LaTeX Acronyms

The simple way: acronym package

\usepackage{acronym}

% Define acronyms (typically in preamble or beginning of document)
\begin{acronym}
  \acro{NLP}{Natural Language Processing}
  \acro{ML}{Machine Learning}
  \acro{API}{Application Programming Interface}
\end{acronym}

\begin{document}

% In body text:
We use \ac{NLP} techniques.            % first use: "Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques"
Our \ac{NLP} pipeline...               % later: "Our NLP pipeline..."

\acl{ML}                                % always long: "Machine Learning"
\acs{ML}                                % always short: "ML"
\acf{ML}                                % always full: "Machine Learning (ML)"
\acp{API}                               % plural: "APIs"

\end{document}

The powerful way: glossaries package

\usepackage{glossaries}
\makeglossaries

% Define
\newacronym{NLP}{NLP}{Natural Language Processing}
\newacronym{ML}{ML}{Machine Learning}

\begin{document}

% In body
\gls{NLP} works well.       % first: "Natural Language Processing (NLP) works well."
\gls{NLP} also...           % later: "NLP also..."

\printglossaries            % print the list

\end{document}

% Compile sequence:
% pdflatex → makeglossaries main → pdflatex → pdflatex

Acronym package commands reference

Common patterns

List of acronyms at the front

% After abstract, before main body
\section*{List of Acronyms}
\begin{acronym}[XXXXX]      % XXXXX is the longest acronym for tab stop
  \acro{NLP}{Natural Language Processing}
  \acro{ML}{Machine Learning}
  \acro{API}{Application Programming Interface}
\end{acronym}

% Now \ac{NLP} works throughout the document and the list above is a reference

Reset per chapter

\chapter{Introduction}
% \ac{NLP} expands fully here on first use
\acresetall                 % reset for next chapter
\chapter{Methods}
% \ac{NLP} expands fully again on first use here

Common mistakes

• Defining acronyms inline. Define once in preamble, use everywhere. Don't mix definitions and use.
• Forgetting \makeglossaries. Required when using the glossaries package; without it, no list appears.
• Mixing \ac and \gls. They're different packages — pick one.
• Hard-coding the expansion. Don't write "Natural Language Processing (NLP)" manually each first use — defeats the point of automation.
• Plural with manual 's'. Use \acp for plurals; don't write \ac{NLP}s (would render as "Natural Language Processings" on first use, which is wrong).