System Requirements

Ensure your system meets these minimum requirements to run Manusly effectively.

macOS

• macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later
• Intel: 2015 or newer / Apple Silicon: M1, M2, M3, or M4
• 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB & good CPU recommended for LLM models)
• 500 MB disk space

Windows

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
• 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB & good CPU recommended for LLM models)
• 500 MB disk space

Linux

• Ubuntu 20.04+ / Fedora 35+ / other modern distributions
• 64-bit processor
• 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB & good CPU recommended for LLM models)
• 500 MB disk space

Interface Overview

Manusly features a modern, intuitive interface designed for efficient LaTeX editing. This guide will walk you through the main sections of the application, helping you navigate and utilize all available features effectively.

Before accessing the main workspace, Manusly presents authentication options for users who wish to sync their projects across devices and access cloud features.

Sign In

The sign in window allows existing users to access their Manusly account.

Existing users can sign in using their email address and password, or alternatively sign in with Google or GitHub. Enter your credentials (or click a provider button) and click "Login" to access your account. If you don't have an account yet, click "Sign up" to create one.

Create Account

The account creation window allows new users to register for a Manusly account.

New users can create a Manusly account by providing a username, email address, and password, or alternatively sign up with Google or GitHub. Confirm your password by entering it again (or use a provider button). Click "Sign Up" to create your account. If you already have an account, click "Login" to sign in instead.

Welcome Window

The welcome window provides quick access to start a new project, clone from Git, or open existing files.

Getting Started Options

From the welcome window, you can begin working on your LaTeX projects using any of these options:

Recent Projects

The right panel of the welcome window displays your recently opened projects, providing quick access to documents you've been working on. Each entry shows the project name, file path, and last access time. Click on any recent project to open it immediately without navigating through your file system.

Manusly automatically tracks your project history and updates the recent projects list as you work. This feature helps you maintain workflow continuity across sessions and quickly return to ongoing documents.

Main Editor Window

The main editor window displays your project file tree, LaTeX editor with tabs, and live PDF preview.

Project Sidebar

The left sidebar provides quick access to project management operations. The toolbar at the top includes the following actions:

Below the toolbar, the file tree displays your project's directory structure with search functionality. Click on any file to open it in the editor. Right-click on files or folders for additional options such as rename, delete, duplicate, show in Finder, copy path, set as main file, and refresh.

Editor and PDF Preview

The center panel contains the LaTeX editor with syntax highlighting, auto-completion for commands, environments, citations, and packages. Files open in tabs at the top for easy navigation. As you type, the PDF preview on the right updates in real-time, showing you exactly how your document will appear when compiled.

The PDF preview header includes a toggle button to switch to AI Chat mode, where you can interact with an AI assistant to help write, edit, or debug your LaTeX documents.

Settings

Access Manusly settings by pressing Ctrl + , (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + , (macOS). The settings window displays your account information including your name, email, subscription type (Free, Premium, Pro, or Trial), and expiration date. It also provides comprehensive configuration options for all Manusly features through a tabbed interface.

The settings window with tabs for account, appearance, editor, syntax colors, Git, Zotero, custom snippets, keyboard shortcuts, AI configuration, and feedback.

AI Configuration

Manusly supports multiple AI providers to enhance your editing experience. Follow the guides below to obtain and configure API keys for each provider.

OpenAI API Key

OpenAI provides access to GPT-5, GPT-5.2, and legacy access to GPT-4.5. New users may receive free credits (check current offers).

Step 1: Create an Account

Navigate to platform.openai.com and sign up using your email, Google, Microsoft, or Apple account.

Step 2: Verify Your Account

Verify your email address and provide a phone number for SMS verification.

Step 3: Create an Organization

Click "Start building" to create an organization. Enter your organization name, select your role, and click "Create organization".

Step 4: Generate Your API Key

Go to the API Keys page and click "Create new secret key". Copy the key immediately and store it securely.

Step 5: Add to Manusly

Open Manusly, go to Settings → AI Configuration → OpenAI, and paste your API key.

AI Configuration

Manusly supports multiple AI providers to enhance your editing experience. Follow the guides below to obtain and configure API keys for each provider.

