How-to

How to Add Code Listings in LaTeX

The fix

For code in LaTeX, use the listings package: load \usepackage{listings} and wrap code in \begin{lstlisting} ... \end{lstlisting}, setting the language via \lstset{language=Python}. For richer syntax highlighting, use minted, which needs Python Pygments and compiling with the --shell-escape flag.

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Example

\usepackage{listings}
\lstset{language=Python, basicstyle=\ttfamily\small,
        keywordstyle=\color{blue}, numbers=left}
\begin{lstlisting}
def hello():
    print("Hello, LaTeX")
\end{lstlisting}

Frequently asked questions

listings or minted?

listings is pure LaTeX and works everywhere with no setup. minted produces nicer highlighting via Pygments but requires Python and compiling with the --shell-escape flag.

How do I include code from a file?

Use \lstinputlisting[language=Python]{script.py} to pull an external file directly, so the listing stays in sync with the real source.

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