LaTeX Basics: Introduction and Setup

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LaTeX Basics: Introduction and Setup

Table of Contents

What is LaTeX?
- 1.1 The Philosophy Behind LaTeX
- 1.2 LaTeX vs. WYSIWYG Editors (Word, Google Docs, etc.)
- 1.3 Advantages of Using LaTeX
- 1.4 Disadvantages of Using LaTeX
- 1.5 Who Uses LaTeX and Why?
- 1.6 LaTeX, TeX, ConTeXt, and Friends: Clarifying the Terminology
Setting Up Your LaTeX Environment
- 2.1 Choosing a TeX Distribution
  - 2.1.1 TeX Live (Windows, Linux, macOS)
  - 2.1.2 MiKTeX (Windows)
  - 2.1.3 MacTeX (macOS)
  - 2.1.4 Basictex(macOS)
  - 2.1.5 Other Distributions
- 2.2 Installation Guides (Brief Overviews)
  - 2.2.1 TeX Live
  - 2.2.2 MiKTeX
  - 2.2.3 MacTeX
- 2.3 Choosing a LaTeX Editor
  - 2.3.1 TeXstudio
  - 2.3.2 TeXmaker
  - 2.3.3 Overleaf (Online)
  - 2.3.4 Visual Studio Code with LaTeX Workshop
  - 2.3.5 Other Editors (Emacs with AUCTeX, Vim with LaTeX-Suite, etc.)
- 2.4 Testing Your Installation
Your First LaTeX Document: A Walkthrough
- 3.1 The Basic Structure: Preamble and Body
- 3.2 The \documentclass Command
- 3.3 Packages: Extending LaTeX’s Functionality (\usepackage)
- 3.4 The \begin{document} and \end{document} Commands
- 3.5 Adding Text: Paragraphs and Line Breaks
- 3.6 Compiling Your Document: From Source to PDF
- 3.7 Understanding Compilation Errors and Warnings
- 3.8 Adding a Title, Author, and Date
Basic Formatting and Text Styling
- 4.1 Font Styles: Bold, Italics, Underline, etc.
- 4.2 Font Sizes: \tiny, \small, \normalsize, \large, etc.
- 4.3 Text Alignment: Left, Right, Center, Justified
- 4.4 Lists: Itemized, Enumerated, and Description
- 4.5 Special Characters and Symbols
- 4.6 Comments: %
- 4.7 Whitespace and Indentation: Best Practices
Working with Sections and Chapters
- 5.1 Sectioning Commands: \section, \subsection, \subsubsection, etc.
- 5.2 Chapters: \chapter (for book and report document classes)
- 5.3 Table of Contents: \tableofcontents
- 5.4 Numbering and Unnumbered Sections
Mathematical Formulas and Equations
- 6.1 Inline Math Mode: $...$
- 6.2 Display Math Mode: \[...\] and \begin{equation}...\end{equation}
- 6.3 Common Mathematical Symbols and Operators
- 6.4 Subscripts and Superscripts
- 6.5 Fractions, Roots, and Summations
- 6.6 Greek Letters
- 6.7 Matrices and Arrays
- 6.8 Using the amsmath Package
Including Images and Graphics
- 7.1 The graphicx Package
- 7.2 The \includegraphics Command
- 7.3 Supported Image Formats (PDF, PNG, JPEG, EPS)
- 7.4 Controlling Image Size and Placement (width, height, scale)
- 7.5 Captions and Labels: \caption and \label
- 7.6 Figures and the figure Environment
Tables
- 8.1 The tabular Environment.
- 8.2 Defining columns.
- 8.3 Adding rows and cells
- 8.4 Horizontal and Vertical lines.
- 8.5 Captions and Labels
- 8.6 The table environment.
Cross-Referencing
- 9.1 The \label command.
- 9.2 The \ref command.
- 9.3 Referencing equations, figures, tables and sections.
Bibliography Management
- 10.1 Manual Bibliographies
- 10.2 BibTeX: The Basics
- 10.3 Creating a .bib File
- 10.4 Citing References in Your Document: \cite
- 10.5 Choosing a Bibliography Style
- 10.6 Compiling with BibTeX
- 10.7 BibLaTeX: A Modern Alternative
Troubleshooting and Common Errors
- 11.1 “Undefined control sequence”
- 11.2 “Missing $ inserted”
- 11.3 “Overfull \hbox” and “Underfull \hbox”
- 11.4 “There’s no line here to end”
- 11.5 Package Conflicts
- 11.6 Finding Help Online (TeX Stack Exchange, etc.)
Best Practices and Further Learning
- 12.1 Code Organization and Readability
- 12.2 Version Control (Git)
- 12.3 Advanced LaTeX Topics (Custom Commands, TikZ, etc.)
- 12.4 Recommended Resources (Books, Websites, Tutorials)

