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How to install LaTeX on Ubuntu 24.04

Dr. Soumen Atta, Ph.D.
4 min readSep 2, 2024

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How to install LaTeX on Ubuntu 24.04

Installing LaTeX on Ubuntu 24.04 is a straightforward process using the apt package manager. Below are step-by-step instructions to help you get LaTeX up and running on your system. Additionally, I'll cover installing a LaTeX editor to enhance your workflow.

1. Update Your Package List

Before installing new packages, it’s good practice to update your package list to ensure you have the latest information.

sudo apt update

2. Install TeX Live

TeX Live is a comprehensive distribution of TeX/LaTeX. You have several options depending on your needs:

a. Basic Installation

This installs a minimal LaTeX system, which is sufficient for simple documents.

sudo apt install texlive

b. Recommended Installation

Includes additional packages that are commonly used.

sudo apt install texlive-latex-recommended

c. Full Installation

Installs the complete TeX Live distribution, including all available packages. This requires more disk space but ensures that you have everything you might need.

sudo apt install texlive-full

Note: The full installation can be quite large (several GBs). If you’re unsure, starting with the basic or recommended installation is advisable, and you can add packages as needed later.

3. Install LaTeX Extras (Optional)

Depending on your needs, you might want to install additional packages for better functionality, such as support for specific languages or fonts.

sudo apt install texlive-fonts-recommended texlive-fonts-extra texlive-lang-all

4. Install a LaTeX Editor

While you can write LaTeX documents in any text editor, dedicated LaTeX editors provide features like syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and integrated PDF viewers. Here are some popular options:

a. TeXstudio

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Dr. Soumen Atta, Ph.D.
Dr. Soumen Atta, Ph.D.

Written by Dr. Soumen Atta, Ph.D.

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Faculty of IT, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. You can find more about me on my homepage: https://www.soumenatta.com/

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