Real-Time Collaboration in LaTeX: Write Papers Together
By Shihab Shahriar Antor · Updated June 2026 · 7 min read
Real-time collaborative LaTeX lets multiple authors edit the same .tex document live — you see each other’s cursors and changes instantly, share one compile, and never email files or merge conflicts by hand. LetX does this in the browser using CRDTs, so edits sync without a central lock and the PDF updates for everyone in 1–2 seconds.
What “real-time collaborative LaTeX” means
Traditional LaTeX is a single-author, single-file workflow: you edit locally, compile locally, and trade .tex files over email or Git. Real-time collaboration replaces that with one shared document — every co-author’s keystrokes appear live, like Google Docs, but with full LaTeX and a real compiler behind it.
How it works: CRDTs, not locks
LetX syncs edits with a CRDT (Conflict-free Replicated Data Type). Instead of locking the file or forcing a merge, each character edit carries enough metadata to merge automatically and converge to the same result on every client — even with simultaneous typing or a dropped connection. No “file is locked,” no merge conflicts.
| Workflow | Conflicts | Compile | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email .tex files | Manual merge | Each person local | Everyone installs TeX |
| Git + LaTeX | Merge conflicts on .tex | Each person local | Git + TeX per machine |
| Real-time (LetX) | Auto-merged (CRDT) | Shared, 1–2 s | None — browser |
Presence, cursors, and shared compile
- Live cursors — see where each collaborator is editing, colour-coded by person.
- Shared compile — anyone clicks Compile and the new PDF appears for the whole team.
- One source of truth — no “final_v3_REAL.tex”; the document is always current.
- SyncTeX for everyone — click source to jump to the PDF and back, per user.
Start a collaborative project
Create a project on LetX, then share the invite link. Co-authors open it in any browser — no install. A minimal shared paper:
\documentclass{article}
\title{Our Joint Paper}
\author{First Author \and Second Author}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\section{Introduction}
Everyone edits this section live.
\end{document}Collaboration pairs with review tools — see track changes and comments in LaTeX for the editorial workflow on top of live editing.
Write LaTeX with your team in real time — free.
Open LetX FreeFrequently asked questions
Can multiple people edit a LaTeX document at the same time?
Yes. A real-time collaborative editor like LetX lets multiple authors edit the same .tex file simultaneously. You see each other’s cursors and edits live, and changes merge automatically with no file locking or manual conflict resolution.
How does LetX avoid merge conflicts?
LetX uses CRDTs (Conflict-free Replicated Data Types). Each edit merges deterministically, so concurrent typing and brief disconnects converge to the same document on every client — no merge conflicts like Git produces.
Do collaborators need to install LaTeX?
No. LetX runs the LaTeX toolchain on the server. Collaborators open a shared link in any browser and edit and compile without installing TeX Live, MiKTeX, or MacTeX.
Is collaborative LaTeX editing free?
Yes. LetX offers real-time collaboration with unlimited free collaborators and projects, compiled online with no install.
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Written by Shihab Shahriar Antor — AI Engineer & Founder of Shahriar Labs. Builder of LetX (collaborative LaTeX) and QuantumSketch (AI STEM video).