Re: pytex: a tex engine written in python
Paulo Ney de Souza <[email protected]> Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:09:24 -0300
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.tex.texhax |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <CAFVhNZMdjzgYOi6==RTJ-_Wwp=y=L=-sKzrDiBn3fkSaj71vTQ@mail.gmail.com> |
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The upstream-recommended Debian/Linux installation is the precompiled
standalone executable:
curl --proto '=3Dhttps' --tlsv1.2 -fsSL \
https://drop-sh.fullyjustified.net | sh
sudo install -m 755 tectonic /usr/local/bin/tectonic
PN
On Thu, Jul 16, 2026, 2:38=E2=80=AFPM Jonathan Fine <[email protected]> w=
rote:
> Hi Dirk
>
> It's interesting that it's a good bit quicker than luatex. I wonder why
> that is.
>
> I suggest you make your debian request on
> https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/tectonic/issues
>
> They also have a discussion forum
> https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/tectonic/discussions/
>
> Best regards
> Jonathan
>
>
> On Thu, 16 Jul 2026, 13:32 Dirk H=C3=BCnniger, <dirk.hunniger@googlemail.=
com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Jonathan,
>>
>> I tried out Tectonic. In my test run, it performed roughly 30% faster
>> than lualatex. So I considered to use it in my mediawiki2latex project.
>> My mediawiki2latex project is distributed as a Debian package. So I will
>> need a Debian package of Tectonic too if I want to use it. Unfortunately
>> I could not find any such Debian package. I wanted to ask if there are
>> any compelling reasons against making Debian package of Tectonic and
>> whom I could possible contact to ask for that.
>>
>> Yours Dirk
>>
>> On 7/15/26 19:45, Jonathan Fine wrote:
>> > Hi Junling
>> >
>> > I've spent a few minutes looking at your pytex repository on github.
>> > I'm impressed by the amount of work you've done, and not surprised
>> > that at present your Python implementation runs slow.
>> >
>> > In addition to your implementation in Python, there are roughly
>> > similar implementations in Java and Rust. The Java implementation is
>> > not in use, but is of historical interest. It aimed for 100%
>> > compatibility. It ran too slow for use in production. The Rust
>> > implementation has users and is being actively developed.
>> >
>> > Java: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Typesetting_System
>> > Rust: https://tectonic-typesetting.github.io/en-US/
>> >
>> > Tectonic is a Rust implementation (with changes) of XeTeX. Even if
>> > XeTeX is changing only slowly, the derived work Tectonic is actively
>> > developed, see
>> >
>> https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/tectonic/blob/release/CHANGELOG.=
md
>> >
>> > Finally, https://tug.org/TUGboat/Articles/tb27-0/fine.pdf gives my
>> > views (from 2005) on integrating Python with TeX. It's been a long
>> > time since I've read that article.
>> >
>> > I wish you well with your TeX and Python projects.
>> >
>> > with kind regards
>> >
>> > Jonathan
>>
>
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<div dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"auto">The upstream-recommended Debian/Linux i=
nstallation is the precompiled standalone executable:</div><div dir=3D"auto=
"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"></div>curl --proto '=3Dhttps' --tlsv1=
.2 -fsSL \<div dir=3D"auto">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 <a href=3D"https://drop-sh.fullyj=
ustified.net">https://drop-sh.fullyjustified.net</a> | sh</div><div dir=3D"=
auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">sudo install -m 755 tectonic /usr/local/b=
in/tectonic</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">PN</div></di=
v><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" cla=
ss=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Jul 16, 2026, 2:38=E2=80=AFPM Jonathan Fine <<=
a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>> wrote:<br=
></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-=
left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto"><div>Hi Dirk</div><=
div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">It's interesting that it&#=
39;s a good bit quicker than luatex. I wonder why that is.</div><div dir=3D=
"auto"><div dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I su=
ggest you make your debian request on <a href=3D"https://github.com/tectoni=
c-typesetting/tectonic/issues" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_bla=
nk">https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/tectonic/issues</a></div><div d=
ir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">They also have a discussion forum <=
a href=3D"https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/tectonic/discussions/" ta=
rget=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/=
tectonic/discussions/</a></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto=
">Best regards</div><div dir=3D"auto">Jonathan=C2=A0</div></div><br><br><di=
v class=3D"gmail_quote" dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">=
On Thu, 16 Jul 2026, 13:32 Dirk H=C3=BCnniger, <<a href=3D"mailto:dirk.h=
[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"=
_blank">[email protected]</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote cl=
ass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;p=
adding-left:1ex">Hi Jonathan,<br>
<br>
I tried out Tectonic. In my test run, it performed roughly 30% faster <br>
than lualatex. So I considered to use it in my mediawiki2latex project. <br=
>
My mediawiki2latex project is distributed as a Debian package. So I will <b=
r>
need a Debian package of Tectonic too if I want to use it. Unfortunately <b=
r>
I could not find any such Debian package. I wanted to ask if there are <br>
any compelling reasons against making Debian package of Tectonic and <br>
whom I could possible contact to ask for that.<br>
<br>
Yours Dirk<br>
<br>
On 7/15/26 19:45, Jonathan Fine wrote:<br>
> Hi Junling<br>
><br>
> I've spent a few minutes looking at your pytex repository on githu=
b. <br>
> I'm impressed by the amount of work you've done, and not surpr=
ised <br>
> that at present your Python implementation runs slow.<br>
><br>
> In addition to your implementation in Python, there are roughly <br>
> similar implementations in Java and Rust. The Java implementation is <=
br>
> not in use, but is of historical interest. It aimed for 100% <br>
> compatibility. It ran too slow for use in production. The Rust <br>
> implementation has users and is being actively developed.<br>
><br>
> Java: <a href=3D"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Typesetting_System"=
rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_=
blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Typesetting_System</a><br>
> Rust: <a href=3D"https://tectonic-typesetting.github.io/en-US/" rel=3D=
"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">=
https://tectonic-typesetting.github.io/en-US/</a><br>
><br>
> Tectonic is a Rust implementation=C2=A0(with changes) of XeTeX. Even i=
f <br>
> XeTeX=C2=A0is changing only slowly, the derived work=C2=A0Tectonic=C2=
=A0is actively <br>
> developed, see<br>
> <a href=3D"https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/tectonic/blob/relea=
se/CHANGELOG.md" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer norefer=
rer" target=3D"_blank">https://github.com/tectonic-typesetting/tectonic/blo=
b/release/CHANGELOG.md</a><br>
><br>
> Finally, <a href=3D"https://tug.org/TUGboat/Articles/tb27-0/fine.pdf" =
rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_b=
lank">https://tug.org/TUGboat/Articles/tb27-0/fine.pdf</a> gives my <br>
> views (from 2005) on integrating Python with TeX. It's been a long=
<br>
> time since I've read that article.<br>
><br>
> I wish you well with your TeX and Python projects.<br>
><br>
> with kind regards<br>
><br>
> Jonathan<br>
</blockquote></div>
</div></div>
</blockquote></div>
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