Anthropic (Claude) API Key

Anthropic provides access to Claude 4.5 Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku models for state-of-the-art AI assistance.

Step 1: Create an Account

Visit console.anthropic.com and click "Sign up". You can continue with Google or register with your email.

Step 2: Access Dashboard

After signing in, click "Start Building" to access your dashboard.

Step 3: Navigate to API Keys

Click on "API Keys" in the dashboard menu.

Step 4: Create Your Key

Click the "+Create Key" button (top right corner). Name your key descriptively (e.g., "Manusly") and configure model access.

Step 5: Set Up Billing

Visit Settings → Plans and choose the "Build" plan to add credits and pay only for usage.

Step 6: Add to Manusly

Open Manusly, go to Settings → AI Configuration → Anthropic, and paste your API key.

AI Configuration

Manusly supports multiple AI providers to enhance your editing experience. Follow the guides below to obtain and configure API keys for each provider.

Google Gemini API Key

Google's Gemini API provides access to the Gemini 3 and Gemini 2.5 model families with a generous free tier for testing and experimentation.

Step 1: Access Google AI Studio

Navigate to aistudio.google.com and sign in with your Google account.

Step 2: Accept Terms of Service

Review and accept the Google APIs Terms of Service and Gemini API Additional Terms of Service.

Step 3: Create API Key

Click "Get API key" in the left sidebar or the key icon in the navigation menu. Choose to create an API key in a new project or use an existing Google Cloud project.

Step 4: Copy Your Key

Your API key will be auto-generated and displayed. Copy it immediately and store it securely.

Step 5: Add to Manusly

Open Manusly, go to Settings → AI Configuration → Google, and paste your API key.

AI Configuration

Manusly supports multiple AI providers to enhance your editing experience. Follow the guides below to obtain and configure API keys for each provider.

DeepSeek API Key

DeepSeek provides access to DeepSeek-V3.2, V3, and DeepSeek-R1 models, offering standard, reasoning, and specialized variants.

Step 1: Create an Account

Visit deepseek.com and click "Sign Up". You can register using email, Google, or Apple ID.

Step 2: Access API Platform

Navigate to platform.deepseek.com and sign in with your account.

Step 3: Navigate to API Keys

In the left sidebar, click on "API Keys".

Step 4: Create New API Key

Click "Create new API Key" button. Optionally assign a descriptive name to your key in the pop-up window, then click "Create API key".

Step 5: Save Your Key

Copy the displayed API key immediately. You won't be able to view it again after closing the dialog.

Step 6: Add to Manusly

Open Manusly, go to Settings → AI Configuration → DeepSeek, and paste your API key.

AI Configuration

Manusly supports multiple AI providers to enhance your editing experience. Follow the guides below to obtain and configure API keys for each provider.

OpenRouter API Key

OpenRouter provides a unified API to access hundreds of AI models from different providers through a single endpoint, with aggregated billing.

Step 1: Create an Account

Visit openrouter.ai and click "Sign in" in the top right corner, then click "Sign up" to create your account.

Step 2: Navigate to API Keys

Once signed in, go to the "API Keys" section in your account dashboard.

Step 3: Create New Key

Click the "Create Key" button. Give your key a descriptive name (e.g., "Manusly") and optionally set a credit limit.

Step 4: Save Your Key

Copy your API key immediately. You won't be able to view it again once you leave the page.

Step 5: Add to Manusly

Open Manusly, go to Settings → AI Configuration → OpenRouter, and paste your API key.

AI Configuration

Manusly supports multiple AI providers to enhance your editing experience. Follow the guides below to obtain and configure API keys for each provider.

Ollama Local Setup

Ollama allows you to run powerful AI models locally on your machine without requiring an API key or internet connection. It supports models like Llama 3.3, DeepSeek R1, Mistral, Phi-4, Qwen3, and Gemma 2.

System Requirements

• 64-bit processor
• 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended)
• 10GB free storage space
• GPU optional (recommended for better performance)

Installation - macOS

Visit ollama.com/download and download the macOS package. Move Ollama.app to your Applications folder.

Alternatively, install via Homebrew:

Installation - Windows

Requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit). Visit ollama.com/download, download the .exe installer, and run it.

