# Latex Expert

> Expert guidance on LaTeX document preparation, formatting, mathematical typesetting, bibliography management, TikZ graphics, chemistry, and Python integration. Use for creating, debugging, or extending any LaTeX document.

- Skill: `mgriot/latex-expert` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 12 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mgriot/latex-expert`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mgriot/latex-expert/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Integrations & APIs
- Author: MGriot (https://skillmd.com/u/mgriot)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mgriot/latex-expert

---


# LaTeX Expert — Main Agent

## Overview

This is the top-level entry point for the LaTeX skill system. Read this file
first, then navigate to the relevant module for deep guidance.

## Quick Module Routing

| Task | Module to read |
|---|---|
| Draw any diagram, figure, or plot | `modules/tikz.md` |
| Control page size, margins, columns | `modules/geometry.md` |
| Citations, bibliography, `.bib` files | `modules/bibliography.md` |
| Chemistry formulas, molecules, reactions | `modules/chemistry.md` |
| Embed Python code or data in LaTeX | `modules/python-latex.md` |
| Math operators, environments, delimiters | `references/math.md` |
| Choose or debug packages | `references/packages.md` |

---

## Document Structure & Compilation

### Standard Structure

```tex
\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}

% Preamble — packages then macros
\usepackage[style=authoryear,backend=biber]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{references.bib}

\title{Title}
\author{Author}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\section{Introduction}
Text.

\printbibliography
\end{document}
```

### Compilation

Always use `latexmk`. It automates all multi-pass compilation.

```bash
latexmk -pdf document.tex   # compile
latexmk -c                  # clean auxiliary files
latexmk -C                  # clean including PDF
```

For PythonTeX documents, use the three-pass sequence:

```bash
pdflatex doc.tex && pythontex doc.tex && pdflatex doc.tex
```

---

## Core Principles

1. **Prefer modern packages** — `biblatex` over BibTeX, `mathtools` over plain
   `amsmath`, `tabularray` over `tabular`, `fontspec` with LuaLaTeX over
   legacy font commands.
2. **Load `hyperref` last** (except `cleveref`, which goes after `hyperref`).
3. **Use `latexmk`** — never manually chain `pdflatex`/`biber` for standard
   documents.
4. **Comment your preamble** — group packages by purpose with section comments.
5. **Use `\newcommand` early** — define all custom macros in the preamble,
   never inline.

---

## Mathematical Typesetting (Summary)

- Use `align` for display math; **avoid `eqnarray`**.
- Use `\DeclareMathOperator` for named operators (e.g., `\Tr`, `\argmax`).
- Use `\lvert`, `\rvert`, `\lVert`, `\rVert` for absolute value and norm.
- See `references/math.md` for the full reference.

---

## Bibliography (Summary)

- Use `biblatex` with `backend=biber`. Never legacy BibTeX for new projects.
- Cite with `\autocite{}` (context-aware) or `\textcite{}` (in-sentence).
- See `modules/bibliography.md` for the full reference.

---

## Package Loading Order

```tex
% 1. Document class
\documentclass{article}

% 2. Encoding (pdflatex only — omit for LuaLaTeX/XeLaTeX)
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

% 3. Language
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage{csquotes}         % required by biblatex

% 4. Math
\usepackage{mathtools}        % loads amsmath
\usepackage{amssymb}

% 5. Typography
\usepackage{microtype}
\usepackage[margin=2.5cm]{geometry}

% 6. Domain-specific (tikz, chemistry, etc.)
\usepackage{tikz}

% 7. Bibliography
\usepackage[style=authoryear,backend=biber]{biblatex}

% 8. Graphics
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{xcolor}

% 9. Tables
\usepackage{booktabs}

% 10. hyperref LAST (except cleveref)
\usepackage{hyperref}
\usepackage{cleveref}
```

---

## Templates

- Standard document → `assets/template.tex`
- Chemistry document → `assets/template-chemistry.tex`
- PythonTeX document → `assets/template-pythontex.tex`