Comprehensive TeX Archive Network (CTAN)

Installing and Updating TeX Live 2025 on Debian and Debian-Based GNU/Linux Distributions

For those using LaTeX on their personal computers, the 2025 version of TeX Live has been released and is now available for download and installation on Linux systems. This guide provides a step-by-step explanation of how to install and keep TeX Live updated on Debian-based GNU/Linux distributions.

Downloading TeX Live 2025

To streamline the installation process, I recommend downloading the ISO file rather than opting for an online installation, which can be time-consuming.

Download texlive2025-20250308.iso?(6GB size) from the following mirror (I usually use mirrors in Bulgaria as they are fast):?

https://mirrors.neterra.net/CTAN/systems/texlive/Images/texlive2025-20250308.iso

Verifying the Downloaded ISO File

?Before proceeding with installation, verify the integrity of the downloaded ISO file.

Step 1: Download the SHA512 checksum file

You can do this via right-clicking the file and selecting "Save Link As..." or using the 'wget' command:

wget https://mirrors.neterra.net/CTAN/systems/texlive/Images/texlive2025-20250308.iso.sha512        

Step 2: Compare Hash Values

Place the .sha512 file in the same directory as the ISO.?Open a terminal in that directory and run:

sha512sum texlive2025-20250308.iso        

Compare the output hash with the one inside the .sha512 file:

cat texlive2025-20250308.iso.sha512        

If the hashes match, the file is intact.

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Step 3: Verify the GPG Signature (Optional but Recommended)

To further verify authenticity, download the GPG signature file and check it:

wget https://mirrors.neterra.net/CTAN/systems/texlive/Images/texlive2025-20250308.iso.sha512.asc        

?gpg --verify texlive2025-20250308.iso.sha512.asc        

Installing TeX Live 2025

Assuming the downloaded ISO file is in ~/Downloads, follow these steps:

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Step 1: Create a Mount Point

sudo mkdir /mnt/texlive        

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Step 2: Mount the ISO File

sudo mount -o loop ~/Downloads/texlive2025-20250308.iso /mnt/texlive        

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Step 3: Navigate to the Mounted Directory

?cd /mnt/texlive        

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Step 4: Run the Installer

?sudo ./install-tl        

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Step 5: Installation Completion

?Once installation is complete, you can start using LaTeX editors like Gummi, LyX, or other TeX-related tools for professional-quality documents.

?Updating TeX Live

TeX Live is continuously updated, requiring periodic manual updates. You can automate this process by creating a simple Bash script. To create a script for automatic updates:

Step 1: Create an Update Script

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/latexupdate        

Step 2: Add the Following Script

#!/bin/bash
# Update TeX Live Manager (tlmgr) and all TeX Live packages

# Update tlmgr itself
sudo env "PATH=$PATH" tlmgr update --self

# Update all TeX Live packages
sudo env "PATH=$PATH" tlmgr update --all        

Step 3: Save and Exit

Press CTRL + O, then Enter to save.

Press CTRL + X to exit.

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Step 4: Make the Script Executable

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/latexupdate        

Configuring the System Environment

To ensure the update script works smoothly, add the TeX Live path to your shell configuration file.

Step 1: Open '.bashrc' File

sudo nano ~/.bashrc        

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Step 2: Add the Following Lines at the End

# TeX Live 2025
export PATH=/usr/local/texlive/2025/bin/x86_64-linux:$PATH
export MANPATH=/usr/local/texlive/2025/texmf-dist/doc/man:$MANPATH
export INFOPATH=/usr/local/texlive/2025/texmf-dist/doc/info:$INFOPATH?        

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Step 3: Save and Exit

Press CTRL + O, then Enter to save.

Press CTRL + X to exit.

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Step 4: Reload the Shell Configuration

source ~/.bashrc        

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Step 5: Verify the Configuration

Run the following commands to ensure TeX Live is correctly installed and recognized by the system:

echo $PATH 
echo $MANPATH 
echo $INFOPATH 
which tlmgr
tlmgr --version        

If these commands return valid paths and version information, the installation and configuration are successful.

Updating TeX Live

Once everything is set up, updating TeX Live is as simple as running:

latexupdate        

This command will fetch the latest updates from the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network (CTAN) mirrors.?If you prefer a different mirror, visit CTAN Mirrors to choose a preferred source.

Conclusion

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By following this guide, you can efficiently install and maintain an up-to-date TeX Live environment on Debian-based GNU/Linux distributions. This ensures you have access to the latest features and improvements for your LaTeX workflows.

Happy typesetting! ??

Best regards,

Tolga Yenici ? PMP?

#latex #tex #debian #linux #bach #ComprehensiveTeXArchieveNetwork #CTAN