FAQ & troubleshooting

Do I need LaTeX installed?

Only for the compile tool. check_document and parse_log are pure static analysis and work with no TeX install. compile uses latexmk/pdflatex if present and returns available: false with guidance otherwise — it never throws for a missing engine.

The server doesn't appear in my assistant

Verify npx -y mcp-latex starts standalone (mcp-latex ready (stdio) on stderr), check your MCP config, and restart the client. Node 20+ required.

check_document flags a reference that clearly exists

It matches \label{...} against \ref/\eqref/\autoref/\cref/.... If your label is defined in a file you didn't pass, include the full source, or pass the combined document. Commented-out code (% ...) is ignored on purpose.

It didn't catch a real compiler error

check_document is static analysis, not a compiler. For real errors, run compile (or your own build) and feed the .log to parse_log.

Can it fix my document automatically?

The server gives the assistant structured findings; the assistant makes the edits. That separation keeps the tool safe and predictable.

Which engines are supported?

latexmk (preferred) and pdflatex. Others can be added behind the same interface — PRs welcome.