The typesetting system, frequently used for technical and scientific documentation, allows users to create visually appealing and structurally sound documents by specifying formatting and content through a markup language. For instance, a user might write “\textit{emphasized text}” to produce emphasized text. This approach separates content from presentation, offering flexibility and control over the final output. The underlying system interprets these commands to generate a formatted document, typically a PDF.
This approach offers significant advantages over WYSIWYG editors, particularly for complex documents with mathematical equations, cross-references, and bibliographies. Maintaining consistency in formatting, especially in large documents, becomes simpler. Furthermore, the focus on content through markup promotes clarity and accessibility. Developed in the late 20th century, it has become a standard tool in academia and various industries for its ability to produce professional-grade documents with precise typographical control.