What is the use of the TikZ package in LaTeX?

TikZ is a LaTeX package that allows you to create high quality diagrams—and often quite complex ones too. In this first post we’ll start with the basics, showing how to draw simple shapes, with subsequent posts introducing some of the interesting things you can do using the tikz package.

What is TikZ package?

TikZ is probably the most complex and powerful tool to create graphic elements in LaTeX. Firstly, load the tikz package by including the line sepackage{tikz} in the preamble of your document, then draw a graphic using the tikzpicture environment.

How do I use TikZ in LaTeX?

Using TikZ in a LaTeX document requires loading the tikz package:

1. sepackage{tikz} somewhere in the preamble.
2. setikzlibrary{⟨list of libraries separated by commas⟩}
3. \begin{tikzpicture}[⟨options⟩] ⟨tikz commands⟩ \end{tikzpicture}
4. \tikz[⟨options⟩]{⟨tikz commands⟩}

How do you write in TikZ?

Within your figure environment you can start a TikZ figure by writing the code \begin{tikzpicture} , after which you can start typesetting your figure. As usual you close the environment with the code \end{tikzpicture} .

How do you draw a rectangle in TikZ?

A rectangle shape can be drawn by using the option rectangle to the \node command. Following line creates a rectangle node named (r) at coordinate (0,0). The rectangle node shape is always defined and no TikZ library is needed to be loaded (The same with circle node shape).

What does TikZ stand for?

TikZ ist kein Zeichenprogramm
TikZ was introduced in version 0.95 of PGF, and it is a recursive acronym for “TikZ ist kein Zeichenprogramm” (German for “TikZ is not a drawing program”).

How do you draw a thick line in TikZ?

Line thickness You can change the thickness of every single line so that it matches your requirements. You can use: ultra thin, very thin, thin, semithick, thick, very thick and ultra thick. You can specify your custom width using the line width option of the \draw command. The default unit is pt.

How do you draw a square in TikZ?

Draw a Rectangle in TikZ

1. Node shape rectangle in TikZ.
2. Add text to the rectangle node.
3. Change text color of the rectangle node.
4. Add filling color to a node.
5. Change the border line color of a node.
6. Change the size of a rectangle node.
7. Anchors of a rectangle node.
8. Outer separation.

How do you shade in TikZ?

Draw shaded circle in TikZ To draw a shaded circle, we use \shade command where we define the circle center and its radius. For a gradient color, we have to define the left color, right color and the middle color. Also we need to define the shading angle, which defines the orientation of the gradient.

Is TikZ worth learning?

Tikz is extremely useful and powerful. I use it all the time, just for basic commutative diagrams, but I’ve used it in the past to draw some pretty complicated things, like covering spaces for RP^2 for a topology exam.