# LaTeX PDF MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides tools for converting LaTeX source code into PDF documents. This server enables AI assistants to generate high-quality PDF documents from LaTeX markup with professional formatting capabilities.
## Features
- **LaTeX to PDF Conversion**: Convert LaTeX source code directly to PDF format
- **Professional Document Generation**: Supports all standard LaTeX features for academic and professional documents
- **Local File Generation**: Creates PDF files in a specified directory for easy access
- **HTTP Server Integration**: Generates downloadable links for created PDFs
- **Error Handling**: Comprehensive error reporting for LaTeX compilation issues
## Prerequisites
Before using this MCP server, ensure you have:
1. **Node.js** (version 18 or higher)
2. **LaTeX Distribution**: A complete LaTeX installation such as:
- **Windows**: [MiKTeX](https://miktex.org/) or [TeX Live](https://www.tug.org/texlive/)
- **macOS**: [MacTeX](https://www.tug.org/mactex/)
- **Linux**: TeX Live (install via package manager)
3. **latexmk**: Usually included with LaTeX distributions
## Installation
### From npm (Recommended)
```bash
npm install -g latexpdf-mcp
```
### From Source
1. Clone the repository:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/ihor-sokoliuk/latexpdf-mcp.git
cd latexpdf-mcp
```
2. Install dependencies:
```bash
pnpm install
```
3. Build the project:
```bash
pnpm run build
```
## Configuration
### Claude Desktop Configuration
Add the server to your Claude Desktop configuration file:
**Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
**macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
**Linux**: `~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"latexpdf-mcp": {
"command": "latexpdf-mcp",
"env": {
"LATEXPDF_OUTPUT_DIR": "/path/to/your/pdf/directory"
}
}
}
}
```
### Output Directory
By default, PDFs are generated in: `C:\Users\Admin\Documents\GeneratedPDF`
You can customize the output directory by setting the `LATEXPDF_OUTPUT_DIR` environment variable in your MCP configuration.
**Example configurations:**
**Windows:**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"latexpdf-mcp": {
"command": "latexpdf-mcp",
"env": {
"LATEXPDF_OUTPUT_DIR": "C:\\Users\\YourName\\Documents\\MyPDFs"
}
}
}
}
```
**macOS/Linux:**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"latexpdf-mcp": {
"command": "latexpdf-mcp",
"env": {
"LATEXPDF_OUTPUT_DIR": "/home/yourname/Documents/PDFs"
}
}
}
}
```
## Usage
Once configured, you can use the server through your MCP-compatible client:
### Available Tools
#### `create_pdf`
Converts LaTeX source code into a PDF document.
**Parameters:**
- `file_name` (string, required): Name of the output PDF file (must end with .pdf)
- `latex_source` (string, required): LaTeX source code to convert
**Example:**
```latex
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\title{Sample Document}
\author{Your Name}
\date{\today}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\section{Introduction}
This is a sample LaTeX document generated via MCP.
\subsection{Features}
\begin{itemize}
\item Professional formatting
\item Mathematical expressions: $E = mc^2$
\item Cross-references and citations
\end{itemize}
\end{document}
```
## PDF Access
After generating a PDF, you can access it via HTTP server:
1. Navigate to the output directory (default: `C:\Users\Admin\Documents\GeneratedPDF`, or your custom `LATEXPDF_OUTPUT_DIR`):
```bash
cd [YOUR_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY]
```
2. Start a local HTTP server:
```bash
python -m http.server
```
3. Access your PDFs at `http://localhost:8000/[filename].pdf`
The server automatically provides download links in this format when PDFs are generated.
## Development
### Project Structure
```
latexpdf-mcp/
├── index.ts # Main server implementation
├── package.json # Package configuration
├── tsconfig.json # TypeScript configuration
├── pnpm-lock.yaml # Dependency lock file
└── dist/ # Compiled JavaScript output
```
### Building
```bash
pnpm run build
```
### Development Mode
```bash
pnpm run watch
```
## Troubleshooting
### Common Issues
1. **LaTeX not found**: Ensure LaTeX is properly installed and `latexmk` is in your PATH
2. **Permission errors**: Check write permissions for the output directory
3. **Compilation errors**: Review LaTeX syntax and required packages
### Error Messages
The server provides detailed error messages for:
- Missing LaTeX installation
- Compilation failures
- File system permissions
- Invalid input parameters
## Contributing
1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request
## License
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
## Links
- **Repository**: [https://github.com/ihor-sokoliuk/latexpdf-mcp](https://github.com/ihor-sokoliuk/latexpdf-mcp)
- **Issues**: [https://github.com/ihor-sokoliuk/latexpdf-mcp/issues](https://github.com/ihor-sokoliuk/latexpdf-mcp/issues)
- **Model Context Protocol**: [https://modelcontextprotocol.io](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)
## Author
**Ihor Sokoliuk** - [GitHub Profile](https://github.com/tobioffice)
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_This MCP server enables seamless LaTeX to PDF conversion within AI-assisted workflows, perfect for generating academic papers, technical documentation, and professional reports._