Installation - Linux

Run the following command in your terminal:

Download and Run a Model

After installation, open your terminal and run:

This will download and start the Llama 3 model. You can replace llama3 with other models like deepseek-r1, mistral, phi4, etc.

Configure in Manusly

Open Manusly, go to Settings → AI Configuration → Ollama, and set the endpoint to http://localhost:11434. No API key is required.

AI Configuration

Manusly supports multiple AI providers to enhance your editing experience. Follow the guides below to obtain and configure API keys for each provider.

xAI (Grok) API Key

xAI provides access to Grok models including Grok-4 and Grok-3. The API is compatible with OpenAI and Anthropic SDKs, making migration straightforward.

Step 1: Subscription Requirement

You need an active X Premium subscription ($8/month basic or $16/month premium+) to access the xAI API. Visit x.com/premium to subscribe.

Step 2: Access xAI Console

Navigate to console.x.ai and sign in with your X (Twitter) account.

Step 3: Complete Developer Onboarding

Complete the developer setup by verifying your information, describing your use case, and accepting the terms of service.

Step 4: Navigate to API Keys

Click on "API Keys" in the main navigation menu or go to Settings → API Keys.

Step 5: Generate New Key

Click "Create New Key" or "Generate API Key" button. Give your key a descriptive name (e.g., "Manusly").

Step 6: Save Your Key

Copy the API key immediately. Keys start with "xai-" and are only shown once. Store it securely.

Step 7: Add to Manusly

Open Manusly, go to Settings → AI Configuration → xAI (Grok), and paste your API key.

Release v1.0.0

Current Stable Release

What's New

• Professional LaTeX editor with comprehensive syntax highlighting
• PDF preview panel
• Dark and light themes with system theme detection
• AI-powered features: Ghost text autocomplete, AI chat assistance, and AI-powered autocorrect
• Custom snippet support for personalized code snippets
• Git integration for version control of your LaTeX projects
• Zotero integration for seamless citation management
• Spell checking (currently English US/UK)
• Multiple projects support - work on several projects simultaneously
• Multi-language support: English, German, Spanish, French, and Portuguese
• Authentication via Google, GitHub, or email
• AI provider integration: OpenAI, Anthropic, and more
• Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Pandoc integration for document conversion (DOCX, etc.)
• Automatic LaTeX compiler detection (TeX Live, MacTeX, MiKTeX)

Git Tutorial

Git is a distributed version control system that helps you track changes in your files and collaborate with others. Manusly includes built-in Git integration, allowing you to manage your LaTeX projects without leaving the editor.

Installing Git

Before using Git in Manusly, you'll need to install Git on your system. Follow the instructions for your operating system below.

macOS Installation

The easiest way to install Git on macOS is through Xcode Command Line Tools. Most modern Macs have these tools installed by default.

Method 1: Using Terminal (Recommended)

Open Terminal from Applications → Utilities and run:

If Git is not installed, you'll be prompted to install Xcode Command Line Tools. Click "Install" to proceed.

Method 2: Using Homebrew

If you have Homebrew installed, you can install Git using:

Method 3: Downloading Installer

Download the official installer from git-scm.com. Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow the installation wizard.

Windows Installation

On Windows, Git is commonly installed using the official installer or through package managers like Chocolatey or Winget.

Method 1: Official Installer (Recommended)

Download the Windows installer from git-scm.com. The installer will download automatically when you visit the page.

Run the installer and follow these key configuration steps:

• Select Components: Keep the default options, but ensure "Git Bash Here" is checked
• Choosing the default editor: Select your preferred text editor (VS Code is recommended)
• Adjusting the name of the initial branch: Select "Let Git decide" or customize as needed
• Adjusting your PATH environment: Select "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software"
• Choosing HTTPS transport: Use the OpenSSL library
• Configuring the line ending conversions: Select "Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings"
• Configuring the terminal emulator: Use MinTTY or Windows' default console
• Choose the default behavior of `git pull`: Merge or rebase based on your preference

Method 2: Using Winget

If you have Windows Package Manager (winget) installed, run:

Method 3: Using Chocolatey

If you have Chocolatey installed, run:

Linux Installation

Git is available through most Linux package managers. The commands below cover the most common distributions.

