1. Basic LaTeX Environment Setup

Beginning and End of a Document

LaTeX Environment Commands That Cover Everything from Reports to Math to Presentations

In LaTeX, documents are structured around block-level environments.

Simply put, an environment tells LaTeX,
"Display this part of the content in this specific format!"

Environments are defined using pairs of commands:
\begin{environment name} and \end{environment name}.
The content placed between these two commands is displayed according to the style of the specified environment.

\begin{환경 이름}
...
\end{환경 이름}

The Essential Framework of a Document

Do you remember the document type and package declarations we covered earlier in the preamble?

Right below that section, you’ll find the document environment, which contains the main body of the document.

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article} % 문서 종류, 용지, 글자 크기 설정

% (예시) 문서에서 사용할 패키지 불러오기 
\usepackage{amsmath}     % 수학 기호와 수식 지원
\usepackage{graphicx}    % 이미지 삽입
\usepackage{hyperref}    % 하이퍼링크

\title{New Paper}       % 문서 제목
\author{Author}         % 작성자 이름
\date{2025-01-01}       % 날짜

% 여기 아래로 문서 본문 입력
\begin{document}
\maketitle             % 제목, 이름, 날짜 출력

여기에 본문을 작성합니다.

\end{document}

\begin{document} ... \end{document} is the essential environment for writing your document.

Any text, images, equations, tables, etc. written inside this environment will appear in the actual output (such as a PDF).

If the document environment is missing, LaTeX won’t know where the main content begins and ends, which can cause warnings or errors—so please be careful!

Nested Environments

Within the main document environment, you can freely declare other environments.

For example, adding a list or writing equations within the main content are cases where environments can be nested like this.

\begin{document}

% 목록
\begin{itemize}
  \item 첫 번째 항목
  \item 두 번째 항목
\end{itemize}

% 수식
\begin{equation}
E = mc^2
\end{equation}

\end{document}

In other words, the document environment plays a major role as the essential declaration for writing a LaTeX document,
and you can stack other environments inside it like building blocks to complete your document.

Have you understood how environment definitions work in LaTeX now?
Next, we'll walk through some commonly used LaTeX environments with examples, based on their specific purposes!

1. Basic Document Elements

When writing a document with LaTeX, you need to include not only the main content but also the elements that represent the face of the document —
such as title, author, date, and abstract.

The titlepage environment allows you to design your title page freely.
It’s useful when you want to customize the cover page of a research report or assignment.

If you just want to display the title simply, you can also use the \maketitle command inside the document environment.

If you're writing a thesis or report, using the abstract environment to summarize the key points of your writing is also a great idea.

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Try writing by referring to the code examples for each environment.

\title{Hello World} \author{홍길동} \date{\today} \begin{document} \maketitle ... \end{document}
\begin{titlepage} \centering {\Huge 제목 \par} \vspace{2cm} {\Large 저자 \par} \vfill {\large \today \par} \end{titlepage}
\begin{abstract} 이 연구는 LaTeX의 환경 구조에 대해 설명하고, 사용 예시를 제공합니다. \end{abstract}

2. Citations and References

There are also environments in LaTeX designed for writing quotations or printing content exactly as typed.

In LaTeX, special characters (like \, {}, %, etc.) are interpreted as commands by default.
If you want to display them as they are, use the verbatim environment, which prints the code or text exactly as written, without interpretation.

⚠️ Note: When using the verbatim environment with Korean (xeCJK), errors can occur.
If you need to display code or CJK characters, consider using the listings or minted packages instead.

If you don’t use BibTeX and prefer to manually list your references, you can use the thebibliography environment to directly create your reference list.

However, using BibTeX is a much more efficient method.
You can gather your references into a separate file and simply cite them using the \cite command, which is much more convenient.

We’ll introduce BibTeX in a dedicated upcoming post—so stay tuned!

