LighTex 1.1.8

A focused local LaTeX editor for macOS and Linux, with source and PDF side by side.

Download

Your computer	Installer
Apple Silicon Mac (M1 and newer)	Download the macOS DMG
Intel Mac	Download the macOS DMG
Ubuntu or Debian (x86_64)	Download the Linux DEB

View LighTex 1.1.8 and its checksums

Apple Silicon: macOS 11+ · Intel Mac: macOS 10.15+ · Linux: Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+, x86_64

Important

macOS may block LighTex on the first launch.

LighTex is distributed directly through GitHub and is not notarized by Apple yet. This means macOS Gatekeeper may show a warning even though you intentionally downloaded the app.

To open LighTex:

1. Move LighTex to your Applications folder.
2. In Finder, Control-click (or right-click) LighTex.
3. Choose Open.
4. Click Open again in the confirmation dialog.

If macOS still blocks the app, open:

System Settings → Privacy & Security

Scroll down to the Security section and click Open Anyway next to LighTex.

You normally only need to do this once.

Do not disable Gatekeeper globally.

Feedback

Found a bug or have an idea for improving LighTex?
Open an issue — suggestions and feedback are welcome.

Install

macOS

1. Choose the Apple Silicon or Intel download button above.
2. Open the DMG and drag LighTex into Applications.
3. Start LighTex and use an existing TeX installation or choose the recommended Standard runtime.

Ubuntu and Debian

1. Download the .deb package using the Linux button above.
2. Open it with your system's Software Install application and choose Install.
3. Start LighTex from the applications menu and select a TeX provider.

Projects remain ordinary folders on your computer. Removing LighTex never removes your .tex, image, bibliography, or PDF files.

Highlights

• CodeMirror LaTeX editor with multiple tabs, completion, snippets, autosave, and project-wide search.
• Continuous PDF preview with search, zoom, page navigation, and forward/inverse SyncTeX.
• Files, Search, and Table of Contents navigation with PDF page numbers plus safe rename, duplicate, move, upload, and Trash operations.
• Compact Insert Shelf with searchable symbols, readable formula previews, reusable blocks and one-click table sizing.
• Reusable personal templates plus real first-page previews for bundled templates.
• pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, and LuaLaTeX through system TeX or signed managed runtimes.
• Atomic saves, external-file conflict handling, grouped build diagnostics, and missing-package installation.
• Named project versions with read-only previews, line diffs, recovery snapshots, and safe restore.
• A focused template creator with real PDF previews, configurable Course Notes title pages, single-file or chapter-folder layouts, code styles, and two section-numbering modes.

Platforms

Package	Supported systems
Apple Silicon DMG	macOS 11 Big Sur and newer on M-series Macs
Intel DMG	macOS 10.15 Catalina and newer on Intel Macs
Linux .deb	Ubuntu 22.04+, Ubuntu 24.04+, and Debian 12+ on x86_64

Windows, Linux ARM, AppImage, Flatpak, and automatic application updates are not part of version 1.1.

Development

LighTex 1.1 uses Tauri 2, Rust, React, TypeScript, CodeMirror 6, and PDF.js. Build instructions and release details are documented in DEVELOPMENT.md, with the internal architecture in docs/architecture.md.

Licensed under the MIT License.