LaTeX for Publications: How does it work?

LaTeX is not a word processor! Instead, LaTeX is software for preparing documents that encourages the author to not worry about the look of the finished document, but rather to focus on content. While preparing a LaTeX document, the creator identifies elements of the work, such as chapter, section, table, figure, etc. and lets the LaTeX system handle their appearance.

This means that your LaTeX document consists of your content in plain text, with commands embedded in the text to make sections, images, special characters, etc. The document you work on never pretends to look like the finished product, but you can compile your document at any time—creating a PDF—with a single click of your mouse.

Customizing your Document with "Packages"
LaTeX uses a variety of macros—known as packages—to address specific typesetting needs, such as images, mathematical equations, chemical structure images, special characters, specific fonts, etc. These packages are very easy to enable, and they are critical in making LaTeX into the publishing tool that so many writers rely on.

The Creation Process

1. The author creates a file, typically with a text editor. This file will have a name such as article.tex.
2. The author adds content, interspersed with some simple commands to create sections, add images, etc.
3. The author compiles the document, creating a finished document—usually a PDF—ready for publication, web posting, etc.

Donald Knuth (Jan. 10, 1938 - ). American computer scientist, mathematician and recipient of the ACM Turing Award. Dr. Knuth developed the TeX typesetting system for the second edition of his seminal work: The Art of Computer Programming (image source: wikipedia.org).