Debian/Ubuntu

Update your package index and install Git:

Fedora

CentOS/RHEL

Arch Linux

openSUSE

Configuring Git

After installing Git, configure your identity. This information will be included in your commits.

Next Steps

Now that Git is installed, you can start using it in Manusly:

• Open Manusly and go to Settings → Git to configure your Git identity
• Create a new project with Git initialization or clone an existing repository
• Use the Git panel to stage, commit, push, and pull changes
• Manage branches and resolve merge conflicts directly in Manusly

LaTeX Installation Guide

LaTeX is a typesetting system used to create professional-looking documents, papers, and reports. Manusly requires a LaTeX distribution to compile your .tex files into PDFs. This guide covers installation on macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Choosing a LaTeX Distribution

Several LaTeX distributions are available, each with different features and package selection:

• TeX Live: The most comprehensive and widely-used distribution. Available on all major platforms.
• MacTeX: A TeX Live distribution specifically packaged for macOS with additional Mac applications.
• MiKTeX: A smaller distribution that downloads packages on-demand during compilation.

macOS Installation

On macOS, you can install LaTeX using MacTeX (full distribution) or BasicTeX (minimal installation).

Option 1: MacTeX (Full Distribution)

MacTeX is the complete TeX Live distribution for macOS, including additional applications like TeXShop and BibDesk.

1. Download MacTeX from tug.org/mactex
2. Choose the appropriate version for your Mac (Intel or Apple Silicon)
3. Open the downloaded .pkg file
4. Follow the installation wizard (installation requires ~6GB of disk space)
5. Restart Manusly after installation if it was running

Option 2: BasicTeX (Minimal Installation)

BasicTeX is a smaller alternative (~100MB) that downloads packages as needed. Recommended if disk space is limited.

1. Download BasicTeX from tug.org/mactex/mactex-download.html
2. Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow the installation wizard
3. After installation, you may need to install additional packages manually as you use them

Option 3: Using Homebrew

If you have Homebrew installed, you can install BasicTeX via the command line:

Windows Installation

On Windows, you can use TeX Live or MiKTeX. TeX Live provides a comprehensive installation, while MiKTeX is smaller and downloads packages on demand.

Option 1: MiKTeX (Recommended for Windows)

MiKTeX is a modern TeX distribution for Windows with on-demand package installation.

1. Download the MiKTeX installer from miktex.org/download
2. Run the downloaded .exe installer
3. Choose your preferred installation directory
4. Select "Install missing packages on-the-fly" to automatically download packages when needed
5. Complete the installation and restart Manusly if it was running

Option 2: TeX Live

TeX Live is the comprehensive cross-platform distribution.

1. Download the TeX Live installer from tug.org/texlive
2. Download the ISO image or use the network installer
3. Extract the files and run install-tl-windows.bat as administrator
4. Follow the installation wizard (installation may take 10-20 minutes)
5. Restart your computer after installation completes

Linux Installation

On Linux, TeX Live is available through most package managers. The installation method depends on your distribution.

Debian/Ubuntu

Install the full TeX Live distribution:

For a minimal installation, use texlive-base instead of texlive-full.

Fedora/RHEL/CentOS

Arch Linux

openSUSE

Verifying Your Installation

After installation, verify that LaTeX is working correctly by checking the version:

You should see output similar to:

Configuring Manusly

Manusly should automatically detect your LaTeX installation. If compilation fails:

1. Ensure LaTeX is installed and working (run pdflatex --version in your terminal)
2. Restart Manusly after installing LaTeX
3. Check that the correct main .tex file is set (right-click on the main file in the sidebar and select "Set as main file")
4. If using BasicTeX or MiKTeX, ensure missing packages are installed when prompted

Troubleshooting

"File not found" Errors

If Manusly cannot find pdflatex, the LaTeX distribution may not be in your system PATH. Try restarting your terminal and computer, or add the LaTeX binary directory to your PATH:

• macOS: Usually /usr/local/texlive/2025/bin/universal-darwin/
• Windows: Usually C:\texlive\2025\bin\windows\
• Linux: Usually /usr/local/texlive/2025/bin/x86_64-linux/

Missing Package Errors

If you get errors about missing packages (e.g., "File 'xxx.sty' not found"):

• TeX Live (Linux): Use tlmgr install package-name
• MiKTeX (Windows): The package should install automatically if "Install missing packages on-the-fly" is enabled
• macOS: Use the TeX Live Utility application or run tlmgr install package-name in Terminal

GitHub Setup Guide

GitHub is a cloud-based platform for hosting Git repositories, enabling collaboration with developers worldwide. This guide will help you create a GitHub account, set up SSH authentication, and connect your repositories using Manusly.