💡

Try writing by referring to the code examples for each environment.

\begin{quote} The important thing is not to stop questioning.\\ Curiosity has its own reason for existence. \end{quote}
\begin{quotation} Many people say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing.\\ That's why we recommend it daily. The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling,\\ but in rising every time we fall. \end{quotation}
\begin{verbatim} This is a \LaTeX\ command. \textbf{Bold text} This is math: E = mc^2 \end{verbatim}
\begin{thebibliography}{99} \bibitem{einstein1905} A. Einstein, ``Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper,'' *Annalen der Physik*, vol. 17, 1905. \end{thebibliography}

3. Lists

When writing a document, have you ever thought,
"I want to organize this neatly into a list!"?

LaTeX provides several environments you can use depending on the situation:

In particular, the list environment is an advanced option that allows you to customize the appearance of your lists.
It shines in cases where you might think:
"Can I move the bullet or number position?"

You can find more detailed options for creating custom lists at the bottom of the document.

💡

Try writing by referring to the code examples for each environment.

\begin{itemize} \item 사과 \item 바나나 \item 체리 \end{itemize}
\begin{enumerate} \item 첫 번째 항목 \item 두 번째 항목 \item 세 번째 항목 \end{enumerate}
\begin{description} \item[사과] 빨갛고 맛있는 과일입니다. \item[바나나] 길고 노란 과일입니다. \item[체리] 작고 달콤한 과일입니다. \end{description}
\begin{list}{$\circ$}{\leftmargin=4em} \item 사과 \item 바나나 \item 체리 \end{list}

4. Equations

In mathematical or scientific documents, presenting complex key content in a single line as an equation improves readability and makes the document look more organized and polished.
LaTeX is especially known for its ability to present equations cleanly and professionally,
so it supports a variety of math environments like the ones shown below.

Especially in environments like align, align*, aligned, split, and cases,
you can use the & symbol to specify alignment points in your equations.
When working with multi-line equations, you can use the \\ command to break lines.

Note: The asterisk versions (*) of environments determine whether equation numbers are shown or hidden.
Choose the version that fits your document style and needs.

Wait a moment!

There are also other commands you can use to create math environments:

Math written using these commands is simpler than using full environments, and it has the advantage of not requiring any package declarations.
However, keep in mind that you can’t use line numbering or alignment features with these commands.

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Try writing by referring to the code examples for each environment.

\begin{align} a + b &= c \\ d + e &= f \end{align}
\begin{align*} a + b &= c \\ d + e &= f \end{align*}
\begin{equation} \begin{aligned} x &= y + z \\ &= u + v \end{aligned} \end{equation}
\begin{equation} E = mc^2 \end{equation}
\begin{equation*} E = mc^2 \end{equation*}
\begin{gather} a = b + c \\ d = e + f \end{gather}
\begin{gather*} a = b + c \\ d = e + f \end{gather*}
\begin{multline} E = mc^2 + \frac{1}{2}mv^2 + \\ \frac{1}{2}kx^2 - qV \end{multline}
\begin{multline*} E = mc^2 + \frac{1}{2}mv^2 + \\ \frac{1}{2}kx^2 - qV \end{multline*}
\begin{subequations} \begin{align} E &= mc^2 \\ F &= ma \end{align} \end{subequations}
본문 \begin{math} E = mc^2 \end{math} 사이에
\begin{displaymath} E = mc^2 \end{displaymath}
\begin{split} f(x) &= x^2 + 2x + 1 \\ &= (x + 1)^2 \end{split}
f(x) = \begin{cases} x^2 & \text{if } x \geq 0 \\ -x & \text{if } x < 0 \end{cases}
블럭 단위의 수식을 표현할 때 사용해요. \[ E = mc^2 \]
문장 중간에 수식을 넣을 때 사용해요: \( E=mc^2 \).
문장 안에 수식을 넣을 때 사용해요: $E=mc^2$

5. Algorithms

When you need to write algorithms in LaTeX, you can use the following environments:

The algorithm environment treats the algorithm block as an independent floating object.
It allows you to add captions and labels, making it easy to reference (e.g., “See Algorithm 1”) in reports or theses.

You can also control the placement of the algorithm in the document using options like [h], [t], [b], etc.
(More on placement options will be explained below.)

The algorithmic environment is where you write the actual steps of the algorithm.
It displays the content in a clear pseudocode format, making it easier for readers to understand.

