Quick Start

This guide gets you from zero to a compiled PDF with AI assistance in under 5 minutes.

1. Open a Project

Launch LMMs-Lab Writer and click Open Folder to select a directory containing your LaTeX files.

If you're starting fresh:

• Create a new folder anywhere on your machine
• Add a main.tex file (the app will auto-detect it as the main file)
• Or clone an existing repository using the built-in terminal

The app watches your project directory for changes — any file created or modified (by you, by AI, or by any other tool) will appear in the file tree instantly.

2. Write LaTeX

Click any .tex, .bib, or other text file in the file tree to open it in the editor.

The editor provides:

• Syntax highlighting for LaTeX, BibTeX, and many other languages
• Bracket matching and auto-closing
• Line numbers with code folding
• Vim mode (toggle in Settings)
• Customizable font size, line height, tab size, and word wrap

You can configure all editor settings from the Settings dialog.

3. Compile

Click the Compile button in the toolbar to build your PDF.

The app supports four compilation modes:

To change the engine or set the main file, open the LaTeX Settings dialog from the toolbar. The app auto-detects your main .tex file based on the presence of \documentclass and \begin{document}.

Compilation errors and warnings appear in the output panel with line numbers so you can jump directly to the issue.

4. Use AI

The real power of LMMs-Lab Writer is AI integration. Because your files are local, any AI tool with filesystem access can edit them directly — and changes appear in the editor in real-time.

OpenCode (Built-in)

The built-in AI panel powered by OpenCode:

1. Click the AI panel icon in the sidebar
2. Type your prompt (e.g., "Write the abstract summarizing our key contributions")
3. Watch the AI edit your files in real-time
4. Review changes and compile

You can attach files, switch models, and manage multiple chat sessions. See the OpenCode docs for details.

Claude Code

Run Claude Code in the built-in terminal:

claude "Add a related work section comparing our method to LoRA and QLoRA"

Changes appear instantly in the editor as Claude writes them.

Cursor

Open your project folder in Cursor alongside LMMs-Lab Writer. Edits made in Cursor appear in the editor in real-time thanks to file watching.

Any AI Tool

If an AI tool can read and write files on your filesystem, it works with LMMs-Lab Writer. The app detects all file changes and reflects them instantly.

5. Review & Commit

Use the built-in Git panel in the sidebar:

1. Click the Git icon to see changed files
2. Click a file to view the diff
3. Stage files with the + button
4. Write a commit message (or click the sparkle icon to generate one with AI)
5. Press Ctrl+Enter or click Commit
6. Push to remote with the Push button

You can also initialize new repositories, publish to GitHub, and manage remotes — all from the Git panel. See the Git docs for details.

6. Use the Terminal

The built-in terminal gives you full shell access:

• macOS: Bash or Zsh (your default shell)
• Windows: PowerShell

Run any command — install packages, use CLI tools, run scripts. The terminal respects your app's light/dark theme.

Next Steps

• Installation — Detailed setup for all platforms and LaTeX distributions
• OpenCode — Built-in AI assistant
• AI Agents — Using Claude Code, Cursor, and other tools
• LaTeX Compilation — Engines, settings, and error handling
• Git Integration — Version control and GitHub publishing
• Terminal — Built-in terminal features