Typst — Modern Markup-Based Typesetting System

What it is

Typst is a markup-based typesetting system written in Rust, designed as a modern alternative to LaTeX. Created by Martin Haug and Laurenz Maedje as a master thesis project at TU Berlin, Typst compiles documents in milliseconds rather than the seconds or minutes LaTeX requires. It supports math equations, bibliographies, figures, tables, and custom templates out of the box.

Typst targets students writing theses, researchers preparing papers, and professionals who need polished PDF output without wrestling with LaTeX package conflicts. Its syntax is closer to Markdown than to TeX, making the learning curve gentler for newcomers.

How it saves time or tokens

Typst's incremental compilation watches your source file and regenerates only the parts that changed. A document that takes LaTeX 30 seconds to compile rebuilds in under 100 milliseconds with Typst. Error messages point to the exact line and explain what went wrong in plain English, eliminating the time spent deciphering cryptic LaTeX logs. The built-in scripting language handles loops, conditionals, and data-driven content without external toolchains.

How to use

1. Install Typst via your package manager: brew install typst on macOS, cargo install --locked typst-cli via Rust, or scoop install typst on Windows.
2. Create a .typ file with your document content using Typst markup syntax.
3. Compile to PDF with typst compile paper.typ or use typst watch paper.typ for live reload during editing.

Example

#set page(paper: "a4", margin: 2cm)
#set text(font: "New Computer Modern", size: 12pt)
#set heading(numbering: "1.1")

= Introduction

This paper explores how *Typst* can replace LaTeX.
Compilation is _instant_ -- no more waiting.

== Background

$ E = m c^2 $

#figure(
  table(
    columns: 3,
    [*Tool*], [*Language*], [*Speed*],
    [Typst], [Rust], [< 100ms],
    [LaTeX], [TeX], [10-60s],
  ),
  caption: [Compilation speed comparison],
)

#bibliography("refs.bib")

Related on TokRepo

• AI Tools for Documentation -- discover AI-powered documentation workflows that pair well with Typst output
• AI Tools for Coding -- explore coding assistants that can generate Typst templates programmatically

Common pitfalls

• Typst's package ecosystem is smaller than LaTeX's CTAN repository, so niche academic journal templates may not exist yet.
• Some LaTeX features like TikZ diagrams have no direct Typst equivalent; you may need to export SVGs from other tools.
• Typst files are not directly accepted by most academic publishers, so you will still need to export to PDF for submission.