LocalLeaf

The Overleaf-like editor hosted by you.

Open a LaTeX project, share a temporary link, approve collaborators, write together, compile locally, and keep the files on the host computer.

Website | Latest release | LaTeX setup | Packaging notes

Download for Windows | Mac Apple Silicon | Mac Intel

What It Is

LocalLeaf is a host-powered LaTeX collaboration app. The host runs the desktop app, opens a project, starts a session, and shares an invite link. Collaborators join from a browser, edit together, chat, compile, preview, and export while the host computer remains the source of truth.

No accounts. No monthly server. No cloud storage.

When the host stops the session or closes the app, the room ends and the project stays on the host machine.

Highlights

• Host-controlled desktop app for Windows and macOS.
• Browser-based collaborators through temporary invite links.
• Secure tunnel flow so collaborators can reach the host without renting a server.
• Real LaTeX project import from folders or ZIP files.
• CodeMirror 6 LaTeX editor with line numbers, highlighting, toolbar actions, shortcuts, and autocomplete.
• Local PDF compilation through bundled Tectonic, system LaTeX tools, or fallback preview guidance.
• PDF.js preview with zoom, page preservation, and export support.
• Real-time shared text editing over WebSockets.
• Human chat beside the editor, PDF preview, compile logs, and project files.
• AI Helper with local models, OpenAI-compatible providers, approval cards, and reviewable file edits.
• Light and dark app themes.

Preview

Write With People

The editor keeps project files, LaTeX source, PDF preview, and chat in one workspace so groups do not have to split work across a separate chat app and a separate editor.

Compile Locally

The host compiles the project locally, serves the latest PDF preview, and keeps logs visible for quick fixes.

AI Helper

LocalLeaf includes an AI Helper designed for LaTeX work, not a general chatbot bolted onto the side. It can read project context, explain compile errors, suggest edits, and ask before changing files.

AI work is built around review:

• The model can propose safe text edits.
• LocalLeaf shows approval cards before writes.
• Accepted edits are tracked in Changes.
• File edits stay project-contained and text-only by default.
• YOLO mode exists for trusted local flows, but the normal path is approval first.

Local Models Or Your Own Key

You can download supported GGUF models and run them locally on the host computer, or connect an OpenAI-compatible provider with your own key.

The built-in Cursor-style harness powers AI edit proposals inside LocalLeaf: model requests, tool context, approval cards, diffs, and safe apply/reject actions all stay inside the app.

How A Session Works

1. The host installs and opens LocalLeaf Host.
2. The host creates, opens, or imports a LaTeX project.
3. The host starts an online session.
4. LocalLeaf starts the local server, compiler, collaboration socket, and public tunnel.
5. Collaborators open the invite link in a browser.
6. The host approves people as they join.
7. Everyone writes together against the host-owned project.
8. The host compiles and serves the latest PDF preview.
9. When the host stops the session, guests disconnect gracefully.

Downloads

Platform	Download
Windows 10 / 11	LocalLeaf-Host-Setup.exe
macOS Apple Silicon	LocalLeaf-Host-mac-arm64.dmg
macOS Intel	LocalLeaf-Host-mac-x64.dmg

Current release: 0.1.22

Version 0.1.22 fixes image/PDF asset uploads so uploaded assets are saved with normalized cross-platform paths, appear immediately in the Images panel, and remain downloadable from the project state.

macOS First Launch

The macOS builds are currently unsigned and not notarized because this project does not yet have Apple Developer Program enrollment. macOS Gatekeeper may block the first launch even when the DMG was downloaded from the official GitHub release.

To open LocalLeaf on macOS:

1. Download the correct DMG for your Mac: Apple Silicon or Intel.
2. Open the DMG and drag LocalLeaf Host.app into Applications.
3. In Applications, Control-click or right-click LocalLeaf Host.app.
4. Choose Open.
5. Choose Open again in the macOS warning dialog.

If macOS still blocks the app:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll to Security.
4. Choose Open Anyway for LocalLeaf Host.

Advanced fallback, only if you trust the DMG you downloaded from this repository:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/LocalLeaf Host.app"

Then open the app again from Applications.

Run Locally

Install dependencies from the lockfile. This repo disables dependency lifecycle scripts by default, so rebuild only the known packages that need native/binary setup:

npm ci --ignore-scripts
npm rebuild electron esbuild --ignore-scripts=false

On Windows, also rebuild the Windows installer helper before packaging:

npm rebuild electron-winstaller --ignore-scripts=false

Run the server-only web app:

npm start

Then open:

http://localhost:4317

Run the desktop app in development:

npm run dev:desktop

Test

npm test

The test suite builds the client bundles and runs the server, compiler, import, collaboration, tunnel, path-safety, and PDF-serving tests.

Build Installers

Build the Windows installer:

npm run package:win

Build macOS installers:

npm run package:mac:x64
npm run package:mac:arm64

Notes

• The host computer owns the project files and compile output.
• Guests do not need to install anything; they join from a browser.
• Visual Editor is marked as coming soon while the code editor is the stable editing surface.
• LocalLeaf tries latexmk, bundled Tectonic, system tectonic, pdflatex, xelatex, and lualatex for PDF compilation.
• If no compiler is available, LocalLeaf shows compiler guidance and a readable HTML preview fallback.
• Cloudflare Quick Tunnel is used when bundled or installed cloudflared is available.
• ZIP imports enforce entry-count, expanded-size, per-file-size, and nesting limits. Exports skip hidden/system folders such as dotfiles and node_modules.

Docs

• Packaging
• LaTeX setup
• Cloudflared setup