Lesson 03 — Templates & Classes

Summary

The difference between a class and a template, where to find ready-made templates, and how to adapt one for a different use.

Prerequisite: Lesson 02 to understand .tex structure.

1. Key concepts

• Class (.cls): defines the document’s core structure (heading types, margins, list behavior, etc.) — article, report, book, abntex2, beamer.
• Template: a set of files (.tex, .sty, .cls, .bib, images) pre-configured for a specific document type (thesis, paper, presentation).

2. Where to find templates

• Overleaf Templates
• CTAN — Comprehensive TeX Archive Network

3. Using a template (step by step)

1. Download the template into your project.
2. Open it in VS Code (or Overleaf).
3. Identify the main files: main.tex, *.cls, *.sty, bibliography.bib.
4. Make a backup copy before editing.
5. Customize the front matter (cover, abstract, author info) and chapter structure.

4. Adapting a template for another use

• Replace chapter content while keeping the file structure.
• Update the \include/\input lines for your chapters.
• Adjust any config file (name, advisor, etc.).
• Compile after every change to isolate errors.

5. Useful model examples

• Thesis/report (ABNT-style): abntex2.
• Scientific paper: article with IEEEtran, Elsevier, elsarticle.
• Presentation: beamer or powerdot.
• Academic poster: sciposter, a0poster, tikzposter.

See Document Models for ready-to-use examples of each.

🔗 References and related

• Course overview
• Lesson 02 — Basics
• Lesson 04 — Intermediate
• Document Models