Math Support

DocumenterTypst supports both native Typst math and LaTeX math syntax.

Which Should I Use?

Native Typst Math (Recommended)

For new projects, use Typst's native math syntax.

Display Math

```math typst
sum_(i=1)^n i = (n(n+1))/2
```

Rendered output:

sum_(i=1)^n i = (n(n+1))/2

Complex Equations

```math typst
integral_0^infinity e^(-x^2) dif x = sqrt(pi)/2
```

Matrices

```math typst
mat(
  1, 2, ..., 10;
  2, 2, ..., 10;
  dots.v, dots.v, dots.down, dots.v;
  10, 10, ..., 10;
)
```

Advantages

• Faster compilation: No LaTeX→Typst conversion
• Better error messages: Typst's errors are clearer
• More features: Access to Typst-specific functionality
• Cleaner syntax: Less verbose than LaTeX

Syntax Comparison

See Typst Math Documentation for complete syntax reference.

LaTeX Math (For Compatibility)

For backward compatibility with existing Documenter documentation, LaTeX math is supported via mitex.

Inline Math

The equation `E = mc^2` is Einstein's mass-energy equivalence.

Rendered: The equation E = mc^2 is Einstein's mass-energy equivalence.

Display Math

```math
\sum_{i=1}^n i = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}
```

Rendered output:

\[\sum_{i=1}^n i = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}\]

Complex Equations

```math
\begin{aligned}
\nabla \times \vec{\mathbf{B}} -\, \frac1c\, \frac{\partial\vec{\mathbf{E}}}{\partial t}
&= \frac{4\pi}{c}\vec{\mathbf{j}} \\
\nabla \cdot \vec{\mathbf{E}} &= 4 \pi \rho \\
\nabla \times \vec{\mathbf{E}}\, +\, \frac1c\, \frac{\partial\vec{\mathbf{B}}}{\partial t}
&= \vec{\mathbf{0}} \\
\nabla \cdot \vec{\mathbf{B}} &= 0
\end{aligned}
```

Supported Features

mitex supports most common LaTeX math commands:

• Greek letters: \alpha, \beta, \gamma, ...
• Operators: \sum, \prod, \int, \lim, ...
• Relations: \leq, \geq, \approx, \equiv, ...
• Brackets: \left(, \right), \big[, \Big], ...
• Matrices: \begin{matrix}, \begin{pmatrix}, ...
• Environments: aligned, cases, array, ...

Known Limitations

Some advanced LaTeX packages are not supported:

• Custom LaTeX packages (tikz, pgfplots, etc.)
• Complex custom macros
• Some AMSmath extensions

Workaround: Use native Typst math for advanced features.

Migration from LaTeX

Keep Using LaTeX Math

Your existing LaTeX math works as-is via mitex:

`\alpha + \beta = \gamma`

```math
\frac{\partial f}{\partial x} = \lim_{h \to 0} \frac{f(x+h) - f(x)}{h}
```

No changes required!

Gradual Migration to Typst

Convert incrementally as you update documentation:

LaTeX (old):

```math
\sum_{i=1}^n i = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}
```

Typst (new):

```math typst
sum_(i=1)^n i = (n(n+1))/2
```

Mixed Approach

You can use both in the same document:

Legacy section with LaTeX: `\sum_{i=1}^n i`

New section with Typst:

```math typst
sum_(i=1)^n i
```

Best Practices

For New Projects

• Use native Typst math for better performance and cleaner syntax
• Learn Typst syntax - it's simpler and more intuitive than LaTeX
• See Typst tutorial for examples

For Existing Projects

• Keep LaTeX math for zero migration cost
• Convert incrementally as you update sections
• Test changes carefully to ensure rendering is correct

For Large Equations

Break complex equations into smaller parts:

// Bad (hard to read)
$ (a + b + c + d + e + f + g + h + i + j) / (x + y + z) $

// Good (readable)
$ (a + b + c + d + e + f + g + h + i + j) /
  (x + y + z) $

Debugging Math

Enable Debug Output

export DOCUMENTER_TYPST_DEBUG="typst-debug"
julia docs/make.jl

Check typst-debug/*.typ to see how math was converted.

Common Issues

Issue: Math doesn't render correctly

Solution:

1. Check for unsupported LaTeX commands
2. Try native Typst syntax instead
3. Enable debug output to see converted code
4. Consult mitex documentation for supported commands

Issue: Spacing looks wrong

Solution:

• LaTeX: Use \,, \;, \quad for manual spacing
• Typst: Use space, h(1em), thin, thick spacing

Issue: Inline math not working

Solution:

• Use backticks for inline math: $`E = mc^2`$
• Native Typst inline math ($...$) only works in .typ files

Resources

• Typst Math Documentation - Complete math syntax reference
• mitex Documentation - LaTeX compatibility layer
• LaTeX to Typst Guide - Migration guide