> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://overleaf-pro.ayaka.space/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://overleaf-pro.ayaka.space/latex/formatting/08-single-sided-and-double-sided-documents.md). # Single sided and double sided documents ## Introduction LaTeX is shipped with a number of “standard” classes which can be used for creating different types of document, including: `article`, `book`, `report`, `letter`, `slides` and `proc` (for conference proceedings). LaTeX also provides the `minimal` class for debugging purposes or as a basis for writing your own class file. Many additional document classes are published in the [Overleaf template Gallery](https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates), or can be [downloaded from CTAN](https://ctan.org/topic/class). ## Creating two-sided documents To create a two-sided document pass the `twoside` option to the `\documentclass` declaration; for example: ```latex \documentclass[twoside]{article} ``` **Note**: * The `book` class is two-sided by default so you do not need to add the `twoside` option. * The `slides` class does not support the `twoside` option—perhaps because it would not make sense for presentation slides to do that. ### Overleaf example to explore document layout The following example provides a small Overleaf project which uses the `layout` package to create graphics that show the initial (*default*) document layout for your preferred document class. Those default values can be changed by loading packages, such as `geometry`, which change the default values of LaTeX's page-layout parameters. See the articles [Page size and margins](/latex/formatting/07-page-size-and-margins.md) and [A visual guide to LaTeX’s page layout parameters](/latex/in-depth-articles/04-a-visual-guide-to-latex-s-page-layout-parameters.md) for further information. For two-sided documents, the `book` class, and others using the use the `twoside` option, the example will create separate graphics for the left-hand and right-hand pages. On opening the project you’ll see the left- and right-hand pages for `\documentclass[twoside]{article}`. ```latex % Choose the document class whose layout you want to visualize: uncomment % the one you want, comment out the others. % \documentclass[a4paper]{article} %Produces one page (based on A4 paper size) % \documentclass[a4paper]{report} %Produces one page (based on A4 paper size) % \documentclass[twoside,a4paper]{report} %Produces two pages (based on A4 paper size) % \documentclass[a4paper]{book} %Produces two pages (based on A4 paper size) % \documentclass[a4paper]{letter} %Produces one page (based on A4 paper size) % \documentclass[twoside, a4paper]{letter} %Produces two pages (based on A4 paper size) \documentclass[twoside,a4paper]{article} %Produces two pages (based on A4 paper size) \usepackage{layout} \begin{document} \layout \end{document} ``` [Open this project to explore the layout of standard LaTeX document classes.](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=document+class+layout\&snip=%25+Choose+the+document+class+whose+layout+you+want+to+visualize%3A+uncomment%0A%25+the+one+you+want%2C+comment+out+the+others.%0A%25+%5Cdocumentclass%5Ba4paper%5D%7Barticle%7D+%25Produces+one+page+%28based+on+A4+paper+size%29%0A%25+%5Cdocumentclass%5Ba4paper%5D%7Breport%7D+%25Produces+one+page+%28based+on+A4+paper+size%29%0A%25+%5Cdocumentclass%5Btwoside%2Ca4paper%5D%7Breport%7D+%25Produces+two+pages+%28based+on+A4+paper+size%29%0A%25+%5Cdocumentclass%5Ba4paper%5D%7Bbook%7D+%25Produces+two+pages+%28based+on+A4+paper+size%29%0A%25+%5Cdocumentclass%5Ba4paper%5D%7Bletter%7D+%25Produces+one+page+%28based+on+A4+paper+size%29%0A%25+%5Cdocumentclass%5Btwoside%2C+a4paper%5D%7Bletter%7D+%25Produces+two+pages+%28based+on+A4+paper+size%29%0A%5Cdocumentclass%5Btwoside%2Ca4paper%5D%7Barticle%7D+%25Produces+two+pages+%28based+on+A4+paper+size%29%0A%5Cusepackage%7Blayout%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%5Clayout%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) This example produces graphics such as those shown in the following image. Note that the image below has been cropped/edited for clarity of presentation in this article. ![Image showing latex document layout](/files/FTsf5epehjONwheEqXlx) ## Further reading * [`geometry` package documentation](https://ctan.org/pkg/geometry?lang=en) * [A visual guide to LaTeX’s page layout parameters](/latex/in-depth-articles/04-a-visual-guide-to-latex-s-page-layout-parameters.md) * [Page size and margins](/latex/formatting/07-page-size-and-margins.md) * [Footnotes](/latex/formatting/14-footnotes.md) * [Margin notes](/latex/formatting/15-margin-notes.md) * [Headers and footers](/latex/formatting/02-headers-and-footers.md) * [Sections and chapters](/latex/document-structure/01-sections-and-chapters.md) * [Management in a large project](/latex/document-structure/07-management-in-a-large-project.md) * [Multi-file LaTeX projects](/latex/document-structure/08-multi-file-latex-projects.md) * [Text alignment](/latex/formatting/06-text-alignment.md) * [Font sizes, families, and styles](/latex/fonts/01-font-sizes-families-and-styles.md) * [Inserting Images](/latex/more-topics/27-inserting-images.md) * [Positioning images and tables](/latex/figures-and-tables/02-positioning-images-and-tables.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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