1. What is LaTeX?

LaTeX (pronounced “Lay-tech” or “Lah-tech,” not “Lay-tex”) is a typesetting system widely used for producing high-quality documents, particularly in academic and technical fields. It’s not a word processor in the traditional sense (like Microsoft Word or Google Docs). Instead, it’s a markup language, meaning you write plain text with special commands that describe the structure and formatting of your document. LaTeX then takes this plain text and processes it to create a beautifully typeset output, typically a PDF file.

1.1 The Philosophy Behind LaTeX

The core idea behind LaTeX is the separation of content and presentation. You, the author, focus primarily on the content of your document – the words, ideas, equations, and structure. LaTeX handles the presentation – the fonts, spacing, layout, and overall visual appearance. This is achieved through the use of predefined styles and commands. This separation allows for:

Consistency: Your document will have a uniform look and feel throughout, without you having to manually adjust formatting for each element.
Professional Appearance: LaTeX’s typesetting algorithms are designed to produce visually appealing and typographically correct output.
Focus on Content: You can concentrate on writing without being distracted by formatting details.
Flexibility: While LaTeX has default styles, they are highly customizable. You can create your own styles or use pre-made templates to achieve a specific look.
1.2 LaTeX vs. WYSIWYG Editors (Word, Google Docs, etc.)

WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors, like Microsoft Word, allow you to directly manipulate the visual appearance of your document as you type. You see the formatting changes in real-time. LaTeX, on the other hand, is a markup language. You write plain text with commands, and then you “compile” this text to generate the final output (usually a PDF).

Here’s a table summarizing the key differences:

Feature	LaTeX	WYSIWYG (e.g., Word)
Input	Plain text with markup commands	Formatted text, direct manipulation
Output	PDF (usually), DVI, PostScript	Proprietary formats, PDF export
Formatting	Logical structure, predefined styles	Direct visual manipulation
Learning Curve	Steeper	Generally easier initially
Consistency	Excellent	Can be challenging to maintain
Math Typesetting	Superior, industry standard	Often cumbersome, less visually appealing
Complex Layouts	Highly flexible, powerful	Can be difficult and time-consuming
Version Control	Easy with plain text files	More difficult with binary formats
Collaboration	Can be done via version control, Overleaf	Easier with real-time co-editing

1.3 Advantages of Using LaTeX
Professional Typesetting: LaTeX produces documents with exceptional typographical quality, especially for mathematical formulas and complex layouts.
Consistency: Ensures a uniform look and feel throughout the document.
Content Focus: Allows authors to concentrate on content rather than formatting.
Stability and Portability: LaTeX is extremely stable and works consistently across different platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux). The plain text input files are highly portable.
Free and Open Source: LaTeX and most of its associated tools are free to use and open-source, meaning you have access to the source code and a large, supportive community.
Version Control Friendly: Plain text files work seamlessly with version control systems like Git, making collaboration and tracking changes easy.
Powerful for Complex Documents: Handles large documents (books, theses, etc.) with ease, including automatic generation of table of contents, bibliographies, indexes, and cross-references.
Extensible: A vast collection of packages extends LaTeX’s functionality to cover almost any typesetting need.
1.4 Disadvantages of Using LaTeX
Steeper Learning Curve: Requires learning the markup language and commands, which can be initially challenging.
Delayed Gratification: You don’t see the final output immediately; you need to compile the document.
Debugging: Errors in the code can be tricky to diagnose and fix, especially for beginners.
Real-time Collaboration: While platforms like Overleaf offer real-time collaboration, it’s generally not as seamless as in WYSIWYG editors.
Less Intuitive for Simple Documents: For very short, simple documents, a WYSIWYG editor might be faster.
1.5 Who Uses LaTeX and Why?