Creating a GitHub Account

If you don't already have a GitHub account, follow these steps to create one:

Step 1: Sign Up

Visit github.com and click "Sign up" in the top right corner.

Step 2: Enter Your Details

• Email: Enter a valid email address that you use regularly
• Password: Create a strong password (at least 15 characters, or 8 with numbers and lowercase letters)
• Username: Choose a unique username that will identify you on GitHub

Step 3: Verify Your Account

Complete the human verification puzzle and verify your email address by clicking the link GitHub sends to your email.

Step 4: Configure Your Preferences

Choose your preferences for product announcements and recommendations, then click "Continue".

Setting Up SSH Authentication

SSH keys provide a secure way to connect to GitHub without entering your username and password each time. Manusly includes a built-in SSH key generator, making setup easy.

Step 1: Configure Git Identity in Manusly

Before generating an SSH key, configure your Git identity in Manusly:

1. Open Manusly and go to Settings (press Ctrl + , or Cmd + ,)
2. Click on the Git tab
3. In the Identity section, enter your Name and Email
4. Select the configuration scope (Global is recommended)
5. Click Save or the checkmark button to apply changes

The Git panel in Manusly for managing version control

Step 2: Generate SSH Key in Manusly

Manusly can generate SSH keys for you without using the command line:

1. In the Settings → Git tab, scroll to the SSH Key section
2. Click the button "Generate a new SSH key"
3. A dialog will appear asking for a key name. Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Manusly-MyMacBook")
4. Click "Generate" to create your SSH key pair
5. Once generated, your public key will be displayed with options to "Copy Public Key" or "Delete"

Step 3: Add SSH Key to GitHub

Now add your public key to your GitHub account:

1. Copy your public key by clicking "Copy Public Key" in Manusly's Git settings
2. Go to github.com and sign in to your account
3. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Settings"
4. In the left sidebar, click "SSH and GPG keys"
5. Click the green "New SSH key" button
6. Enter a Title (e.g., "Manusly - My MacBook")
7. Select "Authentication key" from the Key type dropdown
8. Paste your public key into the "Key" field
9. Click "Add SSH key"

Step 4: Verify the Connection

Test that your SSH connection is working:

1. Open Settings → Git in Manusly
2. Your SSH key should show in the list with a fingerprint
3. Try cloning a repository using SSH (see next section)

Cloning a Repository with SSH

Once your SSH key is set up, you can clone repositories using SSH URLs without entering credentials.

Step 1: Copy the SSH URL from GitHub

On GitHub, navigate to the repository you want to clone:

1. Go to the main page of the repository on GitHub
2. Click the green "Code" button
3. In the "Clone" section, select "SSH"
4. Copy the URL shown (it will look like: git@github.com:username/repository.git)

The welcome window showing the Clone Git Repository option

Step 2: Clone in Manusly

Clone the repository using Manusly:

1. Open Manusly
2. In the welcome window, click "Clone Git Repository"
3. Paste the SSH URL into the URL field
4. Choose a local directory where to save the repository
5. Click "Clone"

Using the Git Panel in Manusly

Once your repository is open, use the Git panel to manage your work:

Making Changes

1. Edit your LaTeX files as normal
2. The Git panel shows all modified files
3. Files are separated into "Staged" and "Unstaged" sections
4. Click the checkbox next to a file to stage it
5. Review your changes by clicking on the file name

Committing Changes

1. Stage the files you want to commit
2. Enter a descriptive commit message in the text field
3. Click "Commit" to save your changes
4. Commits are stored locally until you push them

Pushing and Pulling

1. Click "Push" to upload your commits to GitHub
2. Click "Pull" to download changes from GitHub
3. The status bar shows pending commits (e.g., "3 commits to push")

