feat: use a system LaTeX install, or fall back to a bundled one

README.md

@@ -1,54 +1,77 @@
-<div align="center">
-  <img src="public/TexSet.svg" alt="TexSet" width="72" height="72" />
-  <h1>TexSet</h1>
-  <p>A fast, local-first LaTeX editor that runs in your browser.</p>
-</div>
-
-TexSet is an Overleaf-style editor you run yourself. Write LaTeX on the left,
-watch the PDF build on the right. Everything happens on your machine: no
-accounts, no external APIs, no cloud. Your documents are just files in a folder
-you control.
-
-It's built to be modular. Today it compiles LaTeX with xelatex; the editor and
-compiler are wired through an engine abstraction so Typst support can drop in
-later without reworking the app. The accent color even follows the document type
-(green for LaTeX) so you always know what you're editing.
-
-> **Status:** active development. The foundation is in place and features are
-> landing branch by branch.
+# TexSet
+
+A fast, local-first LaTeX editor. Write LaTeX on the left, watch the PDF build on
+the right. Everything runs on your machine: no accounts, no external APIs, no
+cloud. Your documents are just files in a folder you control.
+
+> **In active development.** TexSet is usable today but still growing, and not
+> everything is polished yet. Bug reports, ideas, and feedback are very welcome —
+> open an issue and let me know what works and what doesn't.
+
+It's built to be modular. Today it compiles LaTeX with xelatex (driven by
+latexmk); the editor and compiler sit behind an engine abstraction so Typst
+support can drop in later. The accent color follows the document type (green for
+LaTeX) so you always know what you're editing.
+
+## What you can do
+
+- **Editor** — CodeMirror 6 with LaTeX highlighting, a formatting toolbar (bold,
+  italic, headings, lists, math), and autocomplete for commands, environments,
+  packages, and your own `\ref`/`\cite`/`\label`.
+- **Live preview** — the PDF rebuilds as you type (2s debounce) with a manual
+  compile button, pinch-to-zoom, and zoom controls. Errors are listed and click
+  to jump to the offending line.
+- **Real LaTeX** — latexmk runs bibtex/biber and makeindex and reruns as needed,
+  so citations, bibliographies, indexes, and cross-references resolve. The Docker
+  image ships the full TeX Live plus common fonts.
+- **Multiple files** — add and edit several `.tex` files, with `\input`/`\include`
+  from the main one.
+- **Images & assets** — upload images (drag and drop), preview them, insert
+  `\includegraphics`, and rename or delete files.
+- **Projects** — a gallery with Word-like previews, pin to top, rename, and
+  delete with confirmation.
+- **Templates** — article, letter, résumé, and a Beamer presentation, each with a
+  preview.
+- **Import / export** — open a `.tex` as a new project; download your source or
+  any asset.
+- **Dark mode** — a light/dark toggle that's remembered between visits.
+- **Keyboard shortcuts** — save (`Ctrl/Cmd+S`) and compile (`Ctrl/Cmd+Enter`).
 
 ## Running it
 
-The quickest way is Docker, which bundles Node and a TeX Live install so you
-don't have to set up a LaTeX toolchain yourself.
+### Docker (recommended)
+
+Bundles Node and a full TeX Live, so you don't set up a LaTeX toolchain yourself.
 
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/texset/texset.git
 cd texset
 docker compose up --build
 ```
 
-Then open http://localhost:7474. Your projects appear in `./projects` on your
-machine.
+Open http://localhost:7474. Your projects appear in `./projects` on your machine.
+The first build is large because it installs TeX Live; later builds are fast.
+See [docs/SELF_HOSTING.md](docs/SELF_HOSTING.md) for configuration.
 
-See [docs/SELF_HOSTING.md](docs/SELF_HOSTING.md) for configuration and other
-deployment notes.
+### Desktop app
 
-## Local development
+A desktop build (Electron) is in progress so the app can be installed from the
+Microsoft Store and run without Docker. It bundles a small TeX distribution
+(TinyTeX) and falls back to a system install if you already have one. See
+[desktop/README.md](desktop/README.md).
 
-You'll need Node.js 20+, pnpm, and a working `xelatex` on your `PATH`.
+### Local development
+
+You'll need Node.js 20+, pnpm, and — to actually compile — a LaTeX engine on your
+`PATH` (TeX Live or MiKTeX). Without one, the app runs and shows a banner
+explaining how to install it.
 
