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Texwell documentation

Get started

  1. Install Texwell from the Atlassian Marketplace (Confluence admin). Every site gets a 30-day free trial. After that it is $5 a month for up to 10 users, then billed per user.
  2. Edit a page and type /latex (or the macro name). Three macros are available:
    • LaTeX equation (Texwell): a displayed equation on its own line, with optional numbering.
    • Inline math (Texwell): math inside a line of text, or a reference to a numbered equation.
    • Equation index (Texwell): a list of every numbered equation on the page.
  3. The equation editor opens as soon as you insert an equation. Type LaTeX, check the preview and click Save.
  4. Publish.

Writing a block equation

The LaTeX equation editor has the source on the left and a live preview on the right.

  • LaTeX: type or paste your formula. No $ or \[ delimiters are needed. If you paste one pair of outer delimiters ($$...$$, $...$, \[...\] or \(...\)), they are removed.
  • The palette under the box inserts at the cursor. Tabs: Structures (fraction, powers, roots, sum, integral, limit, auto-sized brackets, binomial, hat, vector, overline, text), Environments (pmatrix, bmatrix, cases, aligned, array, and \ce{} for chemical equations), Greek, Relations and Operators. Templates such as \frac{a}{b} select their first placeholder so you can type over it.
  • Number this equation: shows a number like (3) on the right.
  • Label (for references): a name such as energy so other equations and inline references can point to this one. Labels can use letters, digits and : _ . -, up to 64 characters. A labelled equation is always numbered. Writing \label{energy} inside the LaTeX works too.
  • Refer to another equation: buttons for every labelled equation on the published page. Click one to insert \eqref{label}.
  • Alignment: Centered or Left.
  • Size: Small, Normal or Large.

Under the preview, a status line tells you how the formula rendered:

  • Renders cleanly.
  • Rendered with the extended engine (MathJax) because the fast engine said: ...
  • Shown with unknown commands in red: ...
  • Or the error, if neither engine can draw it.

Two small samples show the equation in the light and the dark theme. Press Ctrl or Cmd + Enter to save, or click Save or Cancel.

If two equations on a page use the same label, the editor warns you; references go to the first one.

Inline math

The Inline math editor has two modes:

  • Math in the text: a formula inside a sentence, such as a^2 + b^2 = c^2. Same palette and status line as block equations. It is sized to the line of text around it.
  • Reference to a numbered equation: pick an Equation from the labelled equations on the published page. It shows as its number, for example (3), and follows the equation if numbers change.

Preview in a sentence shows how it will read in a line of text.

Numbering and cross-references

  • Equations with Number this equation on, or with a label, are numbered (1), (2), (3) in page order.
  • Insert, move or delete a numbered equation and publish: numbers and references update.
  • \eqref{label} shows the number in brackets, (3). \ref{label} shows the bare number, 3. A label that doesn't exist shows ??.
  • Numbering environments such as equation, align, gather and multline show one page-level number per macro instead of their own. An explicit \tag{...} that you write still wins.

Numbers and references are read from the published page. While you edit, a brand-new numbered equation shows (?) on the page until you publish (the editor preview already shows the number it will get).

Equation index

Equation index lists every numbered equation on the page with columns No., Equation and Label. Its settings:

  • Heading (optional): for example "Equations on this page".
  • Show the LaTeX source column: adds a LaTeX column.

If the page has no numbered equations yet, the index says so.

Two engines, so rare commands still render

Texwell renders with KaTeX first, which is fast. If KaTeX doesn't know a command, Texwell switches to MathJax (bundled in the app, with its TeX extensions) for that formula. If MathJax can't render it either, it draws the formula with the unknown commands shown in red text in place, so the rest of the formula still shows. Only when nothing works does the reader see Can't render this equation: with the message and your source, never a blank box.

Chemical equations with \ce{...} (mhchem) are supported.

Reading equations

  • Equations follow each reader's Confluence theme, so they are readable in light and dark mode.
  • Block equations have a Copy LaTeX button that copies the source.
  • Empty equations show Empty equation. Edit the macro to add LaTeX.