LaTeX is the dominant typesetting system in many academic and technical fields, including:

Mathematics: Its unmatched ability to typeset complex mathematical formulas makes it the standard for mathematical papers and textbooks.
Computer Science: Used for writing research papers, technical reports, and documentation.
Physics: Similar to mathematics, LaTeX is essential for typesetting equations and scientific notation.
Engineering: Used for technical reports, specifications, and academic publications.
Statistics: For papers and reports with statistical formulas and data analysis.
Economics: Increasingly used for working papers and publications.
Linguistics: For typesetting phonetic symbols and linguistic structures.
Any field requiring high-quality typesetting and precise control over document layout.

Researchers, academics, students, and technical professionals use LaTeX because it provides the tools they need to create professional-looking documents with complex content and formatting requirements.

1.6 LaTeX, TeX, ConTeXt, and Friends: Clarifying the Terminology

This can be a confusing area for beginners. Here’s a breakdown:

TeX: The underlying typesetting engine created by Donald Knuth. TeX is a very low-level language, and it’s rarely used directly for writing documents. Think of it as the “assembly language” of typesetting.
LaTeX: A set of macros built on top of TeX, providing a higher-level, more user-friendly interface. LaTeX simplifies document creation by providing commands for common formatting tasks (sections, lists, equations, etc.). When people say “LaTeX,” they almost always mean this macro package.
ConTeXt: Another macro package built on top of TeX, similar in purpose to LaTeX but with a different philosophy and syntax. ConTeXt is known for its flexibility and is often used for creating complex layouts.
TeX Distribution: A collection of software that includes the TeX engine, LaTeX, ConTeXt, and various other tools and utilities needed to create and compile documents. Examples include TeX Live, MiKTeX, and MacTeX.
LaTeX Editor: A text editor specifically designed for writing LaTeX code. These editors often provide features like syntax highlighting, code completion, and integrated compilation tools.

2. Setting Up Your LaTeX Environment

To use LaTeX, you need two main components:

A TeX Distribution: This provides the underlying typesetting engine and all the necessary files.
A LaTeX Editor: This is where you’ll write your LaTeX code.
2.1 Choosing a TeX Distribution

Several TeX distributions are available, each with its pros and cons. Here are the most popular options:

2.1.1 TeX Live (Windows, Linux, macOS)
- Description: TeX Live is the most comprehensive and widely used TeX distribution. It’s the recommended choice for most users, especially beginners. It includes a vast collection of packages and tools, ensuring you’ll likely have everything you need.
- Pros: Complete, cross-platform, well-maintained, large community support.
- Cons: Large initial download size (several gigabytes). The full installation includes everything, which might be more than you need.
- Website: https://www.tug.org/texlive/
2.1.2 MiKTeX (Windows)
- Description: MiKTeX is a popular TeX distribution specifically for Windows. Its key feature is its ability to automatically download missing packages on-the-fly as needed. This means the initial installation is smaller, and you only download what you use.
- Pros: Smaller initial download, automatic package installation, easy to use.
- Cons: Windows-only, automatic package installation can sometimes be slow or unreliable (depending on your internet connection).
- Website: https://miktex.org/
2.1.3 MacTeX (macOS)
- Description: MacTeX is a TeX distribution specifically for macOS. It’s essentially TeX Live packaged for macOS, with some additional Mac-specific tools and utilities.
- Pros: Complete, well-integrated with macOS, includes a good LaTeX editor (TeXShop).
- Cons: Large initial download size, macOS-only.
- Website: https://www.tug.org/mactex/
2.1.4 BasicTeX (macOS)
- Description: BasicTeX is a much smaller version of MacTeX.
- Pros: Small initial download,
- Cons: It contains only a small subset of packages.
- Website: https://www.tug.org/mactex/morepackages.html
2.1.5 Other Distributions
- There are other, less common TeX distributions available, such as proTeXt (based on MiKTeX) and various Linux distributions’ package managers (e.g., apt on Debian/Ubuntu, yum on Fedora/CentOS).
2.2 Installation Guides (Brief Overviews)

Detailed installation instructions are readily available on the websites of each distribution. Here are brief overviews:

