TexLite: Self-Hosted LaTeX Workspace
- TexLite is a self-hosted, browser-based LaTeX workspace for small teams, running on a single Node.js process with SQLite and local file storage under the AGPL-3.0 licence.
- The project includes real-time collaborative editing, source-anchored comments, and latexmk compilation by default, features its authors say require paid or more complex
- TexLite is explicitly not a compiler sandbox and is designed only for trusted users, with its authors warning that enabling certain project settings can execute powerful behaviour
A new open-source project called TexLite is offering small, trusted teams a self-hosted, browser-based environment for writing and compiling LaTeX documents, built on a deliberately minimal stack of Node.js, SQLite, and local files.
What TexLite provides
The tool delivers browser-based editing via CodeMirror — with LaTeX and BibTeX syntax highlighting, code folding, autocompletion, optional Vim mode, and spelling and grammar assistance — alongside Yjs-based real-time collaborative editing. Source-level comments anchored to specific passages in the text, with reply and resolution threading, are included by default. Compilation relies on latexmk and reuses whichever TeX engine — pdflatex, xelatex, or lualatex — is already installed on the host machine. Per-project history, ZIP import and export, and an optional Git and GitHub backup integration round out the feature set.
Positioning against Overleaf
The project draws an explicit, if measured, distinction from Overleaf, the dominant hosted LaTeX platform. Its authors acknowledge that Overleaf is a strong choice for teams where a hosted product is the right fit. They argue, however, that TexLite addresses a narrower self-hosted use case: shared hosted services can queue or time out at peak load, Overleaf's open-source Community Edition requires a more involved Docker deployment, and source-level comments are described as a Server Pro feature in Overleaf's offering. TexLite's authors are careful to note that self-hosting does not in itself guarantee faster document compilation, which they say depends on the host machine and the document.
The project also states explicitly that TexLite is not intended to replace personal desktop tools such as VS Code with LaTeX Workshop or TeXstudio, positioning itself instead as purpose-built for shared browser writing within a small, known group.
Security scope and deployment
TexLite is described as a single-host application for trusted users only. Its authors warn that it is not a compiler sandbox: LaTeX and an enabled project-level latexmkrc file can execute powerful local behaviour on the host system. The default configuration binds to 127.0.0.1, and the project documentation advises that changing this requires adding appropriate authentication, network controls, and an isolated compiler environment. Public registration is deliberately disabled; the first administrator account is created during initialisation.
Installation requires Node.js 24 or newer and latexmk. The package is distributed via npm under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0, with proprietary or commercial licensing available by contacting the copyright holder. As interest in open-source, self-hosted tooling grows among developer teams seeking greater control over their infrastructure, TexLite represents a considered, if intentionally constrained, addition to that ecosystem.