KernTypst vs LaTeX: Differences and When to Use Which
By Laxmi SolutionsUpdated 3 min read
Typst and LaTeX both turn plain text into typeset documents with excellent math. LaTeX has forty years of packages and is what most journals expect; Typst is newer, simpler and much faster. We make an app for each (Kern for Typst and Lemma for LaTeX), so this comparison has no side to take. Here is how they differ and when each is the better choice.
At a glance
| Aspect | Typst | LaTeX |
|---|---|---|
| Syntax | Markdown-like markup plus # functions | Backslash commands and environments |
| Compile speed | Incremental; fast enough to preview as you type | Full recompiles; several passes for references |
| Error messages | Point to the exact span with a plain explanation | Often cryptic, sometimes far from the cause |
| Scripting | A real language: variables, loops, functions | Macro expansion (TeX), or LuaTeX for Lua |
| Packages | Typst Universe: growing, smaller | CTAN: thousands, covering almost anything |
| Journals and arXiv | Few accept Typst source | The standard; templates everywhere |
| Bibliographies | Built in: BibTeX .bib or Hayagriva, CSL styles | BibTeX or biblatex with Biber |
| Output | PDF, PNG, SVG; HTML experimental | PDF; HTML through extra tools |
| Install size | One small compiler binary | Large distribution (TeX Live, MiKTeX) |
The same document in both
A heading, some emphasis, a list and an equation, in LaTeX:
\section{Results}
We measured \emph{three} things:
\begin{itemize}
\item speed
\item accuracy
\end{itemize}
\begin{equation}
E = \frac{1}{2} m v^2
\end{equation}And in Typst:
= Results
We measured _three_ things:
- speed
- accuracy
$ E = 1/2 m v^2 $Typst is shorter and easier to scan, which matters most when you type on a small screen. LaTeX is more explicit, and its syntax is what a lot of existing material is written in.
Where Typst is better
- Learning curve: most people write a full document in Typst within an hour.
- Feedback: the preview updates as you type, and errors explain themselves.
- Customising: set and show rules restyle a whole document in a few lines, without fighting macro packages.
- Logic: loops, conditionals and data loading (CSV, JSON) are part of the language.
- Speed and size: it runs well on modest hardware, including phones.
Where LaTeX is better
- Submissions: journals, conferences and arXiv expect LaTeX source and supply LaTeX templates.
- Packages: for niche needs (chemistry, linguistics, music, specialised diagrams) CTAN almost certainly has something.
- Collaboration: co-authors, supervisors and existing projects probably already use LaTeX.
- Stability: documents from decades ago still compile; Typst is younger and still changes between versions.
Which should you use?
Choose Typst for documents you control end to end: notes, homework, reports, resumes, theses where the university allows any format, slides and internal papers. Choose LaTeX when a publisher, journal or collaborator requires it, or when you depend on a package that has no Typst counterpart.
You don't have to pick once. Many people write new material in Typst and keep LaTeX for submissions. To move an existing project, see how to convert LaTeX to Typst.
On Android, Kern runs Typst on the phone with a live preview, and Lemma compiles LaTeX offline with a real XeTeX engine. Both are free to write and compile.