Bellbird turns existing documents into a structured LaTeX starting point. It is a GNOME-integrated app that processes files locally, without requiring an account or an internet connection for conversion.
The goal is to help people who already have content in a familiar format and want to begin working with LaTeX. Instead of rebuilding the document from scratch, they choose a file, select an academic template, review the generated code, and export a .tex file for further editing.
Input formats and output templates
Bellbird opens .doc and .docx documents, .epub books, .htm and .html pages, as well as Markdown files (.markdown and .md), OpenDocument (.odt), Org (.org), reStructuredText (.rst), LaTeX (.tex), and plain text (.txt).
For the output structure, the app offers templates for ABNT with abnTeX2, IEEE with IEEEtran, ACM with acmart, Elsevier with elsarticle, and Springer Nature with sn-jnl. A template defines the file’s starting structure; the converted content may still need review against the requirements of a specific course, journal, or conference.
From the original file to LaTeX
After choosing the input and format, Bellbird displays the generated LaTeX with line numbers. Users can copy the code or export it. The app suggests the Downloads folder and a .tex filename, while still allowing a different name and location.
Local processing is useful when a document contains information that should not be sent to an online converter. Bellbird does not require a login to convert files and does not need a network connection during that processing.
The app also uses author information found in the source document. If it cannot find that information, it inserts a placeholder for the author to complete in the LaTeX file.
What the conversion preserves and leaves out
The result is a structured starting point and should be reviewed against the source file. Bellbird exports a single .tex file; it does not create a PDF, separate bibliography files, or image files.
Images and attachments from the source document are omitted. When an image description is available, Bellbird keeps it as text in the output. Figures and attachments need to be gathered and inserted manually after conversion.
Bellbird handles the conversion of text and structure. Compilation and inclusion of binary resources are left to the LaTeX distribution and tools used afterward.
Does Bellbird compile the file?
No. After exporting the .tex file, users need a LaTeX distribution with the class and packages required by the selected template. Bellbird does not generate a PDF or install those components.
This workflow suits people who want to start a move to LaTeX, inspect the generated structure, and continue in another editor. Before sharing or submitting the document, review the text, author information, and the requirements of the institution or publication.
Who Bellbird can help
The app is useful for students, researchers, and authors who receive documents in different formats and prefer to continue writing in LaTeX. Support for Word, EPUB, Markdown, OpenDocument, and other formats covers several starting points; academic templates provide an initial structure for the text.
If a file relies heavily on images or attachments, those materials need to be gathered manually. If the goal is a finished PDF in one step, Bellbird does not compile it: it provides the .tex file for review and later processing.
Explore the project
Bellbird is free software licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later. Visit the Bellbird website for app information and installation options, or see the GitHub repository for the source code.