# TexLite A lightweight self-hosted alternative to Overleaf for _small, trusted_ research teams. Use your existing LaTeX distribution and coding agents, with no heavyweight service stack. [![CI](https://github.com/SWUFE-DB-Group/TexLite/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/SWUFE-DB-Group/TexLite/actions/workflows/ci.yml) [![npm version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/texlite?logo=npm&label=npm)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/texlite) [![Docker Hub](https://img.shields.io/docker/v/zhongpu/texlite?logo=docker&label=Docker%20Hub)](https://hub.docker.com/r/zhongpu/texlite) **Documentation:** English (this file) · [Operations](OPERATIONS.md) · [Design](DESIGN.md) · [简体中文](README.zh-CN.md) **Website:** [TexLite GitHub Pages](https://swufe-db-group.github.io/TexLite/)

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c2b277ab-7cab-4f2b-8684-358fd9fefe8f ## Why TexLite - **Own the writing environment.** Use the host's TeX installation and coding agents; keep sources, history, and compiled output in one local data directory. - **Collaborate without a large stack.** The default deployment is one Node.js process, SQLite, and local files—plus real-time editing and source-level comments for a small trusted team. ## Quick start Install Node.js 24 or newer, `latexmk`, and at least one TeX engine such as `pdflatex`, `xelatex`, or `lualatex`. Git is needed only for the optional Git/GitHub integration. After installation, `texlite requirements` checks the relevant host software and versions before initialization. ```bash npm install --global texlite texlite requirements texlite init texlite start texlite status ``` Open . `texlite init` creates the configuration and the first administrator; public registration is deliberately unavailable. To mount TexLite below an existing domain path such as `/texlite`, configure `server.basePath` and follow the [reverse-proxy guide](OPERATIONS.md#reverse-proxy-subpath). For upgrades and routine management: ```bash npm update --global texlite texlite restart texlite logs ``` `texlite serve` runs in the foreground for debugging, Docker, or systemd. `start`, `stop`, `restart`, `status`, and `logs` use the PM2 runtime bundled with the npm package. Run `texlite help` for the complete command list. ## A practical distinction from Overleaf [Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/about/features-overview) is a strong choice when its hosted product or broader ecosystem is the right fit. TexLite addresses a narrower self-hosted use case: - A shared hosted service can queue, slow down, or time out at usage peaks. - Overleaf's open-source [Community Edition](https://github.com/overleaf/overleaf) follows a more involved [Docker deployment path](https://docs.overleaf.com/on-premises/getting-started/what-is-the-overleaf-toolkit), and several functionalities, such as source comments, are [Server Pro features](https://docs.overleaf.com/on-premises/user-and-project-management/roles-and-permissions). _If you do not mind a heftier Docker image, [we have one ready too](#docker-deployment) :)_ - TexLite can run host-installed Coding Agent CLIs (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode) directly in a project terminal. Agents can inspect and edit project files, while the team chooses the models and workflows; this goes beyond a built-in AI chat interface. Self-hosting does not make every document compile faster: that still depends on the host and the document. It does give the team control over capacity, TeX updates, data location, and the collaboration workflow. For a desktop-first, individual workflow, start with [VS Code + LaTeX Workshop](https://github.com/James-Yu/LaTeX-Workshop) or [TeXstudio](https://texstudio.org/) instead. TexLite is purpose-built for shared browser writing, not a replacement for a personal IDE. ## What the writing workflow includes - Projects with folders, ZIP import/export, tags, sharing, ownership transfer, archiving, and a private per-user citation library with topic folders, tags, Markdown notes, and folder-wide BibTeX export with optional notes for sharing. Import `.bib` files or TexLite JSON exports. - Owner-managed read-only links for anonymous readers, with expiry, rotation and revocation. Readers can view source and existing PDFs without joining collaboration. - CodeMirror editing with LaTeX/BibTeX highlighting, folding, completion, optional Vim mode, formatting, spelling/grammar/ChkTeX assistance, search/replace, and source/PDF SyncTeX navigation. - Yjs-based collaborative source editing, active-session presence, comments anchored to source text, replies, resolution, and permissions that let reviewers comment without changing source. - `latexmk` compilation with selectable engines, project settings, structured diagnostics, cached successful PDFs, downloadable artifacts, and optional project-level `latexmkrc`. - Per-project history and owner-only Git/GitHub backup. Git is optional and is checked only when its integration is used. - Optional browser terminals for host-installed coding agents, enabled by an administrator. See [external agent terminals](OPERATIONS.md#external-agent-terminals). ### Docker deployment If the host does not have—or you do not want to maintain—Node.js, TeX Live, Git, and Harper locally, use the heavier [TexLite-Docker](https://github.com/SWUFE-DB-Group/TexLite-Docker) deployment. Its published image bundles those runtime dependencies for you. The Docker image currently does not include Coding Agent CLIs. For agent integration, we recommend deploying TexLite directly via npm and installing and configuring the CLIs on the host. ```bash git clone https://github.com/SWUFE-DB-Group/TexLite-Docker.git cd texlite-docker cp deployment.example.json deployment.json # Edit deployment.json before the first start. ./scripts/compose.sh pull ./scripts/compose.sh up -d # Open ``` See the [TexLite-Docker README](https://github.com/SWUFE-DB-Group/TexLite-Docker#readme) for its user-facing configuration and operations guide. ## Documentation map | Need | Read | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | Installation, configuration paths, effective defaults, environment overrides, service management, backups, and security boundaries | [Operations guide](OPERATIONS.md) | | Collaboration, source persistence, compilation isolation, history, and design trade-offs | [Design](DESIGN.md) | | TikZ gallery add-on (beta) | [TikZ gallery add-on](addon.md) | | Testing an npm package before publication | [NPM testing guide](NPM_TESTING.md) | | Complete configuration starting point | [texlite.config.example.json](texlite.config.example.json) | ## Scope and security TexLite is a single-host application for a small, trusted team. Accounts are created by an administrator, and project access is enforced by the server. It is not a compiler sandbox: LaTeX and an enabled project `latexmkrc` can run powerful commands on the host, so only give accounts to people you trust. **Within a local network.** TexLite listens on `127.0.0.1` by default, so only the host itself can open it. To let colleagues on the same lab or office network use it, set `server.host` to `0.0.0.0` in `texlite.config.json` (or set `TEXLITE_HOST=0.0.0.0`) and run `texlite restart`. Others can then open `http://:3000`; allow the port in the host firewall if needed. `texlite config` prints the configuration file in use. **Outside the local network.** Use a tunnel or a private network instead of forwarding the port on your router. TexLite keeps listening on `127.0.0.1`, and its own login still protects every project.

TexLite Share: the simplest HTTPS link for TexLite

[TexLite Share](https://share.zhongpu.info/) is currently hosted in Hong Kong, so access from mainland China or regions outside Southeast Asia may be slower. With TexLite running locally on its default port, install and launch the tunnel client: ```bash curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ChenZhongPu/TexLite-Share/main/install-client.sh | bash ~/.local/bin/texlite-tunnel-client --server-url https://share.zhongpu.info ``` For a non-default local port, specify the address explicitly: ```bash ~/.local/bin/texlite-tunnel-client \ --server-url https://share.zhongpu.info \ --local-addr 127.0.0.1:8080 ```

Other common options include [Tailscale Serve](https://tailscale.com/docs/reference/tailscale-cli/serve), [Cloudflare Tunnel](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/), and [frp](https://github.com/fatedier/frp). ## License TexLite is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0; see [LICENSE](LICENSE). For proprietary modifications or commercial terms that differ from AGPL-3.0, contact the copyright holder.