Knurl app icon

Knurl

TeX diagnostics & package installer for macOS. Drop your .tex project, find out what's missing, install it in one click.

macOS Ventura 13+ Universal · Apple Silicon & Intel v1.1 Free & open source
⬇ Download Knurl Source code

v1.0 · ~3 MB · universal binary (arm64 + x86_64)

What it does

From compile error to installed package — without leaving the app.

📄

.tex project analysis

Drop a folder or the main file: Knurl maps document classes, packages (\usepackage) and engines in use.

🔍

Environment diagnostics

Detects your distribution (TeX Live, BasicTeX, Tectonic), active engines, and anything broken or missing.

🗺️

CTAN → TL mapping

Translates CTAN package names to their real TeX Live names — built-in overrides plus the official TUG map.

📦

One-click install

Installs missing packages via tlmgr, asking for admin privileges only when actually needed.

📊

Exportable reports

Generates a full report as JSON or Markdown — environment, packages and every action taken.

✨

Native glass UI

Translucent window, floating sidebar and status tiles — built for Ventura and later, in light and dark mode.

Screenshots

Knurl in action — project analysis, diagnostics and one-click installs.

Knurl package analysis table showing installed and missing TeX Live packages
Package analysis — CTAN → TeX Live mapping, 17 packages checked, 13 installed and 4 missing, ready to install in one click.
Knurl environment diagnostics dashboard showing TeX Live, engines, tools and disk usage
Environment diagnostics — TeX Live distribution, engines and tools, and disk usage at a glance.
Knurl dashboard when no TeX distribution is installed, showing the Install BasicTeX call to action
First run without TeX — when no distribution is found, Knurl offers a one-click Install BasicTeX to fetch the minimal TeX Live toolchain.

How to install

Under a minute.

  1. Download KnurlClick “Download Knurl” and unzip Knurl.zip.
  2. Move it to ApplicationsDrag Knurl.app into your /Applications folder.
  3. Open it onceRight-click the app → Open. Only needed the first time.
  4. Drop your projectDrag a .tex folder onto the window and follow the diagnosis.
⚠️ This build is signed with a free Apple ID and is not notarized by Apple. It opens normally on this Mac; on other Macs, right-click → Open the first time, or run:
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine Knurl.app