Managing Branches

The Branches tab allows you to:

• View all branches in your repository
• Switch to a different branch by clicking on it
• Create new branches for feature work
• Merge branches when ready

Resolving Merge Conflicts

When multiple people work on the same file, conflicts can occur. Manusly provides a built-in conflict resolution tool:

The merge conflict resolution interface in Manusly

To resolve merge conflicts in Manusly:

1. When a conflict is detected, click on the conflicted file in the Git panel
2. The conflict resolution window will show conflicting lines highlighted
3. Choose to "Accept Current" (your changes), "Accept Incoming" (their changes), or "Accept Both"
4. Alternatively, manually edit the file to keep the desired changes
5. Stage the resolved file and commit to complete the merge

Troubleshooting

Permission Denied Errors

If you see "Permission denied" errors when pushing or pulling:

• Verify your SSH key is added to GitHub (Settings → SSH and GPG keys)
• Check that you're using the SSH URL (not HTTPS)
• Ensure your SSH key is still listed in Manusly's Git settings
• Regenerate and re-add the key if necessary

Host Key Verification Failed

If Git cannot verify GitHub's host key:

Run this command in your terminal to add GitHub's host key to your known hosts file.

Custom Snippets Guide

Custom snippets are powerful shortcuts that let you insert frequently-used LaTeX commands, environments, and text patterns with just a few keystrokes. Instead of typing the same code over and over, you create a snippet once and use it everywhere.

What Are Snippets?

Think of snippets as text templates on steroids. A snippet can be anything from a simple LaTeX command to complex multi-line environments. When you trigger a snippet, it inserts the template into your document and places your cursor exactly where you need to start typing.

For example, instead of typing:

You could create a snippet that lets you type just \frac and then tab through to fill in the numbers automatically.

Opening the Snippets Panel

To manage your custom snippets, follow these steps:

1. Open Manusly
2. Click on Settings in the top menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+, (macOS)
3. In the Settings window, click on the Custom Snippets tab (marked with a Premium badge)

Creating Your First Snippet

Let's create a simple fraction snippet together. This is a great starting point to understand how snippets work.

Step 1: Click "Add New Snippet"

At the top of the Snippets panel, you'll see a search bar and a blue button labeled "Add New Snippet". Click this button to open the snippet creation modal.

Step 2: Fill in the Label

The Label is the name that will appear in the autocomplete menu when you type. For a fraction snippet, enter:

You can use any name you like. Some people prefer \frac to override the default, while others use \f for a shorter version.

Step 3: Create the Template

The Snippet Template is where the magic happens. This is the actual LaTeX code that will be inserted. For our fraction, enter:

Notice the ${1:numerator} and ${2:denominator} parts? These are called placeholders or tab stops. Let's break down what they mean:

• ${1:numerator} — The first placeholder. When the snippet is inserted, your cursor will appear here with "numerator" selected as default text.
• ${2:denominator} — The second placeholder. Press Tab to jump here after filling in the numerator.
• The number (1, 2) determines the order you'll tab through them.
• The text after the colon (numerator, denominator) is optional placeholder text that gets selected when you reach that position.

Step 4: Add a Description

The Description field helps you remember what each snippet does. Enter something like:

This description will appear next to the label in the autocomplete menu, so make it helpful and concise.

Step 5: Choose a Type

The Type dropdown lets you categorize your snippet:

• Snippet — General-purpose text insertions (use this for most cases)
• Command — LaTeX commands starting with a backslash
• Environment — LaTeX environments like \begin{...}...\end{...}

For our fraction, select Command since \frac is a LaTeX command.

Step 6: Save Your Snippet

Click the "Save Snippet" button. Your new snippet will appear in the list, ready to use!

Using Your Snippets

Now that you've created a snippet, here's how to use it in your LaTeX documents:

1. Open or create a .tex file in Manusly
2. Start typing the label of your snippet (e.g., \myfrac)
3. A popup menu will appear showing matching completions
4. Press Enter to insert the snippet
5. The first placeholder will be selected with your cursor ready to type
6. Press Tab to jump to the next placeholder
7. Press Esc or click away to exit snippet mode

Understanding Placeholder Syntax

Mastering placeholders is key to creating powerful snippets. Here's the complete syntax:

Basic Placeholders

Creates an empty tab stop. Your cursor will appear here, with no default text.

