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NOTE: I do not like the Windows Installation page. This is a temporary re-write of the page. Once I am done, I will move everything to the main page and delete this page --Aditya

In order to install and run ConTeXt on Windows you need the following:

  • A TeX installation (such as MikTeX, Texlive, ConTeXt standalone distribution)
  • Ruby
  • Your favorite text editor

By default, ConTeXt produces pdf files. But if for some reason (using PStricks, eps images, xetex) you want to follow the dvi->ps->pdf route, you will also need ghostscript.

This page explains how to obtain all of them.

Installing a TeX distribution

General Information

TeX is a complex piece of software that needs lot of pieces to work together. In order to make this task simple, there are many TeX _distributions_ that bundle all the components needed for a TeX system to run. There are different pros and cons of choosing a particular distribution. You need decide which one matches your needs better. As a Windows user, you have the following options:

  • MikTeX is an up-to-date TeX distribution for Windows. It includes many different TeX formats, and its greatest feature is a package manager, which updates various LaTeX packages, ConTeXt bundle, and the executable files frequently. However, MikTeX is not include the bleeding edge binaries; it lags by about 3--4 months. So, unless you want to use the bleeding edge binaries, MikTeX should be alright. (XeTeX users should keep in mind that MikTeX does not have support for XeTeX right now).
  • Texlive
  • ConTeXt standalone distribution
  • W32TeX