How can several people edit the same LaTeX document at once?

Use a browser-based editor that syncs edits live, so every author sees the same document and the same compiled preview. The alternative, emailing .tex files or merging them in Git, is where most deadline-day conflicts come from.

Do my co-authors need LaTeX installed?

No, if the compile runs on the server. Anyone with a browser sees the same PDF preview, which matters when a supervisor or a co-author on a different machine has no TeX distribution.

Can I share a LaTeX draft with someone who has no account?

In KL studio you can share a draft by link for viewing or editing, including with people who have not signed up, so a supervisor can read it without creating an account.

Is Git or a collaborative editor better for writing a paper?

Git is excellent for code and for tracking versions of a manuscript, but concurrent prose edits produce merge conflicts constantly. A live editor removes the conflicts; many groups use both, drafting live and committing snapshots.

How to write LaTeX together in real time

To write LaTeX with co-authors in real time, use a browser-based editor that syncs edits live and compiles on the server. Everyone edits the same document and sees the same preview, so there are no emailed .tex files, no Git merge conflicts in the prose, and no local TeX install to keep in sync.

Writing a paper with co-authors usually means emailing .tex files around or wrestling Git merge conflicts in the middle of a deadline. A collaborative editor removes both problems.

How it works in KL studio

Open a project and everyone with access edits it together in real time — the compile runs server-side, so a co-author on a laptop with no LaTeX installed sees the same preview. There is no per-project seat cap.

In KL studioshare a draft with a link for viewing or editing — including with people who do not have an account yet — so a supervisor can read or comment without signing up. A shared library means everyone cites from the same reference set; see the reference-management guide.

Compare collaboration limits and speed →

Common questions

How can several people edit the same LaTeX document at once?: Use a browser-based editor that syncs edits live, so every author sees the same document and the same compiled preview. The alternative, emailing .tex files or merging them in Git, is where most deadline-day conflicts come from.
Do my co-authors need LaTeX installed?: No, if the compile runs on the server. Anyone with a browser sees the same PDF preview, which matters when a supervisor or a co-author on a different machine has no TeX distribution.
Can I share a LaTeX draft with someone who has no account?: In KL studio you can share a draft by link for viewing or editing, including with people who have not signed up, so a supervisor can read it without creating an account.
Is Git or a collaborative editor better for writing a paper?: Git is excellent for code and for tracking versions of a manuscript, but concurrent prose edits produce merge conflicts constantly. A live editor removes the conflicts; many groups use both, drafting live and committing snapshots.