
Compile with pdflatex main.tex and open main.pdf. LaTeX is powerful for mathematics, citations, cross-references, and professional document layout. Steep learning curve for simple documents, but indispensable for papers and theses.