Best Alternatives to Overleaf for CS Research
Date Published
What CS Research Needs
Computer science papers have specific requirements:
• Algorithm environments (algorithm2e, algorithmicx)
• Code listings with syntax highlighting
• Complexity notation
• System diagrams (TikZ)
• ACM/IEEE formatting compliance
Here are the best alternatives to Overleaf for CS researchers.
#1: Octree — Best for AI-Assisted CS Writing
Why it works for CS:
• All major CS conference templates pre-loaded
• AI generates algorithms from pseudocode descriptions
• Code listing formatting with one command
• TikZ diagram generation from descriptions
Standout feature: "Create a TikZ diagram showing a neural network with 3 layers" → AI generates the diagram.
Best for: CS researchers who want to spend less time on formatting.
#2: VS Code + LaTeX Workshop — Best for Coders
Why it works for CS:
• Familiar IDE for programmers
• Integrated terminal
• Git integration
• Extensive customization
Drawback: Requires local LaTeX installation, no AI features.
Best for: Developers who live in VS Code.
#3: TeXstudio — Best Full-Featured Desktop
Why it works for CS:
• Excellent for long documents
• Structure view for navigation
• Good snippet system
Drawback: No cloud, steeper learning curve.
Best for: Users who prefer desktop applications.
CS-Specific Features Comparison
| Feature | Octree | Overleaf | VS Code | TeXstudio |
|---------|--------|----------|---------|-----------|
| ACM templates | ✅ | ✅ | Manual | Manual |
| IEEE templates | ✅ | ✅ | Manual | Manual |
| Algorithm env | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Code listings | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| TikZ generation | AI | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Compile speed | <1s | 10-60s | Local | Local |
| AI assistance | ✅ | Basic | ❌ | ❌ |
Common CS Paper Pain Points
Pain: Algorithm formatting is tedious
Octree solution: "Create an algorithm for binary search" → AI generates the full environment.
Pain: System diagrams take hours
Octree solution: Describe your diagram in natural language. AI generates TikZ code.
Pain: Code formatting is inconsistent
Octree solution: "Format all code blocks with Python syntax highlighting and line numbers"
Pain: IEEE/ACM format compliance
Octree solution: Pre-loaded templates with auto-formatting. AI checks compliance.
Specific Conference Template Support
Octree includes templates for:
• ACM CHI, SIGCHI
• ACM SIGGRAPH
• IEEE VIS
• IEEE TVCG
• NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR
• CVPR, ICCV, ECCV
• ACL, EMNLP, NAACL
• AAAI
Our Recommendation
Octree is purpose-built for CS researchers. The AI's ability to generate algorithms, diagrams, and handle complex formatting makes it the clear choice for computer science papers.
Ship papers faster. Try Octree at https://useoctree.com and let AI handle the LaTeX tedium.