# Overleaf — Self-Hosted Collaborative LaTeX Editor

> Overleaf is an open-source web-based LaTeX editor that enables real-time collaborative document editing. Self-host it with Docker to keep your academic papers and technical documents on your own infrastructure.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Overleaf — Self-Hosted Collaborative LaTeX Editor

## Quick Use
```bash
git clone https://github.com/overleaf/toolkit.git ./overleaf-toolkit
cd overleaf-toolkit
./bin/init
./bin/up
# Open http://localhost:80 in your browser
```

## Introduction
Overleaf provides a full-featured web-based LaTeX editing environment with real-time collaboration, integrated compilation, and rich-text mode. Originally built as a commercial SaaS product, the Community Edition lets teams self-host the entire platform under the AGPL-3.0 license, giving institutions full control over their data and compilation pipeline.

## What Overleaf Does
- Provides a browser-based LaTeX editor with syntax highlighting and autocompletion
- Compiles TeX documents server-side using a full TeX Live distribution
- Supports real-time multi-user editing with cursor tracking
- Tracks document history with version diffing and rollback
- Offers a rich-text mode for collaborators unfamiliar with LaTeX syntax

## Architecture Overview
Overleaf is a Node.js monorepo backed by MongoDB for document storage and Redis for real-time session coordination. The compilation service wraps a sandboxed TeX Live installation. A reverse proxy (typically Nginx) handles TLS termination and WebSocket upgrades for the collaborative editing layer. The official Toolkit provides Docker Compose orchestration for all services.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy with the official Overleaf Toolkit using Docker Compose
- Configure SMTP settings in `overleaf.rc` for email invitations
- Set `OVERLEAF_SITE_URL` to your public-facing domain
- Persist data by mapping MongoDB and project file volumes
- Enable LDAP or SAML authentication for institutional SSO

## Key Features
- Full TeX Live distribution included for broad package support
- Git-bridge integration for syncing projects with external Git repos
- Project templates and file upload support (images, BibTeX, custom classes)
- Admin panel for user management and server health monitoring
- Works offline once loaded; syncs changes on reconnection

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **ShareLaTeX** — merged into Overleaf; the codebase is unified
- **HackMD / HedgeDoc** — Markdown-focused; lacks LaTeX compilation
- **Authorea** — SaaS-only with limited self-hosting options
- **TeXstudio** — desktop-only; no real-time collaboration

## FAQ
**Q: What are the system requirements for self-hosting Overleaf?**
A: At least 2 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM, and 10 GB disk. Docker and Docker Compose are required. A full TeX Live image adds roughly 4 GB.

**Q: Can I use Overleaf without an internet connection?**
A: Yes. Once self-hosted, the instance operates fully on your LAN with no external calls required.

**Q: Does the Community Edition support track changes?**
A: Basic history and diffing are available. The full track-changes UI with accept/reject is a Server Pro feature.

**Q: How do I migrate from overleaf.com to a self-hosted instance?**
A: Export projects as ZIP from overleaf.com and import them via the self-hosted web UI or the project upload API.

## Sources
- https://github.com/overleaf/overleaf
- https://github.com/overleaf/toolkit
- https://www.overleaf.com/for/enterprises

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/8d4b8be6-3c4d-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot