LaTeX has a tooling problem. The language itself is powerful — it produces typeset output that word processors still can't match — but the editors that support it were mostly designed for programmers or haven't changed meaningfully since the early 2000s. Academic researchers put up with them because there's no better option on macOS.
ModernTex is an attempt to fix that. Here's what's wrong with the current options, and what we're doing differently.
The options researchers currently have
TeXShop is a classic. It's free, it works, and it's been shipping on macOS since 2001. But it shows its age. The interface predates modern macOS design conventions, the error reporting is raw compiler output, and the multi-file support is functional but not designed around the project structure of a real manuscript.
Overleaf is the popular choice for collaboration-heavy workflows. But it's a web app — meaning it requires an internet connection, stores your work on someone else's server, and delivers the performance characteristics of a web app rather than a native one. For a solo researcher working offline on a dissertation, it's the wrong tool.
VSCode with LaTeX Workshop is the programmer's choice. It's powerful, highly configurable, and actively developed. It's also a general-purpose code editor with LaTeX bolted on. The manuscript workflow — managing chapters, tracking citation keys, preparing for submission — isn't what it was designed for.
What academics actually need
When I talked to researchers about their LaTeX workflows, the same problems came up repeatedly.
Error messages are incomprehensible. LaTeX's error output is famously hostile. A missing brace three paragraphs up produces an error message pointing to a different paragraph, and deciphering it requires experience or a Google search. Researchers lose hours to errors that should take minutes.
Multi-file projects are painful. A dissertation or journal article often spans dozens of files — a main document, individual chapter files, a bibliography, custom style files, figure directories. Managing those relationships in a general-purpose editor requires configuration and discipline that adds friction.
Submission prep is manual and error-prone. Most conferences and journals have specific requirements — page limits, anonymous review mode, specific formatting packages, single-file submission. Checking all of those before submission is a checklist that researchers do manually and sometimes forget.
Citation management is awkward. Keeping a BibTeX file, remembering entry keys, and citing correctly across a long document are friction points in every manuscript. The existing autocomplete in most editors requires exact key matches — not useful when you can only remember the author's name.
What ModernTex does differently
ModernTex is designed around the manuscript as the unit of work, not the file. It understands project structure: root files, chapter files, bibliography files. The sidebar reflects the manuscript, not the filesystem.
Error messages are translated. When a compilation fails, ModernTex parses the raw LaTeX output and presents a plain-language explanation with a suggested fix and a direct jump to the relevant source location. Most common LaTeX errors become understandable in seconds.
Submission readiness is a first-class feature. Before submitting to a venue, ModernTex can check anonymization (are any author names visible?), page count, required sections, and package compatibility. It surfaces the issues that cause desk rejections.
Citation search works on author names, titles, and keywords — not just exact BibTeX keys. Type the author's last name and get a list of matching entries from your bibliography. Cite with a keystroke.
And it's native macOS. Built in Swift, dark and light mode, proper keyboard shortcuts, fast compilation that doesn't make you wait. It feels like it belongs on your Mac, because it was designed for one.
ModernTex is in active development. If you're a researcher who's put up with the current options for too long — join the waitlist.