BasicTeX

{
  "alternatives": [
    "MacTeX",
    "TeX Live",
    "MiKTeX"
  ],
  "artifacts": [
    {
      "uninstall": [
        {
          "delete": [
            "/etc/manpaths.d/TeX",
            "/etc/paths.d/TeX",
            "/Library/TeX",
            "/usr/local/texlive/2026basic"
          ],
          "pkgutil": "org.tug.mactex.basictex2026"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "pkg": [
        "mactex-basictex-20260301.pkg"
      ]
    },
    {
      "zap": [
        {
          "rmdir": [
            "/usr/local/texlive",
            "~/Library/texlive"
          ],
          "trash": [
            "/usr/local/texlive/texmf-local",
            "~/Library/texlive/2026basic"
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "auto_updates": null,
  "categories": [
    "productivity",
    "dev-tools"
  ],
  "deprecated": 0,
  "deprecation_reason": null,
  "desc": "Compact TeX distribution as alternative to the full TeX Live / MacTeX",
  "disable_reason": null,
  "disabled": 0,
  "display_name": "BasicTeX",
  "enrichment_fetched_at": "2026-06-20T22:40:53+00:00",
  "first_seen": "2026-06-20T00:47:34+00:00",
  "full_token": "basictex",
  "github_default_branch": null,
  "github_last_commit_at": null,
  "github_readme_excerpt": null,
  "github_repo": null,
  "github_stars": null,
  "github_topics": [],
  "homepage": "https://www.tug.org/mactex/morepackages.html",
  "homepage_og_description": null,
  "homepage_og_image": null,
  "homepage_title": "More Packages - MacTeX - TeX Users Group",
  "installs_30d": 6534,
  "installs_365d": 74662,
  "installs_90d": 22907,
  "last_seen": "2026-06-20T00:47:34+00:00",
  "llm_generated_at": "2026-06-20T23:02:46+00:00",
  "llm_model": "claude-haiku-4-5",
  "names": [
    "BasicTeX"
  ],
  "one_liner": "Minimal TeX distribution with core LaTeX packages, requiring manual installation of additional packages as needed.",
  "rank_30d": 65,
  "rank_365d": 61,
  "rank_90d": 62,
  "raw_hash": "79f8813718b3c8c5",
  "ruby_source_path": "Casks/b/basictex.rb",
  "tap": "homebrew/cask",
  "token": "basictex",
  "version": "2026.0301",
  "why_use_this": "Significantly smaller download and disk footprint than full MacTeX or TeX Live (around 100MB vs 3GB+), making it ideal if you only need basic LaTeX functionality. You install extra packages on-demand via tlmgr, keeping your system lean while retaining the ability to expand."
}