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latex-document-compiler skill

/plugins/babysitter/skills/babysit/process/specializations/domains/science/scientific-discovery/skills/latex-document-compiler

This skill helps you compile LaTeX documents, manage bibliographies and templates, and generate ready-to-distribute PDFs with debugging support.

npx playbooks add skill a5c-ai/babysitter --skill latex-document-compiler

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SKILL.md
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---
name: latex-document-compiler
description: Skill for compiling and managing LaTeX documents
allowed-tools:
  - Bash
  - Read
  - Write
metadata:
  specialization: scientific-discovery
  domain: science
  category: Communication
  skill-id: SK-SCIDISC-028
---

# LaTeX Document Compiler Skill

## Purpose

Compile and manage LaTeX documents including handling bibliographies, figures, and journal-specific templates.

## Capabilities

- Compile LaTeX documents
- Manage bibliographies
- Handle cross-references
- Apply journal templates
- Debug compilation errors
- Generate outputs

## Usage Guidelines

1. Set up document
2. Include dependencies
3. Configure compilation
4. Run compiler
5. Debug if needed
6. Generate output

## Process Integration

Works within scientific discovery workflows for:
- Manuscript preparation
- Thesis formatting
- Report generation
- Presentation creation

## Configuration

- Compiler selection
- Template management
- Bibliography style
- Output formats

## Output Artifacts

- Compiled PDFs
- Auxiliary files
- Error logs
- Output packages

Overview

This skill compiles and manages LaTeX documents end-to-end, including bibliographies, figures, cross-references, and journal-specific templates. It streamlines build configuration, error diagnosis, and generation of final artifacts like PDFs and submission packages. The focus is on reproducible, automated LaTeX workflows for scientific and technical documents.

How this skill works

The skill inspects project structure (main .tex files, .bib, figures, templates) and selects an appropriate compiler chain (pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, LuaLaTeX, BibTeX/Biber). It resolves dependencies, applies templates, runs the compile sequence with bibliography and index passes, and captures logs and auxiliary files. When errors occur it extracts actionable diagnostics and suggests fixes or automated retries. Final outputs include compiled PDFs, sanitized auxiliary files, and packaged archives ready for submission.

When to use it

  • Preparing manuscripts for journals or preprints
  • Generating theses, dissertations, or institutional reports
  • Batch-compiling conference papers or technical documentation
  • Automating LaTeX builds in CI/CD pipelines
  • Diagnosing persistent compilation or bibliography issues

Best practices

  • Keep a single canonical main .tex entry point and document build commands
  • Pin compiler and bibliography tool versions to ensure reproducible builds
  • Store journal templates and styles alongside source to avoid external drift
  • Run full multi-pass compilation (inc. BibTeX/Biber, makeindex) for stable cross-references
  • Capture and archive logs and auxiliary files for debugging and reviewer queries

Example use cases

  • Compile a manuscript with a journal template, bibliography, and embedded figures to produce submission-ready PDF
  • Automate thesis formatting with institution templates and generate both PDF and archival zip packages
  • Batch process a folder of conference papers with consistent compiler settings for uniform output
  • Diagnose a build that fails due to package conflicts and suggest exact package changes or compiler switches
  • Integrate into CI to produce artifacts and failure logs on pull request builds

FAQ

Which compilers and bibliography tools are supported?

Common engines are supported: pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, LuaLaTeX, and bibliography tools like BibTeX and Biber. Choose per-document needs.

Can the skill apply journal-specific templates automatically?

Yes. Supply the template files and style settings; the skill will apply them, adjust class options, and verify compatibility during compilation.