algorithmlite Package

LaTeX: A lightweight algorithm float without the float package

The algorithm package defines the algorithm float with \newfloat of the float package, and the float package redefines \caption as a whole, for every float of the document.

The algorithmlite package defines the environments algorithm and algorithm* in the same way as the standard classes define figure and table, with \@float and \@dblfloat of the LaTeX kernel: the captions of algorithms are set by the \@makecaption of the class, as those of figures and tables. The float package is not loaded. If no other package gives the placement [H], algorithmlite gives a minimal one.

The content of an algorithm is up to you: load algorithmic, algpseudocode (algorithmicx) or any other package for it.

• Supported formats/engines: pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, LuaLaTeX (with or without LuaTeX-ja), pLaTeX, upLaTeX (+ dvipdfmx)

Files

Requirements

• LaTeX2ε 2020-10-01 or later (package hooks)
• Tested with TeX Live 2026 (LaTeX2ε 2026-06-01)

Installation

Copy algorithmlite.sty to your local TeX tree: $TEXMF/tex/latex/algorithmlite/

Usage

\usepackage{algorithmlite}
\usepackage{algorithmic}   % or algpseudocode, ...

\begin{algorithm}[tbp]     % or [H]
\caption{Euclid's algorithm}\label{alg:euclid}
\begin{algorithmic}[1]
  \WHILE{$b \neq 0$}
    \STATE $(a, b) \leftarrow (b, a \bmod b)$
  \ENDWHILE
  \RETURN $a$
\end{algorithmic}
\end{algorithm}

\listofalgorithms

The package has no options.

What is defined

• algorithm, algorithm*: the float and its two-column variant, as figure and figure*. The default placement is tbp; the list file is .loa.
• The counter algorithm: with \chapter, it is reset at every chapter and \thealgorithm is <chapter>.<n> (<n> before the first chapter), as \thefigure of the book classes; otherwise <n>.
• \algorithmname: Algorithm; アルゴリズム with pTeX/upTeX and LuaTeX-ja (also when LuaTeX-ja is loaded after algorithmlite), unless the class option english of jsclasses or the LuaTeX-ja classes is given.
• \listalgorithmname: List of Algorithms; アルゴリズム目次 in Japanese.
• \fnum@algorithm: \algorithmname<sep>\thealgorithm, where <sep> is taken from \fnum@figure of the class (\nobreakspace in the standard classes, \nobreak in jsclasses and the LuaTeX-ja classes, ~ in jarticle/ujarticle, nothing in jlreq).
• \listofalgorithms: \listoffigures of the class with \listalgorithmname and the .loa file, so that it looks like the list of figures. The entries are set with \l@algorithm = \l@figure of the class.
• The float type \ftype@algorithm: a bit, as \ftype@figure = 1 and \ftype@table = 2. It is the next free bit, 4 in most documents. The counter of the float package (also used by floatrow and newfloat) and that of memoir are shared, so that the float types stay distinct: if the float package is loaded later (e.g. by minted), its counter is moved past 4.
• [H]: at \begin{document}, if neither the float package nor the floatrow package is loaded, a minimal [H] is defined (the float is put in a box "here", with \intextsep above and below it). As with the float package, it works for every float type. If the float package is loaded, its [H] is used.

Errors and limitations

• The algorithm and algorithm2e packages cannot be used with algorithmlite, before or after it (error).
• algorithmlite does not redefine an existing algorithm environment or counter (error).
• algorithm*[H] in two-column mode is not supported (as with the float package).
• Vertical writing (tate) is outside the scope of this version.

Testing

make test compiles every test twice with pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, LuaLaTeX, pLaTeX and upLaTeX (+ dvipdfmx), and checks the log:

• ALGL-RESULT OK: the numbers, names, \fnum@algorithm, float types and \ref are as expected, an [H] float stays in the text flow, a [p] float goes to a later page, and \listofalgorithms has every entry (see test-common.tex).
• No LaTeX or package warning other than "Label(s) may have changed".
• test-hyperref: no warning on a duplicate or missing destination in the log or in the output of the engine and (x)dvipdfmx.
• test-errors: the expected error message.

test-common.tex holds the helpers shared by the tests.

Repository

• https://github.com/munepi/algorithmlite
• Bug reports: https://github.com/munepi/algorithmlite/issues

License

This package is licensed under the conditions of the LaTeX Project Public License, either version 1.3c of this license or any later version.

Copyright (c) 2026 Munehiro Yamamoto