LaTeX Templates and Best Practices

% article-template.tex
\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{article}

% Package imports
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{hyperref}

% Custom commands
\newcommand{\R}{\mathbb{R}}

% Title information
\title{Document Title}
\author{Author Name}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}

\maketitle

\begin{abstract}
Document abstract goes here.
\end{abstract}

\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:introduction}

Introduction content.

\section{Methods}
\label{sec:methods}

Methods content.

\section{Results}
\label{sec:results}

Results content.

\section{Conclusion}
\label{sec:conclusion}

Conclusion content.

% Bibliography
\bibliographystyle{plain}
\bibliography{references}

\end{document}

% report-template.tex
\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}

\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{margin=1in}

\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{hyperref}

\title{Report Title}
\author{Author Name}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}

% Title page
\begin{titlepage}
\begin{center}
\vspace*{1in}
{\Huge\bfseries Report Title\par}
\vspace{1in}
{\LARGE Author Name\par}
\vspace{0.5in}
{\large Institution\par}
\vspace{0.5in}
{\large \today\par}
\end{center}
\end{titlepage}

% Abstract
\begin{abstract}
Report abstract here.
\end{abstract}

% Table of contents
\tableofcontents

% Chapters
\chapter{Introduction}
\chapter{Background}
\chapter{Methodology}
\chapter{Results}
\chapter{Conclusion}

% Bibliography
\bibliographystyle{plain}
\bibliography{references}

% Appendices
\appendix
\chapter{Appendix A}
\chapter{Appendix B}

\end{document}

% book-template.tex
\documentclass[12pt]{book}

\usepackage{makeidx}
\makeindex

\usepackage{imakeidx}
\usepackage[totoc]{idxlayout}

\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{margin=1.5in}

\title{Book Title}
\author{Author Name}

\begin{document}

\frontmatter
\maketitle
\tableofcontents
\listoffigures
\listoftables
\include{preface}

\mainmatter
\include{chapter1}
\include{chapter2}
\include{chapter3}

\backmatter
\bibliographystyle{plain}
\bibliography{references}
\printindex

\end{document}

% myarticle.cls
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}
\ProvidesClass{myarticle}[2024/01/01 Custom Article Class]

% Pass options to article class
\DeclareOption*{
  \PassOptionsToClass{\CurrentOption}{article}
}

\ProcessOptions\relax

% Load base class
\LoadClass{article}

% Custom page size
\RequirePackage{geometry}
\geometry{a4paper,margin=1in}

% Custom fonts
\RequirePackage[T1]{fontenc}
\RequirePackage{mathptmx}

% Custom section formatting
\RequirePackage{titlesec}
\titleformat{\section}
  {\Large\bfseries}
  {\thesection}{1em}{}

% Custom commands
\newcommand{\email}[1]{\hrefmailto:#1}
\newcommand{\website}[1]{\href{#1}{#1}}

% Bibliography style
\RequirePackage[numbers]{natbib}
\bibliographystyle{plainnat}

% End of class file
\endinput

% Use custom class
\documentclass{myarticle}

\title{My Document}
\author{John Doe}

\begin{document}
% Document content
\end{document}

% mypackages.sty
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}
\ProvidesPackage{mypackages}[2024/01/01 Custom Packages]

% Math packages
\RequirePackage{amsmath}
\RequirePackage{amssymb}
\RequirePackage{mathtools}

% Graphics
\RequirePackage{graphicx}
\RequirePackage{tikz}

% Hyperlinks
\RequirePackage{hyperref}

% Custom math operators
\DeclareMathOperator{\trace}{tr}
\DeclareMathOperator{\rank}{rank}
\DeclareMathOperator{\Span}{Span}

% Custom commands
\newcommand{\R}{\mathbb{R}}
\newcommand{\N}{\mathbb{N}}
\newcommand{\C}{\mathbb{C}}
\newcommand{\Z}{\mathbb{Z}}

% Theorem environments
\RequirePackage{amsthm}
\newtheorem*{theorem}{Theorem}
\newtheorem*{lemma}{Lemma}
\newtheorem*{definition}{Definition}

% End of package
\endinput

% Document using custom package
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mypackages}

\begin{document}
% Document content
\end{document}

% Custom title page
\begin{titlepage}
\sffamily
\begin{center}

% University logo
\vspace{0.5in}
\ifdefined\includegraphics
  \includegraphics[width=3in]{university-logo.pdf}
\fi
\vspace{1in}

% Title
{\Huge\bfseries \@title \par}
\vspace{0.5in}

% Subtitle
{\Large \@subtitle \par}
\vspace{1in}

% Author
{\LARGE \@author \par}
\vspace{0.5in}

% Institution
{\large \@institute \par}
\vspace{1in}

% Date
{\large \@date \par}

\end{center}
\end{titlepage}

% chapter-template.tex
\chapter{Introduction}
\label{chap:introduction}

\section{Background}
\label{sec:background}

% Content here

\section{Objectives}
\label{sec:objectives}

\begin{enumerate}
  \item Objective 1
  \item Objective 2
  \item Objective 3
\end{enumerate}

