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LaTeX Resume Generator
A frontend-first, privacy-focused resume builder for IT professionals that generates ATS-friendly, single-page A4 LaTeX resumes. The frontend handles all data editing, live preview, and template rendering entirely in the browser with localStorage persistence. A lightweight Go backend exists solely to compile LaTeX to PDF via Tectonic.
Problem & Solution
Building publication-quality resumes typically requires LaTeX knowledge. This project solves that by letting users fill structured forms, choose from 9 ATS-optimized templates, see a live HTML/CSS preview, and export to either .tex source or compiled PDF — all without writing a single line of LaTeX.
Features
- 9 pluggable LaTeX templates with live HTML/CSS preview
- Frontend-first architecture with localStorage persistence
- Real-time WebSocket PDF compilation with progress streaming
- Drag-and-drop section reordering via @dnd-kit
- Profile image upload with cropping (react-easy-crop)
- Cmd+K command palette for power users
- Version management with save/load/export
- Keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+P, Ctrl+L, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+D)
- Dark/light mode toggle
- Multi-page preview simulation with overflow detection
- Sentry error tracking with session replay
- Docker Compose with Prometheus + Grafana observability
Tech Stack
| Technology | Version | Purpose | Why Chosen |
|---|---|---|---|
| React | 19 | UI framework | Latest concurrent features, lazy loading |
| TypeScript | ~6.0 | Type safety | Prevents runtime errors on complex resume data model |
| Vite | 8.x | Build tool & dev server | Fast HMR, native ESM, code splitting via glob imports |
| Tailwind CSS | v4 | Utility-first styling | Rapid UI development, consistent design tokens |
| Zustand | 5.x | State management | Minimal boilerplate, built-in persist middleware |
| @dnd-kit | core 6, sortable 10 | Drag-and-drop | Accessible, performant sortable lists |
| Go | 1.25+ | Backend runtime | Fast startup, small binaries, excellent concurrency |
| Gin | 1.12 | HTTP framework | High performance, middleware ecosystem |
| Tectonic | 0.16.9 | LaTeX→PDF compiler | Self-contained, no TeX distribution needed |
| Docker | — | Containerization | Reproducible builds, production parity |
| SQLite | modernc.org/sqlite 1.54 | Stats persistence | No CGO dependency, cross-compilation |
| Sentry | 10.x | Error tracking & monitoring | Session replay, performance monitoring, feedback widget |
Architecture
Frontend (React SPA)
- React 19 SPA with Zustand state management
- 9 pluggable template strategy pattern (config + preview + LaTeX generator)
- Live A4 page simulation with zoom and pagination
- WebSocket-based real-time compilation streaming
- Vite 8 with code splitting via import.meta.glob
Backend (Go Microservice)
- Go/Gin HTTP server with single concern: LaTeX compilation
- Tectonic subprocess management with --untrusted sandboxing
- Per-IP token bucket rate limiting (5 rps, burst 10)
- API key authentication on compile endpoints
- SQLite for aggregate visit/download statistics
Infrastructure
- Docker Compose orchestration (backend + Prometheus + Grafana)
- Multi-stage Docker builds (golang → alpine + tectonic)
- Vercel deployment for frontend, Render for backend
- Prometheus metrics with Grafana dashboards
Project Structure
backend
cmd
server
main.go
internal
compiler
handlers
middleware
websocket
frontend
src
components
editor
preview
hooks
stores
templates
API Endpoints
Go Backend (port 8080)
| Method | Route | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| POST | /api/compile | Compile LaTeX to PDF (HTTP) |
| GET | /api/compile/ws | WebSocket compile with progress streaming |
| POST | /api/stats/visit | Record page visit |
| POST | /api/stats/download | Record PDF download |
| GET | /api/stats | Get aggregate stats |
| GET | /api/health | Health check (Tectonic + DB status) |
| GET | /metrics | Prometheus metrics |
Database Design
stats
| Column | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| keyPK | TEXT | Counter name: 'visits' or 'downloads' |
| value | INTEGER | Counter value, default 0 |
Single table with 2 key-value rows. WAL mode enabled. Used only for aggregate visit/download statistics — no user data stored.
No relationships. Single table with 2 counter rows.
Key Design Decisions
Frontend-First Architecture
Decision: All resume data, editing, preview, and LaTeX generation happen in the browser
Why: Privacy-first: all data stays in browser with localStorage persistence
Benefits: Zero server costs for editing, user privacy, offline-capable editing
Trade-offs: No cloud sync, no cross-device access, localStorage size limits
Tectonic for LaTeX Compilation
Decision: Use Tectonic instead of pdflatex or other TeX distributions
Why: Self-contained binary, no TeX distribution needed on the server
Benefits: Simple Docker image, reproducible builds
Trade-offs: Slower than pdflatex for complex documents
Zustand over Redux/Context
Decision: Use Zustand for state management with built-in persist middleware
Why: Minimal boilerplate, built-in localStorage persistence
Benefits: Simple state management, easy persistence
Trade-offs: Less ecosystem than Redux
WebSocket for Compile Streaming
Decision: Use WebSocket instead of HTTP polling for PDF compilation
Why: Real-time progress feedback improves UX during 5-60s compilation
Benefits: User sees compilation stages (validating → writing → compiling → done)
Trade-offs: More complex than HTTP polling
Strategy Pattern for Templates
Decision: Each template implements a Template interface with config, Preview, and generateLatex
Why: Multiple visual styles with shared data model
Benefits: Extensible, each template self-contained, lazy-loadable via import.meta.glob
Trade-offs: Code duplication across templates
SQLite for Stats Only
Decision: Use SQLite for aggregate visit/download counters only
Why: Zero-config embedded DB adequate for 2 counter rows
Benefits: No external database dependency, simple deployment
Trade-offs: Write contention under concurrent access
Testing
None configured•0 unit tests
What's Tested
Missing Coverage
- Unit tests for escapeLatex, generateLatex functions
- Unit tests for template rendering and LaTeX generation
- Integration tests for compile handler
- Integration tests for WebSocket compilation flow
- E2E tests for critical user flows (edit → preview → export)
Key Challenges
- LaTeX compilation timeout (Tectonic can take 60+ seconds for complex documents)
- Profile image size in request body increasing payload and compilation time
- localStorage quota limits (~5MB) for saved resume versions
- Multi-page PDF warning — preview is approximate, actual PDF may differ
- Concurrent compilation on single-container deployment
Key Learnings
- Strategy pattern for pluggable template architecture
- WebSocket streaming for real-time compilation progress
- LaTeX escaping with null-byte placeholders to prevent double-escaping
- Multi-page preview simulation with section-aware pagination
- Frontend-first architecture trade-offs (privacy vs. no cloud sync)