Overleaf is a collaborative online LaTeX editor designed to streamline the process of writing, editing, and publishing scientific documents. It provides a user-friendly interface that allows users to create rich-text documents without needing extensive knowledge of LaTeX. Overleaf features real-time collaboration, enabling multiple authors to work on the same document simultaneously, with changes reflected instantly. It also offers a wide range of templates for academic papers, presentations, and reports, along with integration options for reference management tools like Zotero and Mendeley, making it an ideal choice for researchers, students, and educators.

For users interested in self-hosting, Overleaf’s open-source version allows you to deploy the platform on your own servers, granting full control over your LaTeX projects. By leveraging the GitHub-hosted repository, users can customize their setup, integrate local file management, and enhance collaboration capabilities while maintaining data privacy and security. This makes Overleaf an excellent tool not only for individual users but also for teams and organizations seeking a robust, tailored solution for document preparation.