The Editor Dilemma
You want to write LaTeX. Two popular options stand out:
VS Code + LaTeX Workshop: A powerful code editor with a comprehensive LaTeX extension Thetapad: A dedicated LaTeX editor with web interface and local compilation
Both are capable tools. Both have passionate users. But they serve different needs and workflows. This guide helps you understand which is right for you—or whether you should use both.
VS Code + LaTeX Workshop
What It Is
Visual Studio Code is Microsoft's free, open-source code editor that has become the dominant development environment for programmers worldwide. LaTeX Workshop is a community-developed extension that transforms VS Code into a full-featured LaTeX IDE.
The combination brings the power of a professional development environment to academic writing. If you already live in VS Code for programming, adding LaTeX support feels natural.
Setup Requirements
Getting started requires several steps:
- Install VS Code - Download from code.visualstudio.com
- Install a TeX distribution - The engine that actually processes LaTeX
- Windows: TeX Live (~4GB) or MiKTeX (~200MB base + on-demand packages)
- macOS: MacTeX (~4GB full installation)
- Linux:
sudo apt install texlive-fullor equivalent
- Install LaTeX Workshop extension - From the VS Code marketplace
- Configure build recipes - Optional but recommended for complex projects
The full installation can take 30-60 minutes and requires several gigabytes of disk space.
Strengths
Power user features:
- Full IDE capabilities including multi-file editing
- Extensive keyboard shortcuts and Vim/Emacs emulation
- Git integration built-in with diff viewing and merge tools
- Multi-language support for writing code alongside documentation
- Thousands of extensions for additional functionality
- Integrated terminal for running scripts
Customization:
- Highly configurable interface with themes and layouts
- Custom build recipes for complex compilation workflows
- Snippet creation for frequently used patterns
- Workspace-specific settings for different projects
- Extensive keybinding customization
Local first:
- All processing on your machine with no data leaving your computer
- No internet required after initial setup
- No compile limits or queues
- Full privacy for sensitive documents
- Consistent performance regardless of server load
Advanced editing:
- Multiple cursors and advanced selection
- Powerful search and replace with regex
- Code folding and outline view
- IntelliSense for command completion
- Live equation preview on hover
Weaknesses
Setup complexity:
- TeX distribution installation takes time and disk space
- Extension configuration can be confusing
- PATH issues on some systems require troubleshooting
- Different distributions have different package availability
- Updating TeX distributions is a manual process
Collaboration:
- No real-time collaboration built in
- Requires Git or file sharing for team work
- Live Share extension exists but has limitations for LaTeX
- Coordination overhead for multi-author projects
Learning curve:
- VS Code itself has significant complexity
- Settings can be overwhelming with hundreds of options
- Many ways to do the same thing
- Command palette requires knowing command names
- JSON configuration files may intimidate non-programmers
Thetapad
What It Is
A web-based LaTeX editor designed specifically for academic writing. It runs in your browser but compiles locally using WebAssembly technology, giving you the convenience of web access with the speed of local compilation.
Setup Requirements
- Open a web browser
- Start writing
That's it. No installation, no configuration, no waiting for packages to download.
Strengths
Zero setup:
- No installation required
- No configuration needed
- Works immediately in any modern browser
- Cross-platform by design (Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS)
- Updates automatically without user action
Collaboration:
- Real-time editing with multiple authors
- See collaborator cursors and selections live
- Comments and review workflow built in
- Share with a link—no account required for viewers
- Peer-to-peer sync keeps data private
Purpose-built:
- Designed for LaTeX specifically, not adapted from general-purpose tools
- Academic workflows considered in every design decision
- Clean, focused interface without distractions
- Optimized for writing, not coding
- Error messages explained in plain language
Modern experience:
- Live preview updates as you type
- Keyboard shortcuts designed for writing
- Template gallery for quick starts
- Version history with named snapshots
- Works offline after initial load
Weaknesses
Less customization:
- Fewer configuration options than VS Code
- Fixed feature set determined by developers
- Cannot add arbitrary extensions
- Interface adapts to common needs, not every need
Power user limits:
- Not a general-purpose IDE
- Fewer keyboard shortcuts than full IDEs
- Less scriptable for automation
- May lack very specialized packages
Community:
- Newer ecosystem means smaller community forums
- Less institutional familiarity
- Fewer blog posts and tutorials (growing rapidly)
Detailed Feature Comparison
| Feature | VS Code + LaTeX Workshop | Thetapad | |---------|-------------------------|----------| | Setup time | 30-60 minutes | Instant | | Disk space | 2-8 GB | Browser cache only | | Offline work | Full (after setup) | Supported | | Real-time collaboration | Via extensions (limited) | Built-in | | Compilation | Unlimited, local | Unlimited, local (WebAssembly) | | Git integration | Excellent, built-in | Good, import/export | | Keyboard customization | Extensive | Standard with options | | Extension ecosystem | Massive | Focused | | TeX distribution | Self-managed | Included | | Mobile/tablet | Limited | Full | | Live preview | On save or build | Real-time | | Error messages | Raw TeX output | Plain language | | Template library | Community templates | Curated gallery | | Price | Free | Free tier available |
Use Case Recommendations