 ```bash
 pnpm install
 pnpm dev
 ```
 
-The dev server runs on http://localhost:7474. There's also a Docker dev setup
-with hot reload that includes TeX Live, if you'd rather not install it locally:
-
-```bash
-docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up
-```
+The dev server runs on http://localhost:7474.
 
 ## How it's built
 
@@ -60,15 +83,16 @@ docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up
 | Editor      | CodeMirror 6                    |
 | PDF viewer  | pdf.js                          |
 | Index       | SQLite (better-sqlite3)         |
-| TeX engine  | xelatex (TeX Live)              |
+| TeX engine  | latexmk + xelatex (TeX Live)    |
 | Container   | Docker, node:20-bookworm-slim   |
 
 More detail in [docs/ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md).
 
-## Contributing
+## Contributing & feedback
 
-Contributions are welcome. Start with [docs/CONTRIBUTING.md](docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)
-for the branching and pull request workflow.
+Contributions and feedback are welcome — see
+[docs/CONTRIBUTING.md](docs/CONTRIBUTING.md) for the branching and pull request
+workflow, and the issue templates for bug reports and feature requests.
 
 ## License
 

desktop/.gitignore

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+node_modules
+dist
+
+# assembled at build time
+resources/standalone
+resources/tinytex

desktop/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# TexSet desktop
+
+An Electron shell that runs TexSet as a native app — no Docker, no separate
+LaTeX install for most people. It bundles a small TeX distribution (TinyTeX) and
+prefers a system LaTeX install if you already have one.
+
+Electron is used (rather than Tauri) because TexSet has a Node backend — the
+Next.js API, `better-sqlite3`, and spawning `latexmk` — so the standalone server
+runs inside the app via Electron's Node.
+
+> Status: scaffold. The build has to be assembled and tested on the target OS
+> (Windows for the Microsoft Store). The notes below are the steps; expect to
+> iterate, especially around the native module and TinyTeX.
+
+## How it works
+
+`main.js` starts `resources/standalone/server.js` (the Next standalone server) on
+`127.0.0.1:7475`, then opens a window pointing at it. It sets:
+
+- `TEXSET_DATA_DIR` to the OS user-data folder, so projects persist per user.
+- `TEXSET_TEX_BIN_DIR` to the bundled TinyTeX `bin` folder. The app prefers a
+  system LaTeX engine and only falls back to this (see `src/lib/tex.ts`).
+
+## Building (outline)
+
+Run these on the OS you're targeting. For the Microsoft Store, that's Windows.
+
+1. **Build the web app** (repo root):
+   ```bash
+   pnpm install
+   pnpm build
+   ```
+
+2. **Assemble the server bundle** into `desktop/resources/standalone`:
+   - copy `.next/standalone` → `desktop/resources/standalone`
+   - copy `.next/static` → `desktop/resources/standalone/.next/static`
+   - copy `public` → `desktop/resources/standalone/public`
+
+3. **Rebuild the native module for Electron.** `better-sqlite3` ships a binary
+   built for system Node; it must match Electron's Node ABI. From `desktop/`,
+   after `pnpm install`, run `electron-rebuild` against
+   `resources/standalone/node_modules` (or reinstall `better-sqlite3` there with
+   Electron headers). This is the step most likely to need attention.
+
+4. **Bundle TinyTeX** into `desktop/resources/tinytex`. Install TinyTeX
+   (https://yihui.org/tinytex/) for the target platform and copy its folder here
+   so `resources/tinytex/bin/<platform>/latexmk` exists. TinyTeX installs missing
+   packages on demand (needs internet the first time for uncommon ones).
+
+5. **Package**:
+   ```bash
+   cd desktop
+   pnpm install
+   pnpm dist:win     # or dist:mac / dist:linux
+   ```
+
+## Microsoft Store
+
+`electron-builder`'s `appx` target produces an `.appx`/`.msix`. To publish:
+
+- Register on Partner Center and create the app listing to get your identity
+  values, then set `build.appx.identityName`, `publisher`, and
+  `publisherDisplayName` in `package.json` to match.
+- Build the package, then upload it through Partner Center.
+
+The MSIX runs the bundled `server.js` and TinyTeX binaries from inside the package
+(allowed), so no external install is required at runtime.
+
+## Try it in dev
+
+With the web app built and `resources/standalone` assembled, from `desktop/`:
+
+```bash
+pnpm install
+pnpm start
+```

desktop/main.js

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+// Electron shell for TexSet. It runs the Next.js standalone server in the
+// background (with Electron's own Node via ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE) and shows it in
+// a window. A small bundled TeX distribution (TinyTeX) is pointed at through
+// TEXSET_TEX_BIN_DIR; if the user already has a system LaTeX install, the app