2.2.1 TeX Live
1. Download: Download the installer from the TeX Live website (https://www.tug.org/texlive/acquire.html). You can choose between a network installer (smaller initial download) or an ISO image (larger download, but allows for offline installation).
2. Run the Installer: Follow the on-screen instructions. The default installation options are usually sufficient for most users. You can choose a “small,” “medium,” or “full” installation scheme. The “full” scheme installs everything, while the others install subsets of packages.
3. Configure (Optional): After installation, you might need to configure your system’s PATH environment variable to include the TeX Live binaries. This is usually done automatically by the installer, but you should check the documentation if you have problems.
2.2.2 MiKTeX
1. Download: Download the installer from the MiKTeX website (https://miktex.org/download). Choose the “Basic MiKTeX” installer.
2. Run the Installer: Follow the on-screen instructions. The default settings are usually fine.
3. Package Installation: MiKTeX will automatically download and install missing packages as you compile your documents. You can also manually install packages using the MiKTeX Console.
2.2.3 MacTeX
1. Download: Download the .pkg installer from the MacTeX website (https://www.tug.org/mactex/downloading.html).
2. Run the Installer: Double-click the .pkg file and follow the on-screen instructions. The installation process is straightforward.
2.3 Choosing a LaTeX Editor

A good LaTeX editor makes writing and compiling LaTeX code much easier. Here are some popular choices:

2.3.1 TeXstudio
- Description: TeXstudio is a feature-rich, cross-platform LaTeX editor with a user-friendly interface. It includes syntax highlighting, code completion, integrated PDF viewer, reference management, and many other features.
- Pros: Comprehensive features, easy to use, customizable, cross-platform.
- Cons: Can be slightly resource-intensive.
- Website: https://www.texstudio.org/
2.3.2 TeXmaker
- Description: TeXmaker is another popular, cross-platform LaTeX editor similar to TeXstudio. It’s known for its clean interface and ease of use.
- Pros: Simple and intuitive, good performance, cross-platform.
- Cons: Slightly fewer features than TeXstudio.
- Website: https://www.xm1math.net/texmaker/
2.3.3 Overleaf (Online)
- Description: Overleaf is a web-based LaTeX editor that allows you to write, compile, and collaborate on LaTeX documents in your browser. It requires no local installation.
- Pros: No installation required, accessible from anywhere, real-time collaboration, built-in templates.
- Cons: Requires an internet connection, free version has limited features (storage, collaborators), potential privacy concerns.
- Website: https://www.overleaf.com/
2.3.4 Visual Studio Code with LaTeX Workshop
- Description: Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular, free, and open-source code editor. The LaTeX Workshop extension adds powerful LaTeX support to VS Code, including syntax highlighting, code completion, compilation, and PDF viewing.
- Pros: Highly customizable, powerful extensions, excellent performance, cross-platform, integrates well with other development tools.
- Cons: Requires installing VS Code and the LaTeX Workshop extension, can be slightly more complex to set up initially.
- Website: https://code.visualstudio.com/ (VS Code), https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=James-Yu.latex-workshop (LaTeX Workshop)
2.3.5 Other Editors (Emacs with AUCTeX, Vim with LaTeX-Suite, etc.)
- Experienced users of text editors like Emacs and Vim often use specialized packages (AUCTeX for Emacs, LaTeX-Suite for Vim) to add LaTeX support. These offer powerful and customizable environments but have a steeper learning curve.
2.4 Testing Your Installation

After installing your TeX distribution and choosing an editor, you should test your installation to make sure everything is working correctly. Here’s how:

Create a New File: Open your LaTeX editor and create a new file. Save it with a .tex extension (e.g., test.tex).
Enter the Following Code:

“`latex
\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}
Hello, world! This is my first LaTeX document.
\end{document}
“`
Compile the Document: Use your editor’s built-in compilation command (usually a button with a “play” icon or a menu option like “Build” or “Typeset”). This will run LaTeX on your .tex file and generate a .pdf file.
View the PDF: Your editor should automatically open the generated PDF file. You should see a simple document with the text “Hello, world! This is my first LaTeX document.”

If you see the PDF output correctly, your installation is working! If you encounter errors, check the error messages carefully. Common problems include:

Missing Packages: If LaTeX complains about a missing package, you might need to install it manually (using your TeX distribution’s package manager) or, if using MiKTeX, ensure automatic package installation is enabled.
Typos in the Code: Double-check your code for any typos or syntax errors.
Incorrect PATH Configuration: If LaTeX cannot be found, you might need to adjust your system’s PATH environment variable.