Choose VS Code + LaTeX Workshop If:
- You already use VS Code for programming and want one editor for everything
- You want maximum customization and control over every setting
- You need to switch between LaTeX and code frequently (computational papers)
- You prefer local-only processing with no web dependency
- You're comfortable with technical setup and troubleshooting
- You work primarily solo on most projects
- You need very specialized packages or custom builds
- You want Vim or Emacs keybindings
Choose Thetapad If:
- You want to start writing immediately without setup
- Collaboration with co-authors is important to your workflow
- You use multiple devices or browsers and want seamless sync
- You prefer a focused writing environment without distractions
- You don't want to manage TeX installations and updates
- You work with non-technical collaborators who won't install software
- You value plain-language error messages
- You want live preview as you type
Choose Both If:
- You want local power editing for intensive solo work plus cloud collaboration
- You switch between solo and team work regularly
- You want redundancy in your tooling
- Different projects have different requirements
Setting Up VS Code for LaTeX
If you choose VS Code, here's the complete setup:
1. Install TeX Distribution
Windows:
- MiKTeX - Smaller initial download, installs packages on demand
- TeX Live - Larger but complete installation
macOS:
- MacTeX - Standard full distribution for Mac
Linux:
# Ubuntu/Debian - full installation
sudo apt install texlive-full
# Minimal installation with common packages
sudo apt install texlive-base texlive-latex-recommended texlive-fonts-recommended
# Fedora
sudo dnf install texlive-scheme-full2. Install LaTeX Workshop Extension
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)
- Search "LaTeX Workshop"
- Click Install on the extension by James Yu
3. Configure (settings.json)
Open settings (Ctrl+, then click the JSON icon) and add:
{
"latex-workshop.latex.autoBuild.run": "onSave",
"latex-workshop.view.pdf.viewer": "tab",
"latex-workshop.latex.recipes": [
{
"name": "latexmk",
"tools": ["latexmk"]
},
{
"name": "pdflatex → bibtex → pdflatex × 2",
"tools": ["pdflatex", "bibtex", "pdflatex", "pdflatex"]
}
],
"latex-workshop.latex.tools": [
{
"name": "latexmk",
"command": "latexmk",
"args": [
"-pdf",
"-interaction=nonstopmode",
"-synctex=1",
"%DOC%"
]
},
{
"name": "pdflatex",
"command": "pdflatex",
"args": [
"-synctex=1",
"-interaction=nonstopmode",
"%DOC%"
]
},
{
"name": "bibtex",
"command": "bibtex",
"args": ["%DOCFILE%"]
}
],
"latex-workshop.latex.clean.fileTypes": [
"*.aux", "*.bbl", "*.blg", "*.idx", "*.ind",
"*.lof", "*.lot", "*.out", "*.toc", "*.synctex.gz"
]
}4. Essential Shortcuts
| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS | |--------|---------------|-------| | Build document | Ctrl+Alt+B | Cmd+Option+B | | View PDF | Ctrl+Alt+V | Cmd+Option+V | | Sync to source | Ctrl+Click in PDF | Cmd+Click in PDF | | Toggle word wrap | Alt+Z | Option+Z | | Command palette | Ctrl+Shift+P | Cmd+Shift+P | | Find and replace | Ctrl+H | Cmd+Option+F | | Multi-cursor | Alt+Click | Option+Click |
5. Helpful Additional Extensions
- Code Spell Checker - Catches typos as you write
- Bracket Pair Colorizer - Makes matching braces easier to see
- Git Graph - Visualize Git history
- Settings Sync - Sync settings across computers
Migration Between Tools
From VS Code to Thetapad
Your .tex files work directly:
- Create a project in Thetapad
- Upload your project folder or individual files
- Open in Thetapad
- Continue working immediately
From Thetapad to VS Code
Download your project:
- Export project as ZIP from Thetapad
- Extract to a local folder
- Open folder in VS Code
- Install any required packages
- Compile and verify
Your documents are portable—you're never locked into one tool.
Workflow Integration
Using Both Together
Many researchers use both tools for different phases of work:
Intensive solo writing → VS Code (full IDE power)
↓
Push to Git or export ↓
↓
Collaboration phase → Thetapad (real-time editing)
↓
Pull changes or download ↓
↓
Final formatting → VS Code (precise control)Git as Bridge
# Work in VS Code
git add .
git commit -m "Draft chapter 2"
git push
# Collaborator works in Thetapad
# (syncs via Git import)
# Pull their changes back
git pullSync Strategies
For solo work with multiple devices:
- Git repository synced between VS Code installations
- Thetapad for quick edits from any browser
For team projects:
- Primary collaboration in Thetapad
- Complex formatting work in VS Code locally
- Git for version control and handoff
Performance Considerations
Compilation Speed
VS Code + LaTeX Workshop:
- Speed depends on your hardware and document complexity
- First compile includes all packages; subsequent compiles faster
- Large documents with many figures may take 10-30 seconds
- No queue delays or server load issues
Thetapad:
- WebAssembly compilation is fast on modern browsers
- Cached packages after first load
- Typical compilation: 2-5 seconds
- Consistent speed regardless of time of day
Resource Usage
VS Code:
- VS Code uses 200-500MB RAM typically
- LaTeX compilation uses additional memory
- TeX distribution takes 2-8GB disk space
Thetapad:
- Runs in browser tab
- WebAssembly engine cached in browser
- Minimal persistent storage
- Suitable for lower-spec machines
Conclusion
VS Code + LaTeX Workshop: Power and customization for technical users who want maximum control and already live in the VS Code ecosystem.
Thetapad: Simplicity, collaboration, and focused writing for anyone who wants to concentrate on content rather than tooling.
Both are excellent choices. The right answer depends on your priorities:
- Priority: Power/Control → VS Code
- Priority: Simplicity/Collaboration → Thetapad
- Priority: Both → Use both, connected via Git
Try each for a week. The one you keep opening is the right one for you.
Thetapad and VS Code both support standard LaTeX—your documents work in either tool.