Using LaTeX for Everyday PDFs: A Beginner-Friendly Guide

When most people hear about LaTeX (pronounced "Lay-tech" or "Lah-tech"), they think of scientists, engineers, or mathematicians writing research papers full of formulas. While that is true, LaTeX is also great for creating polished, professional PDFs for everyday use. Whether you want a resume, a letter, a recipe collection, or simple documentation, LaTeX helps you produce documents that look better than basic word processors.

Why use LaTeX instead of a word processor?

Word processors like Microsoft Word or Google Docs are convenient, but they can be limiting if you want precise, consistent formatting. LaTeX is different. You describe your document with simple text commands, and the typesetting engine handles the layout. The result is a professional, consistent, print-ready PDF every time.

Here is a tiny example you can copy into a file named first.tex and compile. The sample text is original and released into the public domain by the author for demonstration purposes.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{lipsum} % optional filler text
\begin{document}
\title{My First LaTeX Document}
\author{Jane Doe}
\date{\today}
\maketitle

\section{Introduction}
This is my first document using \LaTeX. It looks clean and well structured.
I did not adjust fonts or margins by hand. The engine did the hard work for me.

\section{A short paragraph}
The quick brown fox practices patience and clarity in every step.
This paragraph is released into the public domain by its author for the sake of learning.

\section{Why I like LaTeX}
\begin{itemize}
  \item Consistent formatting
  \item Easy to reuse templates
  \item High quality PDFs
\end{itemize}

\end{document}

With fewer than 30 lines, LaTeX produces a neat title, sections, and lists. No manual spacing or alignment needed.

Getting started: offline vs online editors

To work with LaTeX, you need an editor and a LaTeX distribution (the tools that compile .tex into PDF).

Offline editor (recommended for sensitive data)

• TeXstudio is a free, open source editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is a great choice when working with private or sensitive content because your files stay on your computer. It offers helpful features like autocomplete, error highlights, and a built in PDF viewer.
  • Download: https://www.texstudio.org/

Online editors (quick previews)

• Browser based editors such as Overleaf are convenient for quick experiments and previews without installing anything. They are not ideal for confidential material, but they are handy for trying LaTeX quickly or collaborating on non sensitive drafts.

Compiling to PDF: pdflatex vs xelatex

Once you write your .tex file, you compile it into a PDF. Two common compilers are pdflatex and xelatex.

• pdflatex

  • Widely supported and fast.
  • Great for most everyday documents, resumes, letters, and reports.
  • Works best with LaTeX's built in font model and common packages.

• xelatex

  • Lets you use system fonts easily (for example, "Calibri", "Times New Roman", or any font installed on your machine).
  • Excellent for multilingual documents and scripts beyond basic Latin.
  • Useful when you need to match a specific brand or design language.

Simple rule of thumb: start with pdflatex. If you need a specific system font or better Unicode support, switch to xelatex.

You can compile from the command line like this:

# Using pdflatex
pdflatex first.tex

# Using xelatex
xelatex first.tex

Everyday uses for LaTeX

You do not need to write a scientific paper to benefit from LaTeX. Here are simple, practical uses:

• Resumes and cover letters: Clean, consistent layouts that print perfectly.
• Recipe collections: A family cookbook with uniform headings and spacing.
• Personal journals and notes: Structured pages that export to tidy PDFs.
• Event invitations and flyers: Crisp typography and reliable printing.
• Simple reports: For school, work, or clubs.

Once you create a template, you can reuse it by changing only the words.

A simple letter template

Here is a minimal letter for demonstration.

\documentclass[11pt]{letter}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\signature{Alex Smith}
\address{123 Example Street\\Sample Town}
\begin{document}

\begin{letter}{Pat Lee\\456 River Road\\Sample City}
\opening{Dear Pat,}

Thank you for taking the time to read this LaTeX letter. The layout is consistent and prints cleanly without manual adjustments. This sample text is provided for learning and may be used without restriction.

\closing{Sincerely,}
\end{letter}

\end{document}

Why LaTeX is worth learning

Typing a few commands may feel new at first, but the benefits are clear:

• Consistency without micromanaging formatting.
• Portability to high quality PDFs that look the same everywhere.
• Control over layout while keeping your focus on content.
• Free and community supported.

Final thoughts

LaTeX is not only for researchers. It is a reliable way for anyone to create clean, professional PDFs for everyday needs. Start with TeXstudio for private, offline work, and use an online editor when you want a quick preview.

If you want a structured learning path, here are two approachable courses I started with:

• LaTeX For Everyone and Everything: https://www.udemy.com/course/latex-for-everyone-and-everything
• LaTeX for Professional Publications: https://www.udemy.com/course/learn-latex