Overleaf is the best-known online LaTeX editor. Teams look for an alternative to keep documents and compile jobs on their own server, to control who can create accounts, or to get features the free self-hosted edition lacks. Others write alone and do not need a browser editor at all.
This guide covers two self-hosted options (Overleaf Community Edition and Ayakaleaf Pro) and four local editors (LyX, TeXstudio, Texmaker and VS Code with LaTeX Workshop). Facts were checked against the projects' own pages on 5 November 2026, and self-descriptions are attributed to the project.
Quick answer: for a group that wants to write together on its own server, start with Overleaf Community Edition, and look at Ayakaleaf Pro if you also need single sign-on, Git sync or an AI assistant. For solo work, install a TeX distribution and a local editor. It is simpler and there is nothing to maintain.
Checked against the source on November 5, 2026. The Overleaf repository states an AGPL-3.0 licence and that Community Edition is only for environments where every user is trusted, and the Ayakaleaf Pro releases page lists v6.3.2 (23 October) as the latest, ahead of v6.3.1 (18 October) and v6.3.0 (24 September).
- Overleaf Community Edition: AGPL-3.0; the repository page shows about 18.3k stars and no tagged release.
- Ayakaleaf Pro: AGPL-3.0, about 1.6k stars at the time of the check; the repository page now calls it "an enhanced version of Overleaf with almost all features and capabilities" and says it is not affiliated with Overleaf, Inc. or Digital Science.
- TeXstudio: version 4.9.9, listed on its site with a news entry dated 2026-10-23 ("mainly bug fixes") and a GPL v2 licence.
Decision criteria
- Alone or with others? Self-hosted web editors exist mainly for sharing projects.
- Do you trust every user on the server? See Option 1.
- Do you need single sign-on, Git sync or reference-manager links?
- Who runs updates and backups? A server needs an owner.
Option 1: Overleaf Community Edition
What it is. The open-source, self-hosted version of Overleaf, released under AGPL-3.0. Overleaf's repository describes it as a web-based, real-time collaborative LaTeX editor you can run as your own local copy.
What it lacks. Overleaf's feature matrix lists these as Server Pro only: real-time track changes, Git integration, private template management, SAML single sign-on, automatic registration through LDAP or SAML, sandboxed compiles and an optimized TeX Live. The admin panel is marked "limited" in Community Edition. Both editions include the LaTeX editor, full project history and direct access to all user projects.
The trust limit. The repository says Community Edition is intended for environments where all users are trusted. Because sandboxed compiles are not available, users have full read and write access to the filesystem, network and environment variables of the sharelatex container during LaTeX compiles. If you cannot vouch for every account, this is a real constraint.
Requirements (Overleaf docs).
- A Debian-based Linux such as Ubuntu is recommended.
- Supported versions: Docker 25.0 and 29, MongoDB 7.0 and 8.0, Redis 6.2 and 7.5. MongoDB and Redis are pulled automatically by
docker composeunless you configure your own. - Minimum hardware: 2 CPU cores and 3 GB RAM for about 5 concurrent users, then roughly 1 core and 1 GB RAM per 5 to 10 more. LaTeX compiles on a single thread, so single-core speed matters most.
Setup with the Overleaf Toolkit. The Toolkit is the recommended deployment method for a single server. It needs bash and Docker with the docker compose plugin. From its quick start guide:
git clone https://github.com/overleaf/toolkit.git ./overleaf-toolkit
cd ./overleaf-toolkit
bin/init # creates config/overleaf.rc, config/variables.env, config/version
bin/up # starts the services; Community Edition is the default
Open http://localhost/launchpad to register the first admin account, log in at /login, and create a project at /project. If something fails, run bin/doctor. Before any upgrade, read the release notes for every version between yours and the target.
Who it suits. A lab or small company where every account holder is trusted.
Option 2: Ayakaleaf Pro
What it is. Ayakaleaf Pro is a free, open-source, self-hosted project from the ayaka-notes team. Its README calls it "Overleaf Community Edition enhanced with all Pro features." It is built on the Overleaf Community Edition code (its licence file carries both Overleaf's and the project's own copyright), uses AGPL-3.0, and states that it is not affiliated with Overleaf, Inc. and is not Server Pro Edition.
