LaTeX2e

LaTeX2e is the standard version of LaTeX, a high-level document preparation system based on TeX. It was released in 1994 by the LaTeX Project Team as a successor to LaTeX 2.09 and has remained the baseline for LaTeX distributions. LaTeX2e provides a stable, extensible framework for producing structured, publication-quality documents, particularly those involving complex mathematical formulas, bibliographies, and cross-references.

The system emphasizes separating content from presentation. Authors write plain text with markup commands such as \documentclass, \begin{document}, and \section, and use packages via \usepackage to extend functionality. Document classes (e.g., article, report, book, letter) define overall layout and formatting, while packages add features for typography, graphics, bibliographies, indexing, glossaries, and more. The macro system allows customization and reuse without altering the underlying document’s structure.

Documents are compiled with TeX-based engines, such as pdfTeX, XeTeX, or LuaTeX, producing PDF or DVI output. LaTeX2e supports extensive tools for references, citations, bibliographies (via BibTeX or Biber), tables of contents, indexes, floats, and algorithm definitions, all while maintaining consistent typography across documents.

Development of LaTeX2e is community-driven, coordinated by the LaTeX Project Team, with updates delivered through regular releases and package updates. It is widely used in academia and publishing for its reliability, comprehensive documentation, and strong ecosystem of packages that enable robust handling of scholarly content.