BasicTeX

BasicTeX is the compact macOS TeX distribution provided by the MacTeX working group of the TeX Users Group. It is intended for users who want a small starting installation and are comfortable adding missing packages, or who cannot download the full MacTeX distribution. TUG recommends full MacTeX for most users, including beginners, because it avoids many missing-package problems.

Included capabilities

• Typeset TeX and LaTeX documents using pdfTeX/pdfLaTeX, XeTeX/XeLaTeX and LuaTeX/LuaLaTeX.
• Use standard tools such as MetaFont, dvips and MetaPost in the reduced distribution.
• Keep the TeX installation separate from your choice of text editor or graphical front end.
• Add required TeX packages with TeX Live's package manager and a repository for the matching annual release.
• In the2026 edition, use the included core tagging packages, LaTeX development engines and tex4ht; accessible output still depends on the document and workflow.

Installation and first use

Install the Mac package with brew install --cask basictex, or obtain the official BasicTeX PKG and follow its installer. Administrative permission may be required for its system location. It installs the2026 reduced tree under /usr/local/texlive/2026basic and exposes the selected TeX distribution through the MacTeX path setup. Restart the terminal after installation so the updated PATH takes effect. Use a text editor and a suitable engine for a .tex file, then inspect the generated PDF and compile log. A chosen GUI editor is a separate installation.

BasicTeX does not include MacTeX's GUI applications or Ghostscript. TeXShop, LaTeXiT, BibDesk and TeX Live Utility are optional separate tools. Ghostscript is not required for normal pdfLaTeX/XeTeX typesetting, but can be needed for particular EPS, PostScript or DVI conversion workflows. Do not assume that every full TeX Live package, font or example is included in this compact subset. Individual packages can add prerequisites; follow their documentation. Use repositories matching your TeX Live year rather than mixing annual releases.

Systems, dependencies and conflicts

BasicTeX is a macOS installer; TeX Live provides separate installation methods for Windows and GNU/Linux, not this Mac PKG. The official2026 TeX Live guide documents MacTeX binaries for macOS11 Big Sur and later on both Intel and Apple Silicon, dropping Mojave and Catalina. The official2026 installer Distribution file confirms macOS11 as the minimum; this is the package requirement, not just a website estimate. The current cask does not state a minimum macOS version or extra formula dependency. It explicitly conflicts with mactex and mactex-no-gui. Upstream explains that BasicTeX and full TeX trees can coexist in separate directories, but the Homebrew cask conflict still applies when installing through that manager.

The verified official2026 PKG download is140,394,776bytes. The installer declares334,690KiB (about327MiB) for its main payload; actual space and added packages can differ. Download size is distinct from installed space. Minimum RAM was not established. Do not treat the MacTeX GUI system requirements as requirements for a GUI supposedly bundled with BasicTeX.

Accounts, price and licenses

BasicTeX is freely distributed and needs no paid BasicTeX subscription or mandatory cloud account for local typesetting. The distribution contains many components under their respective free-software licenses; it does not have one blanket license that replaces each package's terms. Redistribution and modification remain subject to those component licenses. TUG membership and donations are optional. The project homepage and TeX Live source resources are the authoritative references.

Sources: BasicTeX and optional components, TeX Live guide, Supported systems, TeX Live copying conditions.