For decades, LaTeX has dominated technical and academic publishing, offering unparalleled typesetting precision—especially for complex mathematics. Yet its verbose, arcane syntax for equations remains a notorious pain point. Enter Typst, a rising open-source typesetting system designed as a LaTeX successor. With its streamlined, readable markup for math, Typst promises to make document creation faster and less error-prone. But there's a catch: most journals and conferences still mandate LaTeX submissions, locking authors into outdated workflows.

This is where Pandoc—the universal document converter—shines. As developer Lee Phillips details in a recent article, a simple Lua filter can transform Typst's elegant math syntax into LaTeX-compatible output within Pandoc workflows. Here's why this matters:

  • Typst's Math Advantage: Typst replaces LaTeX's cluttered \frac{1}{2} with concise 1/2, using intuitive Unicode-like symbols (e.g., α instead of \alpha). This reduces cognitive load and minimizes typos, accelerating writing.
  • The Pandoc Bridge: By integrating a custom filter, Pandoc users can write documents in Markdown with Typst-style equations. During conversion, the filter automatically translates math elements into LaTeX, preserving compatibility with journal templates like RevTeX.
  • Real-World Impact: Developers and researchers gain modern ergonomics without sacrificing submission readiness. Phillips notes this is particularly valuable for collaborative projects where readability and maintainability are critical.

The filter, hosted in a Git repository, is intentionally minimal. Phillips invites improvements, acknowledging its simplicity:

git clone https://lee-phillips.org/typstfilters/code

While elegant, this solution underscores a broader industry tension: innovation often outpaces institutional adoption. Tools like Typst represent the future of technical communication—leaner, more accessible, and developer-friendly. Yet the academic ecosystem's inertia with LaTeX demands such pragmatic bridges. As open-source contributions refine these filters, they don't just ease document pain; they subtly push legacy systems toward obsolescence, one equation at a time. For now, though, this Pandoc-Typst synergy offers the best of both worlds: write with modern ease, publish with ancient requirements.