\section{Scope}
\label{sec:scope}

% Content here

% main.tex
\documentclass[12pt]{book}

% Preamble
\usepackage{import}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\graphicspath{{figures/}}

% Import packages
\usepackage{mypackages}

% Custom imports
\import{style}{mypackages}

\begin{document}

% Front matter
\frontmatter
\import{chapters}{title}
\tableofcontents
\listoffigures
\listoftables

% Main matter
\mainmatter
\import{chapters}{introduction}
\import{chapters}{methods}
\import{chapters}{results}
\import{chapters}{conclusion}

% Back matter
\backmatter
\bibliographystyle{plain}
\bibliography{references/references}

\end{document}

% For chapter-level imports
\usepackage{import}

% Import a chapter file
\chapter{Introduction}
\label{chap:intro}
\import{sections}{intro-motivation}
\import{sections}{intro-background}

% With relative paths
\subimport{}{sections/intro}
\subimport{chapter1}{main}

% Recommended package order
% 1. Document class
\documentclass[12pt]{article}

% 2. Font encoding
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

% 3. Core math
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{mathtools}

% 4. Graphics
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{tikz}

% 5. Tables
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{array}

% 6. References
\usepackage{hyperref}
\usepackage{cleveref}

% 7. Layout
\usepackage{geometry}

% 8. Typography
\usepackage{microtype}

% Load packages in correct order
\usepackage{hyperref}  % Load last (most conflicts)
\usepackage{cleveref} % After hyperref

% Or use options
\usepackage[pdfborder={0 0 0}]{hyperref}

% Define packages before settings
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{natbib}

% Don't redefine after loading

% Use descriptive names
\newcommand{\mycommand}{\text{something}}
\newcommand{\definition}{\textbf}
\newcommand{\code}{\texttt}

% Document your commands
% Usage: \concept{term} - bold term
\newcommand{\concept}[1]{\textbf{#1}}

% Use \providecommand if conditional
\providecommand{\mycommand}[1][default]{#1}

% For math, use \DeclareMathOperator
\DeclareMathOperator{\grad}{\nabla}
\DeclareMathOperator{\divergence}{\nabla\cdot}

% thesis.tex
\documentclass[12pt,twoside]{book}

\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{margin=1.5in}

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}

% Chapter style
\usepackage{titlesec}
\titleformat{\chapter}
  {\Huge\bfseries}
  {\thechapter}{1em}{}

\begin{document}

\frontmatter
\title{Thesis Title}
\author{Author Name}
\date{2024}
\maketitle

\begin{abstract}
Thesis abstract.
\end{abstract}

\tableofcontents
\listoffigures
\listoftables

\mainmatter

\chapter{Introduction}
% Content

\chapter{Literature Review}
% Content

\chapter{Methodology}
% Content

\chapter{Results}
% Content

\chapter{Discussion}
% Content

\chapter{Conclusion}
% Content

\backmatter
\bibliographystyle{plain}
\bibliography{references}

\end{document}

% cv.tex
\documentclass[11pt,a4paper]{article}

\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{margin=2cm}

\usepackage{enumitem}

\begin{document}

\begin{center}
{\Huge\textbf{John Doe}}\par
\bigskip
Email: [email protected] \quad Phone: (123) 456quad Website: johndoe-7890 \.com
\end{center}

\section{Education}
\textbf{Ph.D. in Computer Science} \hfill 2020-2024
\newline
University of Example
\begin{itemize}
  \item Thesis: ``Advanced Topics in Machine Learning''
  \item GPA: 4.0/4.0
\end{itemize}

\textbf{B.S. in Computer Science} \hfill 2016-2020
\newline
University of Sample

\section{Experience}
\textbf{Research Assistant} \hfill 2022-2024
\newline
AI Lab, University of Example

\section{Publications}
\begin{enumerate}
  \item J. Doe, ``Paper Title,'' Journal Name, 2024.
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

% cover-letter.tex
\documentclass[12pt]{letter}

\usepackage{geometry}
\geometryin}

\signature{John{margin=1 Doe}
\address{123 Main Street \\ City, State 12345}

\begin{document}

\begin{letter}
{Company Name \\ 456 Business Ave \\ City, State 67890}

\opening{Dear Hiring Manager,}

I am writing to apply for the position of Software Engineer.

Body of letter goes here.

\closing{Sincerely,}

\end{letter}

\end{document}

# Track main .tex files
git add main.tex chapters/*.tex

# Track figures (if small)
git add figures/

# Track bibliography
git add references/

# Ignore build outputs
echo "*.aux" >> .gitignore
echo "*.pdf" >> .gitignore

% Fast compilation for drafts
\documentclass[draft]{article}
\usepackage[draft]{graphicx}

% Or set at runtime
\ifdraft{
  \documentclass[draft]{article}
}{
  \documentclass{article}
}

% Compile only selected chapters
\includeonly{
  chapters/introduction,
  chapters/methods
}