Standard classes

The following classes are distributed with LaTeX:
article
The 27 class described in <#114#>LaTeX: A Document Preparation System<#114#>.
book
The 28 class described in <#115#>LaTeX: A Document Preparation System<#115#>.
report
The 29 class described in <#116#>LaTeX: A Document Preparation System<#116#>.
letter
The 30 class described in <#117#>LaTeX: A Document Preparation System<#117#>.
slides
The 31 class described in <#118#>LaTeX: A Document Preparation System<#118#>, formerly SLiTeX.
proc
A document class for proceedings, based on 32. Formerly the 33 package.
ltxdoc
The document class for documenting the LaTeX<#119#><#119#> program, based on 34.
ltxguide
The document class for <#120#>LaTeX2e for Authors<#120#> and <#121#>LaTeX2e for Class and Package Writers<#121#>, based on 35. The document you are reading now uses the 36 class. The layout for this class is likely to change in future releases of LaTeX.
ltnews
The document class for the <#654#>LaTeX<#122#><#122#> News<#654#> information sheet, based on 37. The layout for this class is likely to change in future releases of LaTeX.
minimal
This class is the bare minimum (3 lines) that is needed in a LaTeX\ class file. It just sets the text width and height, and defines 38. It is principally intended for debugging and testing LaTeX\ code in situations where you do not need to load a `full' class such as 39. If, however, you are designing a completely new class that is aimed for documents with structure radically different from the structure supplied by the article class, then it may make sense to use this as a base and add to it code implementing the required structure, rather than starting from 40 and modifying the code there.