Placeholders with Default Text

The text after the colon (default text) will be inserted and selected, so you can easily replace it by typing.

Numbering Order

The numbers determine tab order. You don't have to use consecutive numbers—this lets you insert new placeholders in the middle later:

Or with gaps for future expansion:

Example Snippets

Here are some practical examples to inspire your own snippets:

Mathematics

Label: \matrix
Template:

Description: 2x2 matrix with tab stops
Type: Environment

Document Structure

Label: section
Template:

Description: Section with heading and content area
Type: Snippet

Figures

Label: figure
Template:

Description: Complete figure environment with caption and label
Type: Environment

Bibliography

Label: \cite
Template:

Description: Citation with placeholder for BibTeX key
Type: Command

Tables

Label: table2
Template:

Description: Basic 3-column table with structure
Type: Environment

Managing Existing Snippets

Editing Snippets

To modify an existing snippet:

1. In the Snippets panel, find the snippet you want to edit in the list
2. Click the pencil icon (edit button) on the snippet card
3. The snippet editor will open with all fields pre-filled
4. Make your changes to the label, template, description, or type
5. Click "Save Snippet" to update it

Deleting Snippets

To remove a snippet you no longer need:

1. Find the snippet in the list
2. Click the trash icon (delete button) on the snippet card
3. A confirmation dialog will appear asking if you're sure
4. Click "OK" or "Yes" to confirm the deletion

Warning: Deleted snippets cannot be recovered. Make sure you really want to remove a snippet before confirming.

Searching Snippets

As your collection grows, you can use the search bar at the top of the Snippets panel to find specific snippets. The search looks through:

• Snippet labels
• Descriptions
• Template content

Just type a keyword and the list will filter to show matching snippets in real-time.

Best Practices

Keep Labels Simple

Use short, memorable labels that are easy to type. Consider the frequency of use—common snippets deserve shorter labels.

• Very common: \f (fraction), \s (section)
• Somewhat common: \fig (figure), \eq (equation)
• Less common: \theorembox, \algorithmenv

Be Consistent with Naming

Develop a naming convention and stick to it. This makes snippets easier to remember and reduces typing errors.

• Use \ prefix for all commands
• Use camelCase or underscores for multi-word labels: \myFigure or \my_figure
• Group related snippets with prefixes: \figsmall, \figwide, \figfull

Write Helpful Descriptions

Your future self will thank you. A good description explains what the snippet does and any special considerations.

• Bad: "figure stuff"
• Better: "Figure with caption"
• Best: "Figure environment, 80% width, includes caption and label"

Use Placeholders Judiciously

More placeholders aren't always better. Include tab stops for parts that change frequently, but hard-code parts that stay the same.

Troubleshooting

Snippet Not Appearing in Autocomplete

If your snippet doesn't show up when typing:

• Check that you're in a .tex file (snippets only work in LaTeX files)
• Verify you have a Premium subscription or active trial
• Make sure the snippet was saved (check that it appears in the snippets list)
• Try typing more of the label (autocomplete filters as you type)
• Press Ctrl+Space or Cmd+Space to force the menu to appear

"Premium Required" Message

Custom snippets are a Premium feature. If you see a message saying snippets require Premium:

• Your trial may have expired
• Your Premium subscription may have lapsed
• You might be using a free account

To unlock snippets, go to Settings → Account and upgrade to Premium or start a trial.

Placeholder Not Working

If tab stops aren't functioning:

• Check that placeholder syntax is correct: ${1:text}
• Make sure there's a space after the closing brace: ${1:text}
• Don't use nested braces: ${1:{text}} won't work properly
• Test with a simple snippet first to rule out complex template issues

Next Steps

Now that you understand how snippets work, here are some ways to become more productive:

• Start with snippets for your most frequently-typed LaTeX patterns
• Look at your existing documents and identify repetitive code that could be snippet-ified
• Build a personal library of snippets tailored to your writing style
• Share your favorite snippets with colleagues to standardize formatting in collaborative projects