What it adds, according to its repository.
- Single sign-on through LDAP, SAML or OAuth 2.0.
- Two-way sync with Dropbox, GitHub (including Enterprise), GitLab and Gitea, plus Git-Bridge for clone, pull and push.
- An AI chat assistant, an error assistant for compile errors, and an MCP server so AI agents can edit, compile and comment on projects.
- Zotero and Mendeley integration with OAuth, and advanced bibliography search.
- Track changes with a review panel, full project history, and a symbol palette.
- Sandboxed compilation with a
texlive-fullimage and admin-adjustable compile times. - Pandoc import and export (Word, Markdown, LaTeX) and a Python script runner.
- An admin panel, self-registration optionally limited to email domains, a template gallery and 18 languages.
Corrections to older coverage. Our earlier article reported 993 stars and release pro-v6.3.1 as of 21 October 2026. The repository page now shows about 1.5k stars, and its releases page lists v6.3.2 (23 October) as the latest. Gitea sync, missing from the earlier text, is also on the feature list.
Requirements (Ayakaleaf docs).
- Minimum: 2 CPU cores, 3 GB RAM and at least 40 GB of storage for sandboxed compilation. Installing every TeX Live image from 2020 through 2026 needs about 150 GB free.
- Recommended: personal use 2 cores, 4 GB RAM, 80 GB; up to 10 users 2 cores, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB; up to 100 users 4 cores, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB.
- A recent stable Ubuntu and the latest stable Docker. macOS and Windows (WSL 2) work through Docker Desktop.
Setup on a new server. The docs use a fork of the Overleaf Toolkit:
cd $HOME
git clone https://github.com/ayaka-notes/toolkit.git ./overleaf-toolkit
cd ./overleaf-toolkit
bin/init
# edit config/overleaf.rc and set SERVER_PRO=true
bin/up
By default the Toolkit starts official Community Edition. Setting SERVER_PRO=true makes it pull the Ayakaleaf Pro image instead. The listen address and port default to 127.0.0.1 and 80, set in config/overleaf.rc. The first admin account is created at /launchpad, as with Overleaf.
Switching an existing Overleaf Toolkit install. Pull ghcr.io/ayaka-notes/overleaf-pro:latest, add a config/docker-compose.override.yml that sets the sharelatex service image to it, and run bin/up. No login is needed to pull. To revert, set SERVER_PRO=false in the ayaka-notes Toolkit or remove the override file in the official one.
Limits. It is a community project, so you depend on its maintainers. Its comparison of editions is the project's own and not independently verified. Sandboxed compiles address the trust risk described above, so confirm how they are configured in your installation.
Who it suits. An institution that needs single sign-on, domain-limited sign-ups or Git sync, and has someone who can run Docker.
Option 3: Local editors
You do not need a server if you write alone. First install a TeX distribution, because these editors call it to compile. MiKTeX (Windows, macOS, Linux) installs missing packages from the internet when required. The LaTeX Workshop docs recommend TeX Live and accept TinyTeX or MiKTeX.
LyX follows a "What You See Is What You Mean" approach: you write structure and LaTeX handles layout. It has an integrated equation editor and built-in layouts for articles, theses, books and letters. It runs on Linux, Windows and Mac, is open source, and its site lists version 2.5.3 (17 September 2026). Limit: you edit LyX documents rather than plain .tex, a different workflow from Overleaf.
TeXstudio is open source (GPL v2). Its site lists version 4.9.9 and builds for Windows 10/11 (x86-64 and Arm64), macOS 13 or later and Linux. Features include multi-cursor editing, auto-completion, over 1,000 math symbols, an integrated PDF viewer and automatic detection of MiKTeX and TeX Live. Notes: Windows 11 needs the Visual Studio runtime, and the macOS app is unsigned, so you may need to Ctrl+click and choose Open.
Texmaker is a free cross-platform editor (GPL v2) available since 2003, with a built-in PDF viewer using SyncTeX, a master mode for multi-file projects, one-click quick build and about 370 math symbols.
VS Code with LaTeX Workshop (MIT licence) builds on save, previews the PDF in VS Code or a browser, supports SyncTeX in both directions, completes citation keys and labels, and turns logs into VS Code problems. Install with ext install latex-workshop. Its README says the latest version needs at least VS Code 1.114.0. You need a LaTeX distribution on your PATH, latexmk for the default recipe, and Perl if you use MiKTeX.