+// prefers that one (see src/lib/tex.ts).
+const { app, BrowserWindow, shell } = require("electron");
+const { spawn } = require("node:child_process");
+const path = require("node:path");
+const http = require("node:http");
+
+const PORT = 7475;
+const ORIGIN = `http://127.0.0.1:${PORT}`;
+
+let serverProcess = null;
+
+// In a packaged build, resources live under process.resourcesPath. In dev we run
+// against the repo so you can iterate without packaging.
+function resource(...parts) {
+  return app.isPackaged
+    ? path.join(process.resourcesPath, ...parts)
+    : path.join(__dirname, "..", ...parts);
+}
+
+// TinyTeX lays its binaries out per platform.
+function tinytexBinDir() {
+  const platformDir =
+    process.platform === "win32"
+      ? "windows"
+      : process.platform === "darwin"
+        ? "universal-darwin"
+        : "x86_64-linux";
+  return resource("tinytex", "bin", platformDir);
+}
+
+function startServer() {
+  const serverDir = resource("standalone");
+  serverProcess = spawn(process.execPath, [path.join(serverDir, "server.js")], {
+    cwd: serverDir,
+    env: {
+      ...process.env,
+      ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE: "1",
+      PORT: String(PORT),
+      HOSTNAME: "127.0.0.1",
+      TEXSET_DATA_DIR: path.join(app.getPath("userData"), "projects"),
+      TEXSET_TEX_BIN_DIR: tinytexBinDir(),
+    },
+    stdio: "inherit",
+  });
+  serverProcess.on("exit", () => {
+    serverProcess = null;
+  });
+}
+
+// Wait until the server answers before showing the window.
+function whenServerReady(onReady, attempt = 0) {
+  http
+    .get(ORIGIN, () => onReady())
+    .on("error", () => {
+      if (attempt > 100) return; // ~20s, give up quietly
+      setTimeout(() => whenServerReady(onReady, attempt + 1), 200);
+    });
+}
+
+function createWindow() {
+  const win = new BrowserWindow({
+    width: 1280,
+    height: 800,
+    title: "TexSet",
+    backgroundColor: "#0f1115",
+    webPreferences: { contextIsolation: true },
+  });
+  win.loadURL(ORIGIN);
+  // open external links (install guides, etc.) in the system browser
+  win.webContents.setWindowOpenHandler(({ url }) => {
+    shell.openExternal(url);
+    return { action: "deny" };
+  });
+}
+
+app.whenReady().then(() => {
+  startServer();
+  whenServerReady(createWindow);
+  app.on("activate", () => {
+    if (BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().length === 0) createWindow();
+  });
+});
+
+app.on("window-all-closed", () => {
+  if (process.platform !== "darwin") app.quit();
+});
+
+app.on("quit", () => {
+  serverProcess?.kill();
+});

desktop/package.json

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+{
+  "name": "texset-desktop",
+  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "private": true,
+  "description": "Desktop shell for TexSet.",
+  "main": "main.js",
+  "scripts": {
+    "start": "electron .",
+    "dist:win": "electron-builder --win",
+    "dist:mac": "electron-builder --mac",
+    "dist:linux": "electron-builder --linux"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "electron": "^33.0.0",
+    "electron-builder": "^25.1.8"
+  },
+  "build": {
+    "appId": "com.texset.app",
+    "productName": "TexSet",
+    "directories": {
+      "output": "dist"
+    },
+    "files": ["main.js"],
+    "extraResources": [
+      { "from": "resources/standalone", "to": "standalone" },
+      { "from": "resources/tinytex", "to": "tinytex" }
+    ],
+    "win": {
+      "target": ["appx", "nsis"]
+    },
+    "appx": {
+      "identityName": "TexSet",
+      "publisher": "CN=YOUR_PUBLISHER_ID",
+      "publisherDisplayName": "Your Name"
+    },
+    "mac": {
+      "target": ["dmg"],
+      "category": "public.app-category.productivity"
+    },
+    "linux": {
+      "target": ["AppImage"]
+    }
+  }
+}

src/app/api/tex-status/route.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { NextResponse } from "next/server";
+import { isTexAvailable } from "@/lib/tex";
+
+export const runtime = "nodejs";
+export const dynamic = "force-dynamic";
+
+// Tells the UI whether a LaTeX engine is reachable, so it can warn up front
+// instead of letting a compile mysteriously fail.
+export function GET() {
+  return NextResponse.json({ available: isTexAvailable() });
+}

src/app/layout.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { Metadata, Viewport } from "next";
 import { Inter, JetBrains_Mono } from "next/font/google";
+import { TexStatusBanner } from "@/components/TexStatusBanner";
 import "./globals.css";
 
 // fonts are self-hosted at build time, so this stays fully offline
@@ -45,7 +46,10 @@ export default function RootLayout({
       <head>
         <script dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: themeScript }} />
       </head>
-      <body>{children}</body>
+      <body>
+        <TexStatusBanner />
+        {children}
+      </body>
     </html>
   );
 }