In summary, to write an algorithm in your LaTeX document, you need to use both the algorithm and algorithmic environments together.
Make sure you include the necessary packages to enable these environments.

Frequently Used Commands for Writing Algorithms

Here are some commonly used commands for writing algorithms in LaTeX.
If you’re familiar with at least one programming language, you’ll understand them easily.

• \STATE : Writes a single step (line) of the algorithm

• \IF … \ENDIF, \ELSEIF, \ELSE : Conditional statements

• \FOR … \ENDFOR : For loops

• \WHILE … \ENDWHILE : While loops (runs while the condition is true)

• \REPEAT … \UNTIL : Repeat-until loops (executes at least once)

• \RETURN : Return value of the algorithm

• \REQUIRE : Input condition

• \ENSURE : Output condition

• \PRINT : Output/print statement

• \COMMENT : Adds a comment inside the algorithm

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Try writing by referring to the code examples for each environment.

\begin{algorithm} \caption{최댓값 찾기 알고리즘} \begin{algorithmic} \STATE \textbf{Input:} 배열 $A$의 길이 $n$ \STATE \textbf{Output:} 배열의 최댓값 \STATE max $\gets A[1]$ \FOR{$i = 2$ \TO $n$} \IF{$A[i] >$ max} \STATE max $\gets A[i]$ \ENDIF \ENDFOR \STATE \textbf{return} max \end{algorithmic} \end{algorithm}
\begin{algorithmic} \STATE \textbf{Input:} 배열 $A$의 길이 $n$ \STATE \textbf{Output:} 배열의 최댓값 \STATE max $\gets A[1]$ \FOR{$i = 2$ \TO $n$} \IF{$A[i] >$ max} \STATE max $\gets A[i]$ \ENDIF \ENDFOR \STATE \textbf{return} max \end{algorithmic}

6. Tables, Matrices, and Alignment

Sometimes, you may need to organize data systematically within a document.
In such cases, using tables or matrices makes the task much easier.

You can create structured tables using the tabular environment or by combining it with the table environment.
For matrices, you can choose from a variety of styles depending on the desired brackets.

Table Environments

Matrix Environments

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Try writing by referring to the code examples for each environment.

\begin{tabular}{|l|c|r|} \hline 왼쪽 & 가운데 & 오른쪽 \\ \hline apple & banana & cherry \\ dog & cat & bird \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\begin{table}[h] \centering \caption{과일 목록} \label{tab:fruits} \begin{tabular}{|l|c|r|} \hline 사과 & 바나나 & 체리 \\ \hline 1 & 2 & 3 \\ \hline \end{tabular} \end{table}
\begin{array}{c|c} a & b \\ \hline c & d \end{array} \begin{array}{cc} 1 & 2 \\ 3 & 4 \end{array}
\begin{matrix} 1 & 2 \\ 3 & 4 \end{matrix}
\begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2 \\ 3 & 4 \end{bmatrix}
\begin{Bmatrix} 1 & 2 \\ 3 & 4 \end{Bmatrix}
\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 \\ 3 & 4 \end{pmatrix}
\begin{vmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{vmatrix}
\begin{Vmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{Vmatrix}
\begin{center} 이 텍스트는 가운데 정렬됩니다. \end{center}

7. Figures and Frames

Lastly, including visual materials in your document can help convey information more effectively in research reports or technical documents.
The figure environment is commonly used for this purpose.

You can insert image files, and position titles and captions appropriately within your document.

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Try writing by referring to the code examples for each environment.

\begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[width=0.5\linewidth]{example.jpg} \caption{Caption} \label{fig:example} \end{figure}
\begin{figure}[h] \centering \begin{subfigure}[b]{0.45\textwidth} \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-a} \caption{그림 A} \label{fig:sub-a} \end{subfigure} \hfill \begin{subfigure}[b]{0.45\textwidth} \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{example-image-b} \caption{그림 B} \label{fig:sub-b} \end{subfigure} \caption{두 개의 그림을 나란히 배치한 예시} \label{fig:main} \end{figure}
\begin{minipage}{0.4\textwidth} \centering \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{apple.jpg} \captionof{figure}{사과 사진} \end{minipage} \hfill \begin{minipage}{0.55\textwidth} 사과는 빨간색 과일로 비타민 C가 풍부합니다. 이 과일은 건강에 좋습니다. \end{minipage}
\documentclass{beamer} % 1. Beamer 클래스 선언 \usepackage{xeCJK} \setCJKmainfont{나눔고딕} \setCJKsansfont{나눔고딕} \xeCJKsetup{CJKspace=true} \title{Beamer 슬라이드 예제} % 2. 문서 제목 \author{홍길동} % 3. 작성자 \date{\today} % 4. 작성일자 (오늘 날짜) \begin{document} % 5. 문서 본문 시작 \frame{\titlepage} % 6. 제목 슬라이드 \begin{frame} % 7. 일반 슬라이드 시작 \frametitle{소개} % 8. 슬라이드 제목 Beamer를 사용하면 간단하게 슬라이드를 만들 수 있습니다. \end{frame} \begin{frame} \frametitle{목차} \begin{itemize} \item 첫 번째 항목 \item 두 번째 항목 \item 세 번째 항목 \end{itemize} \end{frame} \end{document} % 9. 문서 본문 끝
\begin{framed} 이 텍스트는 박스 안에 들어갑니다. \end{framed} \begin{framed} \begin{equation*} E = mc^2 \end{equation*} \end{framed}
\begin{tikzpicture} \draw (0,0) -- (2,0) -- (2,2) -- (0,2) -- cycle; \end{tikzpicture} \begin{tikzpicture} \node (A) at (0,0) {Start}; \node (B) at (3,0) {End}; \draw[->] (A) -- (B); \end{tikzpicture}
\setlength{\unitlength}{2mm} % 단위 설정 \begin{picture}(40, 20) \put(5,5){\line(1,0){30}} % 가로선 (x방향으로) \put(5,5){\line(0,1){10}} % 세로선 (y방향으로) \put(5,16){\makebox(0,0)[l]{Start}} % 텍스트 표시 \end{picture}

Various Useful Options in LaTeX

LaTeX allows you to use a variety of options along with environment declarations or commands.

1. List Customization Options

The options below can be used when creating lists in LaTeX, with commands like \setlength and \addtolength.
You can freely design lists without requiring additional packages.

Options for customizing bullet or label spacing are also included here:

\begin{list}{$\star$}{%
    \setlength{\leftmargin}{2em}
    \setlength{\itemsep}{0.5em}
    \setlength{\topsep}{1em}
    \setlength{\labelwidth}{1em}
    \setlength{\labelsep}{0.5em}
}
  \item 첫 번째 항목
  \item 두 번째 항목
\end{list}

If the method feels too complicated or cumbersome,
we recommend using the enumitem package.
It’s short and straightforward, which is why it's the most commonly used format in modern LaTeX documents.

\usepackage{enumitem}

\begin{itemize}[leftmargin=2em, itemsep=0.5em, labelsep=1em]
  \item 첫 번째
  \item 두 번째
\end{itemize}

2. Placement Specifier Options

Placement specifiers can be freely combined and used in any order.
Try mixing and testing the options as needed (e.g., [htbp]).

⚠️ Be cautious when overusing [H] — it may interfere with the layout!

3. Column Alignment Options

When using the tabular environment to create tables,
if you're wondering how to align each column,
you can use the options below to arrange your data as needed.

4. Drawing Options

In advanced graphic environments like TikZ, various drawing options are available.
Just remember: you need to include the tikz package when using these features!

So far, we’ve explored how to structure LaTeX documents using basic environment settings and the \begin ~ \end format.

At first, LaTeX might feel a bit clunky or difficult to use,
but once you try writing with it, you’ll find that the results are far more precise and polished.

Now, you’ve learned how to freely use various environments in your document, such as title, abstract, equations, tables, and figures. 🙌

However, when writing full documents, you’ll often face situations where you need to manage multiple files or import external resources.
In the next post, we’ll cover how to structure a document using multiple files and improve writing efficiency.

Until then, try writing different environment declarations in Murfy —
you’ll be one step closer to mastering LaTeX! 💪