How to Install TeXworks on Fedora 39/38/37 Linux

TeXworks is a free and open-source graphical interface for creating and editing documents in the TeX typesetting system. It is designed to be easy to use, with a simple and intuitive interface that allows users to create professional-quality documents quickly. TeXworks includes syntax highlighting, spell checking, and automatic generation of a table of contents, making it a powerful and convenient tool for authors, publishers, and researchers.

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install the latest version of TeXworks on Fedora Linux using two different methods of Fedora’s repository using the DNF package manager or the natively installed Flatpak third-party manager using the command line terminal. The tutorial will also show quick tips on how to update using the command line terminal and, if need be, remove the software.

Update Fedora

The first step is ensuring your system is up-to-date to avoid issues during the installation and for good practice. This is done by opening your terminal and using the following command.

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Method 1: Install TeXworks with Fedora Repository

For most users, the easiest way to install the software is to utilize the Fedora repository using the DNF package manager; given that Fedora focuses on the latest releases every six months and often, during that time, releases even more updates, you are generally on the latest if not one version behind in most cases making it desirable instead of using alternative package managers.

Install TeXworks using the following DNF install command.

sudo dnf install texworks -y

Flatpak users who want to install TeXworks using the alternative package manager follow the instructions below.

Method 2: Install TeXworks with Flatpak and Flathub

The second option is to use the Flatpak package manager installed on Fedora-based systems. The extra benefit of using Flatpak installations is that you will always have the most up-to-date version. However, with distributions such as Fedora or similar types that focus on the latest packages, the significant advantage is often not as substantial as if you were using an Enterprise Linux distribution such as CentOS or Ubuntu LTS. However, still, this is the user’s discretion in choosing.

First, re-install the Flatpak manager if it was removed previously.

sudo dnf install flatpak -y

For users re-installing Flatpak, it is often recommended to reboot your system. Failure to do this can occur with odd issues, such as wrong icon paths.

reboot

SKIP THE REBOOT IF FLATPAK IS INSTALLED.

Next, you need to enable Flatpack using the following command in your terminal.

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Ideally, you should reboot at this stage; if you skip this and notice icons not appearing, the reboot will generate the paths required for the future.

reboot

Now run the installation using the following flatpak command.

flatpak install flathub org.tug.texworks -y

Troubleshoot TeXworks Flatpak Installation

First, the most common error when installing a Flatpak from Flathub is the following error output.

"error: Unable to load summary from remote flathub: Can't fetch summary from disabled remote 'flathub,"

The fix is simple, run the following command to enable Flathub.

flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub

This will fix the issue the above issue. The next issue can be access to system files. I would only recommend using the following command if you have access permission with your installation accessing files; use the override command below.

sudo flatpak override org.tug.texworks --filesystem=host

Please do not use this command by default unless it is needed.

How to Launch TeXworks

Now that you have the software installed launching can be done in a few ways.

In your terminal, use the following command.

texworks

Alternatively, Flatpak users will need to launch using the command below from a terminal instance.

flatpak run org.tug.texworks

However, this isn’t practical for desktop users, and you would use the following path on your desktop to open the way.

Activities > Show Applications > TeXworks

Example:

Once the application has launched, you will arrive at your default landing screen.

Additional Commands & Tips

How to Update TeXworks

The software should update itself with your system packages for desktop users using the DNF package manager. For users who want to check manually, use the following command in your terminal.

Update TeXworks DNF Method

sudo dnf update --refresh

Update TeXworks Flatpak with Flathub Method

flatpak update

How to Remove (Uninstall) TeXworks TeX Document Editor

TeXworks, when installed, adds quite a few dependencies, so ideally, using the autoremove command is best to keep your system clean and not bloated.

Use one of the following commands to suit the original installation method for users who no longer require the application.

TeXworks DNF Remove Method

sudo dnf autoremove texworks -y

TeXworks Flatpak Remove Method

flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.tug.texworks

Next, run the following command for any leftover clean-up.

flatpak remove --unused

Conclusion

In conclusion, TeXworks is a valuable and efficient tool for creating and editing documents on Fedora Linux systems in the TeX typesetting system. For more information about using TeXworks, visit the official documentation.