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MiKTeX VS vimtex

Compare MiKTeX VS vimtex and see what are their differences

MiKTeX logo MiKTeX

MiKTeX is a typesetting system for the Windows operating system.

vimtex logo vimtex

vimtex is a Vim plugin that provides support for writing LaTeX documents.
  • MiKTeX Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-13
  • vimtex Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-25

MiKTeX features and specs

  • Easy Installation
    MiKTeX provides a straightforward and easy installation process, which is suitable for beginners and advanced users alike. It includes a package manager that handles most dependencies automatically.
  • Automatic Package Management
    MiKTeX automatically installs missing LaTeX packages when they are needed, saving users from manually searching and installing packages.
  • Regular Updates
    The software is frequently updated to fix bugs and include new features, ensuring users have access to the latest tools and improvements.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    MiKTeX is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing users to work across different operating systems with the same setup.

Possible disadvantages of MiKTeX

  • Resource Intensive
    MiKTeX can be resource-intensive, requiring significant disk space and memory, which might be a drawback for users with older or less powerful systems.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    Despite its easy installation, using LaTeX editors like MiKTeX can be challenging for beginners due to the steep learning curve associated with LaTeX itself.
  • Windows-Centric Focus
    Although MiKTeX is cross-platform, it has a strong focus on Windows users, which can occasionally lead to less optimized experiences on macOS and Linux.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Users sometimes encounter bugs or stability issues during package updates, which can interrupt workflow and require troubleshooting.

vimtex features and specs

  • Seamless Vim Integration
    Vimtex integrates seamlessly with Vim, providing a natural experience for users already familiar with Vim’s workflow and commands.
  • Comprehensive LaTeX Support
    It offers extensive support for LaTeX editing, including features like syntax highlighting, automatic folding, and indentation, which enhance productivity.
  • Customizable Build System
    Vimtex allows users to configure the compilation process flexibly using various backends like latexmk, offering a more tailored workflow for compiling documents.
  • Forward and Inverse Search
    Vimtex supports forward and inverse search capabilities, which improve the ease of navigating between the source .tex file and the compiled PDF.
  • BibTeX Integration
    It supports citation handling and bibliography management via BibTeX, enabling users to manage references efficiently within Vim.
  • Active Community and Support
    Vimtex is actively maintained and has a helpful community, providing timely updates, bug fixes, and user support.

Possible disadvantages of vimtex

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with Vim might find Vimtex’s learning curve steep, as it requires understanding both Vim commands and LaTeX syntax.
  • Dependency Management
    Some users may experience difficulties setting up Vimtex due to its reliance on external tools like latexmk, which require additional configuration and installation steps.
  • Lack of GUI
    Vimtex operates entirely within the Vim environment, lacking a graphical user interface, which can be a disadvantage for users who prefer GUI-based interactions for LaTeX editing.
  • Limited to Vim Users
    Accessibility is limited to those who use or are willing to use Vim as their text editor. This excludes users who prefer other text editors.

MiKTeX videos

How to Get Started with Latex on Windows 10 Texmaker MiKTeX

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Use Portable LaTeX: MikTeX and TeXstudio (Latex Advanced Tutorial-35)

vimtex videos

No vimtex videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MiKTeX and vimtex)
Writing
50 50%
50% 50
Project Management
0 0%
100% 100
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Writing Tools
68 68%
32% 32

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MiKTeX and vimtex

MiKTeX Reviews

14 BEST LaTeX Editor for Mac & Windows in 2022
Miktex is an open-source LaTeX editor. It offers easy to use installation wizard. This application has an integrated package management system.
Source: www.guru99.com

vimtex Reviews

We have no reviews of vimtex yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, vimtex should be more popular than MiKTeX. It has been mentiond 52 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MiKTeX mentions (20)

  • Noob here- how to download Latex?
    Usually people recommend miktex for windows https://miktex.org/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Need help with ACS bibtex style
    For two, you can resort to its analogue within the KOMA class/bundle. Depending on your locale, this may require some adjustments for the paper format (ISO A4 vs e.g., US letter), but this is quick click in general setup (in case you happen to use MiKTeX, one of the tabs asks you for the format typically used) and in the .tex preamble. Else, achemso works just fine, i.e. In the text you get the number-based... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Darkmode broken in Setzer – is it still maintained?
    Or, does the flatpack attempt an installation of a large portion/all of TeXLive? (Aiming for a more granular approach, to fetch only the packages I really want [with optional, yet independent download of the documentation] was a major motivation to move to MikTeX (non-Docker) installation equally running from a a thumb drive, or in Linuxes. This was something in close to 100...200 MB in total as a starter... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Darkmode broken in Setzer – is it still maintained?
    On Xubuntu 22.04.1 LTS, I had no problem starting the editor, changing to dark mode, compiling (with pdfLaTeX by with MiXTeX). The suggestions equally show up, just as anticipated, too (screenphoto). The guide to set up an article worked like a charm. Source: over 2 years ago
  • LaTeX as a replacement for MS Word
    Texdoc comes with TeXLive only. With MiKTeX (which equally works well in Linux as in Windows, and from a thumb drive), you select the packages (or their documentation, or both) of interest for download. A double click opens the .pdf (screenshot). Source: over 2 years ago
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vimtex mentions (52)

  • Reactive HTML Notebooks
    2- For writing: you can use https://github.com/lervag/vimtex for LaTeX On top of these, you can use tmux with tmuxp to open projects instantly. You can replicate such environment with Emacs using org mode and/or auctex. No use for an added layer (web tech) for this, introducing more code to write and learn. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • My uses for vimwiki have dried up... and it makes me a little sad
    I use vimwiki almost daily, but it's not professional use, just daily notes and organizing my life. I started using zim but I found I really missed writing/editing with vim. Then I found vimwiki. There are things I'm not super happy about with it. I saw that /u/lervag (love his vimtex plugin) released a wiki plugin and I was/am interested in it, but I have so much in my wiki right now that I don't want to deal... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Note Taking Applications, Beyond the Doc
    Definitely get vimtex and set it up so you can view the compiled document in one window, and your notes in the other. Get used to vim a bit with some vim tutorial (there are a bunch out there), and have latex shortcuts you use in all your documents. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • I like Tabasco.
    I do think VSCode is a great tool and I recommend it frequently to people, but I still want to set the record straight here. Yes, vim is obviously limited in the sense that as a CLI app it doesn't draw it's own PDF or HTML windows, that's fair. But it can remote control your favorite PDF viewer or browser for roughly the same functionality. I'm currently writing my thesis using vimtex and it's quite smooth. And... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Is there a way to render advanced latex on Obsidian?
    Obsidian is limited by its use of markdown files. You can use Overleaf, Vimtex, or LaTeX workshop on VS Code to render your tex documents. Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing MiKTeX and vimtex, you can also consider the following products

Overleaf - The online platform for scientific writing. Overleaf is free: start writing now with one click. No sign-up required. Great on your iPad.

TeXworks - The TeXworks project is an effort to build a simple TeX front-end program (working environment)...

TeXstudio - TeXstudio is an integrated environment for writing LaTeX documents.

TeXnicCenter - TeXnicCenter is a feature rich and easy-to-use integrated environment for creating LaTeX documents...

LyX - LyX is a document processor.

Table Generator - WYSIWYG table editor that allows you to generate code in LaTeX, HTML, Markdown, Text-only