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The Compile API compiles LaTeX source code into PDF documents using the Tectonic typesetting engine. It handles the complete compilation pipeline including temporary file management and error reporting.

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Endpoint

POST /api/compile

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Request parameters

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content
string
required
LaTeX source code to compile as a plain string.

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Response

On successful compilation, returns a PDF file with the following headers:
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Content-Type
string
application/pdf
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Content-Disposition
string
inline; filename="output.pdf"

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Error responses

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Compilation error (400)

Returned when the LaTeX source contains syntax errors or cannot be compiled.
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error
boolean
Always true for error responses
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message
string
Error message from the Tectonic compiler, including line numbers and error descriptions. If no specific error message is available, returns “Unknown compilation error”.

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Internal error (500)

Returned when an unexpected error occurs during the compilation process.
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error
boolean
Always true for error responses
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message
string
Error message describing the internal failure. Returns “Unknown error” if the error object has no message.

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Compilation process

The API performs the following steps:
  1. Receive content: Accepts the LaTeX source code as a plain string
  2. Write temporary file: Saves the source as input.tex in the system temp directory
  3. Create output directories: Sets up out/ and cache/ directories for Tectonic
  4. Run Tectonic: Executes the Tectonic compiler with the following arguments:
    • -X compile - Use experimental compile mode
    • --outdir - Output directory for generated PDF
    • --synctex=false - Disable SyncTeX generation
  5. Return PDF or error: Returns the compiled PDF or error messages from stderr

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Platform-specific behavior

The Tectonic binary location varies by platform:
  • Linux/Windows: bin/tectonic relative to the project root
  • macOS: /usr/local/bin/tectonic

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Example request

curl -X POST https://your-domain.com/api/compile \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "\\documentclass{article}\n\\begin{document}\nHello, World!\n\\end{document}"
  }' \
  --output output.pdf

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Example error response

{
  "error": true,
  "message": "error: LaTeX Error: File `nonexistent.sty' not found.\n\nType X to quit or <RETURN> to proceed,\nor enter new name. (Default extension: sty)\n"
}

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Tips for successful compilation

  • Ensure all LaTeX packages used in the document are available in Tectonic
  • Check that the LaTeX syntax is valid before sending to the API
  • Send the LaTeX content as a plain string in the JSON body
  • Large documents may take several seconds to compile
  • The API does not support multi-file projects (use \input or \include directives within a single file)

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