Document Architecture

Document Structure & Sectioning

Learn how to configure document classes, custom page styles, sectioning hierarchies, and multi-file project structures.

Document Structure & Preamble

Comprehensive syntax, arguments, options, and copyable snippets for document structure & preamble.

Command Mandatory { }

`\documentclass{class}`

Declares the document class (article, report, book, letter, beamer, etc.)

💡 Deep Dive Explanation & Options

Document Classes & Options:
• Classes: article (papers/essays), report (theses with chapters), book (two-sided books), beamer (slides).
• Font Sizes: 10pt, 11pt, 12pt.
• Paper Sizes: a4paper, letterpaper.
• Layouts: twocolumn, onecolumn, titlepage, draft, final.

Example Code

\documentclass{article}

Command Mandatory { }

`\usepackage{package}`

Loads a package

Example Code

\usepackage{amsmath}

Command Mandatory { } Optional [ ]

`\usepackage[options]{package}`

Loads a package with options

Example Code

\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

Environment Mandatory { }

`\begin{document}`

Starts the document body

Example Code

\begin{document}

Command Mandatory { }

`\end{document}`

Ends the document body

Example Code

\end{document}

Command Mandatory { }

`\title{text}`

Sets the document title

Example Code

\title{A Study of Light Scattering}

Command Mandatory { }

`\author{text}`

Sets the document author(s)

Example Code

\author{Deb}

Command Mandatory { }

`\date{text}`

Sets the document date

Example Code

\date{\today}

Command

`\maketitle`

Typesets the title block

Example Code

\maketitle

Command Mandatory { } Optional [ ]

`\newcommand{\name}[n]{def}`

Defines a new command with n arguments

Example Code

\newcommand{\vect}[1]{\mathbf{#1}}

Command Mandatory { } Optional [ ]

`\renewcommand{\name}[n]{def}`

Redefines an existing command

Example Code

\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.5}

Command Mandatory { }

`\providecommand{\name}{def}`

Defines a command only if not already defined

Example Code

\providecommand{\eps}{\varepsilon}

Command Mandatory { }

`\newenvironment{name}{begin}{end}`

Defines a new environment

Example Code

\newenvironment{note}{\begin{quote}\itshape}{\end{quote}}

Command Mandatory { }

`\renewenvironment{name}{begin}{end}`

Redefines an existing environment

Example Code

\renewenvironment{abstract}{\small}{}

Command Mandatory { }

`\input{file}`

Inserts contents of another file

Example Code

\input{chapter1}

Command Mandatory { }

`\include{file}`

Includes another file (starts new page)

Example Code

\include{chapter2}

Command Mandatory { }

`\includeonly{file1,file2}`

Restricts which \include files are processed

Example Code

\includeonly{chapter1,chapter3}

Command

`\newpage`

Starts a new page

Example Code

\newpage

Command

`\clearpage`

Flushes floats and starts a new page

Example Code

\clearpage

Command

`\cleardoublepage`

Clears page, ensures next page is odd-numbered

Example Code

\cleardoublepage

Command

`\pagebreak`

Suggests a page break

Example Code

\pagebreak

Command

`\nopagebreak`

Suggests no page break

Example Code

\nopagebreak

Command

`\linebreak`

Suggests a line break

Example Code

\linebreak

Command

`\nolinebreak`

Suggests no line break

Example Code

\nolinebreak

Command Mandatory { }

`\pagestyle{style}`

Sets the page style (plain, empty, headings, fancy)

Example Code

\pagestyle{fancy}

Command Mandatory { }

`\thispagestyle{style}`

Sets page style for current page only

Example Code

\thispagestyle{empty}

Command Mandatory { }

`\pagenumbering{style}`

Sets page numbering style (arabic, roman, alph)

Example Code

\pagenumbering{roman}

Document Hierarchy & Sectioning

Comprehensive syntax, arguments, options, and copyable snippets for document hierarchy & sectioning.

Command Mandatory { }

`\part{title}`

Top-level sectioning (books/reports)

Example Code

\part{Introduction}

Command Mandatory { }

`\chapter{title}`

Chapter heading (report/book classes)

Example Code

\chapter{Light Scattering Theory}

Command Mandatory { }

`\section{title}`

Section heading

💡 Deep Dive Explanation & Options

Sectioning Hierarchy: \part (-1) → \chapter (0) → \section (1) → \subsection (2) → \subsubsection (3) → \paragraph (4) → \subparagraph (5). Automatically increments numbering, updates running headers, and registers in the Table of Contents. Use \section[Short Title]{Full Title} for compact TOC entries.

Example Code

\section{Methodology}

Command Mandatory { }

`\subsection{title}`

Subsection heading

Example Code

\subsection{Sample Preparation}

Command Mandatory { }

`\subsubsection{title}`

Sub-subsection heading

Example Code

\subsubsection{Calibration}

Command Mandatory { }

`\paragraph{title}`

Paragraph-level heading

Example Code

\paragraph{Note.}

Command Mandatory { }

`\subparagraph{title}`

Sub-paragraph-level heading

Example Code

\subparagraph{Remark.}

Command Mandatory { }

`\section*{title}`

Unnumbered section heading

💡 Deep Dive Explanation & Options

Unnumbered Section: Suppresses section numbering and omits the heading from the Table of Contents by default (ideal for Acknowledgments, Forewords, or References).

Example Code

\section*{Acknowledgments}

Command

`\appendix`

Switches sectioning to appendix numbering

Example Code

\appendix

Command

`\tableofcontents`

Generates table of contents

Example Code

\tableofcontents

Command

`\listoffigures`

Generates list of figures

Example Code

\listoffigures

Command

`\listoftables`

Generates list of tables

Example Code

\listoftables

Command Mandatory { }

`\addcontentsline{file}{unit}{text}`

Manually adds an entry to a TOC-like list

Example Code

\addcontentsline{toc}{section}{References}

Command Mandatory { }

`\addtocontents{file}{text}`

Adds text directly to a TOC-like file

Example Code

\addtocontents{toc}{\protect\newpage}

Headers & Footers (fancyhdr)

Comprehensive syntax, arguments, options, and copyable snippets for headers & footers (fancyhdr).

Command Mandatory { }

`\pagestyle{fancy}`

Activates custom fancy headers/footers (fancyhdr package)

Example Code

\pagestyle{fancy}

Command Mandatory { } Optional [ ]

`\fancyhead[pos]{text}`

Sets header content at a given position (fancyhdr package)

Example Code

\fancyhead[L]{\leftmark}

Command Mandatory { } Optional [ ]

`\fancyfoot[pos]{text}`

Sets footer content at a given position (fancyhdr package)

Example Code

\fancyfoot[C]{\thepage}

Command Mandatory { }

`\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{length}`

Sets the thickness of the header rule line (fancyhdr)

Example Code

\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0.4pt}

Command

`\leftmark`

Prints the current top-level sectioning title in a header (fancyhdr)

Example Code

\fancyhead[L]{\leftmark}

Command

`\rightmark`

Prints the current lower-level sectioning title in a header (fancyhdr)

Example Code

\fancyhead[R]{\rightmark}