| name | latex-scaffold |
| description | Convert an existing Markdown manuscript draft into a buildable LaTeX project with canonical structure and build configuration. Use when prose already exists but no LaTeX source tree does. Not for checking template drift in an existing project; use $latex-template. |
| argument-hint | [path/to/draft.md] |
| allowed-tools | Read, Write, Edit, Bash(latexmk*), Bash(mkdir*), Bash(ls*), Glob, Grep |
| skill-dependencies | ["latex"] |
LaTeX Scaffold
Convert an approved Markdown draft into a minimal, compilable LaTeX project. This is a deterministic format conversion — prose quality should already be addressed in the source draft.
When to Use
- Converting a literature review, survey, or report from Markdown to LaTeX for PDF output
- Turning meeting notes or drafts into a formatted document
- Bootstrapping a LaTeX project from an existing outline
- Any time you need md→tex without rewriting content
Inputs
- A Markdown file (
.md) — the draft to convert
- A
.bib file (optional) — if the draft contains citations
Outputs
- A
.tex file ready to compile with latex
- The fail-closed canonical
.latexmkrc if one does not already exist. Invoke the latex pre-flight to copy the canonical artifact; never synthesize selected directives.
Workflow
Step 1: Analyse the Draft
Read the Markdown file and inventory:
- Heading structure (determine
\section / \subsection depth)
- Citations (
[@Key] or [@Key1; @Key2] patterns)
- Tables (Markdown pipe tables)
- Math blocks (
$...$ inline, $$...$$ display)
- Figures (
)
- Code blocks (fenced with language)
- Whether an abstract section exists
Step 2: Create the LaTeX File
Apply these conversion rules:
| Markdown | LaTeX |
|---|
# Title (first H1) | \title{...} |
## Section | \section{...} |
### Subsection | \subsection{...} |
#### Subsubsection | \subsubsection{...} |
## Abstract | \begin{abstract}...\end{abstract} |
Headings starting with Appendix | \appendix once, then \section{...} |
**bold** | \textbf{...} |
*italic* | \emph{...} |
`code` | \texttt{...} |
[@Key] | \citep{Key} |
[@Key1; @Key2] | \citep{Key1,Key2} |
@Key (inline) | \citet{Key} |
$...$ / $$...$$ | Pass through unchanged |
- item | \begin{itemize}\item ...\end{itemize} |
1. item | \begin{enumerate}\item ...\end{enumerate} |
> quote | \begin{quote}...\end{quote} |
 | \begin{figure}[htbp]\includegraphics{path}\caption{caption}\end{figure} |
| Pipe tables | \begin{table}[htbp]\begin{tabular}{...}...\end{tabular}\end{table} |
| Fenced code blocks | \begin{verbatim}...\end{verbatim} |
--- (horizontal rule) |
Preamble Template
\documentclass[a4paper,11pt]{article}
\usepackage[a4paper,margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{hyperref}
\hypersetup{colorlinks=true,linkcolor=blue,citecolor=blue,urlcolor=blue}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage[backend=biber,style=authoryear,natbib=true]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{references.bib}
\title{...}
\author{...}
\date{\today}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
% content here
\printbibliography
\end{document}
Adjust the preamble based on what the draft actually uses (e.g., skip graphicx if no figures). The natbib=true option provides \citet/\citep compatibility. If the project already uses natbib (e.g., with a journal .bst file), keep natbib — but for new scaffolds, biblatex is the default.
Step 3: Strip Markdown Residue
After conversion, scan the .tex file for any remaining Markdown syntax:
## heading markers** bold markers[@ citation markers- Pipe
| table syntax