Typst is a different system, not LaTeX. Its compiler is Apache-2.0 open source; its web app is closed source.
None of these pages describes Overleaf-style shared editing. If several people must contribute, keep the source in a Git repository.
Comparison
| Overleaf CE | Ayakaleaf Pro | LyX | TeXstudio / Texmaker | VS Code + LaTeX Workshop | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs | Your server | Your server | Your PC | Your PC | Your PC |
| Licence | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 | Open source | GPL v2 | MIT |
| Browser editor | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| SSO | No | LDAP, SAML, OAuth 2.0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Git sync | No | Yes | n/a | n/a | Via VS Code |
| Sandboxed compiles | No | Yes (per its docs) | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Upkeep | Server, updates, backups | Same | Desktop updates | Desktop updates | Desktop updates |
Which one should you choose?
- A trusted group on its own server: Overleaf Community Edition.
- SSO, domain-limited sign-ups or Git sync: Ayakaleaf Pro, after a pilot.
- Users you cannot fully trust: not plain Community Edition. Evaluate sandboxed compiles first.
- A solo writer who wants a classic LaTeX window: TeXstudio or Texmaker.
- Structure over markup: LyX.
- Already in VS Code: LaTeX Workshop.
If you run a server, add monitoring. A lightweight monitoring tool can alert you when it goes down.
How to test before committing
- Try Ayakaleaf Pro in its Playground, which runs in the browser through GitHub Codespaces and needs no server.
- Run
bin/doctorafter installing the Toolkit and fix every warning. - Import one real paper and compile it. Check fonts, packages and bibliography output.
- Test project history and restore on a copy.
- Decide who runs backups and how you restore them.
- Read the AGPL-3.0 terms if you plan to change the code.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who must isolate users from each other: the Overleaf repository says Community Edition is "not appropriate for scenarios where isolation of users is required" because sandboxed compiles are unavailable.
- Anyone who wants a vendor to call when something breaks: Ayakaleaf Pro describes itself as an independent project maintained by the ayaka-notes organisation and says it is not Overleaf's commercial Server Pro edition.
- Solo writers with no need for sharing: the server options add Docker, updates and backups for no gain, as the local editors above show.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ayakaleaf Pro affiliated with Overleaf? No. The project states it is independent.
Can I run Community Edition for a class of students? Overleaf says it is meant for environments where all users are trusted. Look at sandboxed compiles first.
Does Community Edition have Git integration? Overleaf's matrix lists it as Server Pro only. Ayakaleaf Pro lists Git-Bridge and GitHub, GitLab and Gitea sync.
Sources
- https://github.com/ayaka-notes/ayakaleaf-pro
- https://github.com/ayaka-notes/ayakaleaf-pro/releases
- https://ayakaleaf-pro.ayaka.space
- https://ayakaleaf-pro.ayaka.space/on-premises/installation/introduction.md
- https://ayakaleaf-pro.ayaka.space/on-premises/installation/using-docker-compose/linux/1.-download-the-toolkit.md
- https://ayakaleaf-pro.ayaka.space/on-premises/installation/using-docker-compose/linux/3.-initialize-the-configuration.md
- https://ayakaleaf-pro.ayaka.space/on-premises/installation/using-docker-compose/linux/4.-get-overleaf-pro-images.md
- https://github.com/overleaf/overleaf
- https://github.com/overleaf/toolkit/blob/master/doc/quick-start-guide.md
- https://docs.overleaf.com/on-premises/getting-started/hardware-requirements
- https://docs.overleaf.com/on-premises/getting-started/software-requirements
- https://www.overleaf.com/for/enterprises/features
- https://www.lyx.org/
- https://www.texstudio.org/
- https://www.xm1math.net/texmaker/
- https://github.com/James-Yu/LaTeX-Workshop
- https://github.com/James-Yu/LaTeX-Workshop/wiki/Install
- https://miktex.org/about
- https://typst.app/open-source/
Related: Best Self-Hosted Apps to Run at Home in 2026 · Best Open Source Personal Finance Apps That Keep Your Data Local
Comments (0)