Typst Has a Free Document Typesetting System — Modern LaTeX Alternative

Typst is a modern typesetting system — write documents with a markup language that compiles to PDF, like LaTeX but actually pleasant to use.

What You Get for Free

• Fast compilation — incremental, sub-second builds
• Simple syntax — Markdown-like with power when needed
• Math — $ E = m c^2 $ just works
• Templates — reusable document templates
• Scripting — built-in programming language for logic
• Bibliography — BibTeX and Hayagriva support
• Figures — images, tables, code blocks
• Web app — collaborative editor at typst.app (free tier)
• CLI — typst compile paper.typ for local builds

Quick Start

brew install typst

// paper.typ
#set page(paper: "a4")
#set text(font: "New Computer Modern", size: 11pt)

= Introduction

This is a *simple* document with inline math $E = m c^2$
and display math:

$ integral_0^infinity e^(-x^2) d x = sqrt(pi) / 2 $

#figure(
  table(columns: 3,
    [*Name*], [*Score*], [*Grade*],
    [Alice], [95], [A],
    [Bob], [87], [B+],
  ),
  caption: [Student scores],
)

typst compile paper.typ  # → paper.pdf

Why Developers Switch from LaTeX

LaTeX is powerful but has terrible DX:

• Fast — compiles in milliseconds, not minutes
• Simple errors — clear error messages, not cryptic TeX errors
• Modern syntax — = Heading not \section{Heading}
• Built-in scripting — loops, conditionals, variables

A PhD student spent 30 minutes debugging a LaTeX compilation error (missing brace on line 847). After Typst: clear error messages with line numbers, compilation in <1 second, same PDF quality.

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