This is the hub page for everything LaTeX-related on Purplelink. If you are writing a dissertation, a journal submission, or a conference paper, the guides and tools below cover the full workflow. That workflow includes compilation, multi-file projects, equations, tables, bibliography management, format conversion, tracked changes, and word counts. Every tool runs in your browser against a hosted backend. The backend processes files in memory and discards them when your download finishes. There is no account, no install, and no retention.
Compile and render
A manuscript that compiles reliably is the foundation of the workflow. Plain pdfLaTeX (the default LaTeX compiler) handles what most papers need. XeLaTeX adds OpenType font support. Biber + BibLaTeX is a newer bibliography engine than classic BibTeX.
- LaTeX to PDF: upload a
.texfile (or a.zipwith your figures and styles) and get a compiled PDF back, using pdfLaTeX or XeLaTeX. Use it on a machine without a TeX install, or to compile someone else's project quickly. - Equation Renderer: paste LaTeX math and download a high-resolution PNG. Use it for slides, posters, or anywhere you need a typeset equation outside a LaTeX document.
- LaTeX Table Generator: paste CSV or TSV data and get a clean booktabs LaTeX table with the formatting your editor expects.
New to LaTeX on a Mac? How to install LaTeX on a Mac → compares MacTeX, BasicTeX and TinyTeX and shows how to check the install.
Convert between formats
Many journals only accept Word for submission, and many co-authors only write in Word. Some style requirements force Markdown. The conversion tools below handle every direction without losing references or equations.
- LaTeX to Word: convert a
.texmanuscript to a clean double-spaced.docxfor submission. It uses Pandoc (a document converter) with an academic-manuscript template. Anonymizing for blind review is optional. - Word to LaTeX: go the other direction. Upload a
.docxand download a.texstarting point. Pandoc handles the conversion. Polish the formatting and citations afterward. - Markdown to PDF or Word: for shorter pieces, write in Markdown and export to a typeset PDF or a
.docx. - File to Markdown: convert PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, HTML, CSV, or EPUB to clean Markdown. Use it to start a paper from an outline that exists in another format.
- Guide: converting LaTeX to Word for submission →
Manuscript revisions and tracked changes
Co-authors and reviewers expect to see what changed between drafts. LaTeX has no built-in Word-style track changes. However, latexdiff generates a PDF with deletions struck through and additions in color. Our tool runs it for you against any two .tex versions.
- LaTeX Diff: upload two versions and get a tracked-changes PDF.
- Guide: showing changes between two LaTeX versions →
Word counts and submission limits
Most journals impose word-count limits. Counting words in a LaTeX file is harder than it sounds because comments, math, captions, and the bibliography all need different treatment.
- Word Counter: live word, character, sentence, and reading-time stats in your browser.
- Guide: counting words in a LaTeX document →
Citations and bibliographies
BibTeX (the LaTeX bibliography format) has a dedicated hub: BibTeX and citations →
Quick links to the most-used tools and guides in that hub:
- BibTeX Validator: check for missing fields, dead DOIs, and AI-hallucinated citations.
- BibTeX Builder: fetch entries from DOIs or arXiv IDs.
- Citation Generator: format any reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, or IEEE.
- Guide: fix common BibTeX errors →
- Guide: IEEE vs APA vs MLA vs Chicago →
The Mac app: ModernTex
The tools above run in a browser. If you write LaTeX manuscripts regularly on a Mac, ModernTex is the native alternative. ModernTex is a native macOS editor built around the academic manuscript workflow. It has multi-file projects, synchronized PDF preview, plain-language compile errors, BibTeX autocomplete that searches by author or title, revision snapshots, and submission-readiness checks. Version 1.0 shipped in September 2026 at $19.99, one-time, with all updates included, forever.
About these tools
Every web tool listed here is free, runs without an account, and processes files in memory only. The backend container is recreated per request and never writes your file to durable storage. If you need stronger guarantees, the codebase is observable. Most validation logic ships open-source, and the tools page documents the backend architecture. Files you upload are also covered under the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy.