Rxiv-Maker: an automated template engine for streamlined scientific publications

Abstract

The rapid growth of preprint servers has accelerated scientific dissemination but has also shifted the technical burden of manuscript preparation to authors. This challenge is particularly acute in computational research, where manuscripts must remain synchronised with evolving data and code. We present Rxiv-Maker, a framework that resolves this by converting simple Markdown files into professionally typeset, publication-ready PDFs. Its core feature is the ability to execute embedded code, creating a self-updating manuscript where figures and statistical values are generated directly from source data during compilation. This ensures that the final document is always current and fully reproducible. By integrating with standard tools like Git and Visual Studio (VS) Code, Rxiv-Maker provides an efficient, transparent, and collaborative authoring experience, applying principles of software engineering to academic writing to foster open and verifiable science.