Admin settings

Confluence admins can open Texwell LaTeX math from the Apps section of Confluence settings. People who are not Confluence admins can't change these settings.

Shared macros. Define commands once for the whole site, for example \R for \mathbb{R}, or \norm with one argument. Every equation on the site can use them.

  • Columns: Command (letters only, no backslash needed), Arguments (0 to 4), Definition (use #1, #2 for arguments), and Remove.
  • Add macro adds a row (up to 200 macros).
  • Try it: type a formula that uses your macros and see it rendered.

PDF and Word export.

  • Equations as images (rendered inside Atlassian): the default.
  • Equations as LaTeX source code blocks

Inline math always exports as readable text, for example E = mc².

Click Save settings.

PDF and Word export

  • Block equations export as images rendered by the bundled MathJax inside Atlassian, numbered, with the formula as alt text. With the LaTeX source setting, they export as a LaTeX code block, followed by "Equation (3)" when numbered.
  • Inline math exports as readable text, and inline references as the equation number.
  • The Equation index exports as a table with No., Label, Equation (as text) and, if turned on, LaTeX.
  • If an equation can't be rendered for export, the export shows a short note and the LaTeX source instead.

Licensing and trials

Texwell is paid through Atlassian, with a 30-day free trial. If the license is not active, equations show their LaTeX source with the note Texwell subscription inactive on this site. Ask a Confluence admin to renew it. Nothing disappears from your pages. Block equations and the index also export as source with a note. A site admin can renew in Apps > Manage apps.

Guests and anonymous readers of public spaces still see equations rendered.

Permissions and data

  • Texwell runs on Atlassian's Forge platform and sends nothing to any outside server. The app has no external network permissions. KaTeX, its fonts and MathJax are bundled in the app, so nothing is loaded from the internet.
  • Your equations are stored in the page as macro settings, like any macro.
  • To number equations, resolve references and build the index, Texwell reads the published page's content as the person viewing it, in their browser, so it only sees pages that person can see. Pages with no numbered equations or references are never read. The content is not stored.
  • Exports read the page as the person exporting.
  • Shared macros and the export setting are kept in Forge storage for your site.
  • Permissions requested: read pages and blog posts, and app storage. The app also allows inline styles in its own frames, which KaTeX and MathJax need to position symbols.
  • Formulas can't contain links, scripts or HTML.

Limits and known trade-offs

  • Numbers and references come from the published page, so a new numbered equation shows (?) on the page you are editing until you publish.
  • \newcommand inside one equation applies to that equation only. Use shared macros for commands the whole site needs.
  • Inline math exports to PDF and Word as text, not an image, because Confluence exports have no inline image an app can add.
  • Colors fixed with \color{...} stay that color and don't adapt to dark mode.
  • A block equation can hold up to 20,000 characters, inline math up to 4,000.
  • \require{...} is ignored, because every extension is already bundled.

FAQ

My last math app failed on \left, \hat or \Re and the whole block broke. What happens here? Texwell tries KaTeX, then MathJax with its TeX extensions, then draws any unknown command in red while the rest of the formula still renders. One unsupported command doesn't blank the equation.

Are equations readable in dark mode? Yes. Equations follow each reader's theme, and the editor shows a light and a dark sample while you type.

Inline formulas in my old app sat in a big box. Is that fixed? Inline math is sized to the line of text it sits in.

Can I paste LaTeX with $$ from another tool? Yes. Outer $$, $, \[ and \( delimiters are removed when you paste. The source box is a plain text box, so pasting keeps what you had.

Can I number equations and refer to them? Yes. Number or label an equation, then use \eqref{label} or an inline reference. The Equation index lists them all.

Do equations show up in PDF exports? Yes. Block equations export as images (or LaTeX source, if your admin prefers), inline math as readable text.

Can we share notation across the site? Yes. A Confluence admin can define shared macros once in the Texwell settings.

Uninstalling and your data

Your equations stay in your pages as LaTeX source after you uninstall. When the app is uninstalled, Atlassian deletes Texwell's stored settings for your site.

Support

Open a request in the Great Work support portal (linked from the Marketplace listing) or email hello@greatwork.company. First response within 1 business day.