3. Your First LaTeX Document: A Walkthrough

Let’s break down the simple “Hello, world!” example from the previous section to understand the basic structure of a LaTeX document.

3.1 The Basic Structure: Preamble and Body

A LaTeX document is divided into two main parts:

Preamble: This section comes before the \begin{document} command. It contains:
- The \documentclass declaration, specifying the type of document.
- \usepackage commands to load additional packages that extend LaTeX’s functionality.
- Definitions of custom commands and macros.
- Settings that affect the overall appearance of the document.
Body: This section is enclosed between the \begin{document} and \end{document} commands. It contains the actual content of your document – the text, equations, figures, tables, etc.
3.2 The \documentclass Command

The \documentclass command is the first command in most LaTeX documents. It specifies the document class, which determines the overall structure and layout of your document. Common document classes include:

article: For shorter documents like articles, reports, and essays.
report: For longer reports, with chapters.
book: For books, with chapters and front/back matter.
letter: For writing letters.
slides: For creating presentations (often used with the beamer package).

The \documentclass command can also take options in square brackets to customize the document class. For example:

latex \documentclass[12pt, a4paper]{article}

This sets the font size to 12 points and the paper size to A4. Other common options include 10pt, 11pt, letterpaper, twocolumn, oneside, and twoside.

3.3 Packages: Extending LaTeX’s Functionality (\usepackage)

LaTeX’s core functionality can be extended by loading packages. Packages provide additional commands and features for specific tasks, such as:

amsmath: Enhanced mathematical typesetting.
graphicx: Including images and graphics.
geometry: Controlling page margins and layout.
hyperref: Creating hyperlinks and PDF metadata.
inputenc: Specifying input character encoding (e.g., UTF-8).
fontenc: Specifying font encoding.
babel: Multilingual support.

You load a package using the \usepackage command in the preamble:

latex \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{graphicx} \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

Like \documentclass, \usepackage can also take options in square brackets.

3.4 The \begin{document} and \end{document} Commands

These commands mark the beginning and end of the document’s body. All the content you want to appear in your document must be placed between these two commands. Anything after \end{document} is ignored.

3.5 Adding Text: Paragraphs and Line Breaks

LaTeX treats consecutive lines of text as part of the same paragraph. To start a new paragraph, leave a blank line in your source code.

“`latex
This is the first paragraph. It continues
on this line and the next.

This is the second paragraph.
“`

To force a line break within a paragraph, use \\ (two backslashes) or the \newline command. However, avoid excessive use of manual line breaks; let LaTeX handle line wrapping automatically for optimal typesetting.

“`latex
This is a line.\
This is the next line.

This is a line.
\newline
This is the next line.
“`

3.6 Compiling Your Document: From Source to PDF

LaTeX compilation is the process of converting your .tex source file into a formatted output file, usually a PDF. Here’s the basic workflow:

Write/Edit: Write your LaTeX code in your editor.
Save: Save your changes to the .tex file.
Compile: Use your editor’s compilation command (usually a button or menu option). This typically runs a program called pdflatex (or latex, xelatex, lualatex).
View: Your editor will usually automatically open the generated PDF file.
Repeat: Make further changes to your code, save, and recompile as needed.

The compilation process might involve multiple runs of pdflatex (or other programs like bibtex for bibliographies). Your editor usually handles this automatically, but you might see messages in the compilation log indicating multiple runs are required.

3.7 Understanding Compilation Errors and Warnings

During compilation, LaTeX might encounter errors or warnings.

Errors: Errors prevent LaTeX from generating a PDF file. They usually indicate a syntax error in your code (e.g., a missing brace, an undefined command, a misspelled command). The error message will typically provide information about the location and nature of the error. You must fix errors before you can successfully compile your document.
Warnings: Warnings don’t prevent PDF generation, but they indicate potential problems or issues that you might want to address. Common warnings include “Overfull \hbox” (text extending beyond the margin) and “Underfull \hbox” (too much whitespace on a line). You can often ignore warnings, but it’s good practice to review them and fix any significant issues.

The compilation log (usually displayed in a separate panel in your editor) provides detailed information about errors, warnings, and the compilation process.

3.8 Adding a Title, Author, and Date

To add a title, author, and date to your document, use the following commands in the preamble:

latex \title{My First LaTeX Document} \author{Your Name} \date{October 26, 2023} % Or \date{\today} for the current date

Then, use the \maketitle command within the document environment to display the title, author, and date:

“`latex
\documentclass{article}

\title{My First LaTeX Document}
\author{Your Name}
\date{October 26, 2023}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

Hello, world! This is my first LaTeX document.
\end{document}
“`

You can omit the \date command to suppress the date, or use \date{} for an empty date.

4. Basic Formatting and Text Styling

LaTeX provides a wide range of commands for formatting text and controlling its appearance.

4.1 Font Styles: Bold, Italics, Underline, etc.
- Bold: \textbf{text} or {\bfseries text}
- Italics: \textit{text} or {\itshape text}
- Underline: \underline{text} (generally discouraged in professional typesetting; use italics for emphasis)
- Typewriter (Monospace): \texttt{text}
- Small Caps: \textsc{text}
- Slanted: \textsl{text} or {\slshape text}
- Emphasis: \emph{text} (usually renders as italics, but can be customized)
The commands with curly braces (e.g., {\bfseries text}) limit the scope of the style to the text within the braces. The commands with \text... apply the style to the argument. \emph is generally preferred for emphasis because its rendering can be changed globally, making it more flexible.
4.2 Font Sizes:

LaTeX provides a set of commands for controlling font size, relative to the base font size specified in the \documentclass options.
- \tiny
- \scriptsize
- \footnotesize
- \small
- \normalsize (the default size)
- \large
- \Large
- \LARGE
- \huge
- \Huge
  These commands affect the font size from the point they are used until the end of the current group (e.g., within curly braces) or until another size command is encountered.
  latex {\large This text is large. \par} This text is normal size again.
4.3 Text Alignment: Left, Right, Center, Justified
- Justified: The default alignment in most LaTeX document classes. Text is aligned to both the left and right margins.
- Left-aligned:
  latex \begin{flushleft} This text is left-aligned. \end{flushleft}
- Right-aligned:
  latex \begin{flushright} This text is right-aligned. \end{flushright}
- Centered:
  latex \begin{center} This text is centered. \end{center}
4.4 Lists: Itemized, Enumerated, and Description

LaTeX provides environments for creating different types of lists:
- Itemized (Bullet Points):
  
  latex \begin{itemize} \item First item \item Second item \item Third item \end{itemize}
- Enumerated (Numbered List):
  
  latex \begin{enumerate} \item First item \item Second item \item Third item \end{enumerate}
- Description (Labeled List):
  
  latex \begin{description} \item[Label 1] Description of item 1 \item[Label 2] Description of item 2 \item[Label 3] Description of item 3 \end{description}
  
  You can nest lists within each other:
  
  latex \begin{itemize} \item First item \item Second item \begin{enumerate} \item Sub-item 1 \item Sub-item 2 \end{enumerate} \end{itemize}
  * 4.5 Special Characters and Symbols
  LaTeX has commands for typesetting a wide variety of special characters and symbols. Some common examples include:
  * Dashes:
  * --: en dash
  * ---: em dash
  * Quotes:
  * `` (two backticks): opening double quote
  * '' (two single quotes): closing double quote
  * ' (one backtick): opening single quote
  * ' (one single quote): closing single quote.
  * Tilde: ~ (non-breaking space), \~{}
  * Accents:
  * \'e: é
  * `a: à * \^o: ô
  * \”{u}: ü
  * \c{c}: ç
  * Other symbols: Use math mode or specialized packages for many symbols.
  * 4.6 Comments: %
  Anything on a line after a % symbol is treated as a comment and is ignored by LaTeX. Comments are essential for documenting your code and making it easier to understand.
  LaTeX % This is a comment. It will not appear in the output. This text will appear. % This comment is also ignored.
4.7 Whitespace and Indentation: Best Practices
- Whitespace: LaTeX generally ignores extra spaces and tabs. Multiple spaces are treated as a single space. Blank lines create paragraph breaks. Use whitespace strategically to improve the readability of your code.
- Indentation: While LaTeX doesn’t require indentation, it’s highly recommended to indent your code to visually represent the structure of your document (e.g., indenting the contents of environments). Consistent indentation makes your code much easier

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