Using Minted Syntax Highlighting with Tectonic Latex Compiler

--shell-escape does not work with Tectonic as seen in this Issue. Good News! Until this Pull Request is merged, i got a little workaround for you to at least use Minted, the best Syntax Highlighting LaTeX Library out there!

Create a folder called snippetes in your LaTeX project root folder.
Minted uses some fixed LaTeX statements for all its languages.
Create a file called minted.tex with the following content:

% comment these out if you already import them in main.tex
%\usepackage{fancyvrb}
%\usepackage{color}
%\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

\makeatletter
\def\PY@reset{\let\PY@it=\relax \let\PY@bf=\relax\let\PY@ul=\relax \let\PY@tc=\relax\let\PY@bc=\relax \let\PY@ff=\relax}
\def\PY@tok#1{\csname PY@tok@#1\endcsname}
\def\PY@toks#1+{\ifx\relax#1\empty\else\PY@tok{#1}\expandafter\PY@toks\fi}
\def\PY@do#1{\PY@bc{\PY@tc{\PY@ul{\PY@it{\PY@bf{\PY@ff{#1}}}}}}}
\def\PY#1#2{\PY@reset\PY@toks#1+\relax+\PY@do{#2}}

\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@w\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.73,0.73}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@c\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.25,0.50,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@cp\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.74,0.48,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@k\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@kp\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@kt\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.69,0.00,0.25}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@o\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@ow\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.67,0.13,1.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nb\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nf\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.00,1.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nc\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.00,1.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nn\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.00,1.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@ne\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.82,0.25,0.23}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nv\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.10,0.09,0.49}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@no\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.53,0.00,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nl\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.63,0.63,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@ni\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.60,0.60,0.60}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@na\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.49,0.56,0.16}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nt\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@nd\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.67,0.13,1.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@s\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@sd\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@si\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.40,0.53}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@se\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.40,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@sr\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.40,0.53}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@ss\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.10,0.09,0.49}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@sx\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@m\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gh\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.00,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gu\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.50,0.00,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gd\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.63,0.00,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gi\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.63,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gr\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{1.00,0.00,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@ge\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gs\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gp\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.00,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@go\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.53,0.53,0.53}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@gt\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.27,0.87}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@err\endcsname{\def\PY@bc##1{\setlength{\fboxsep}{0pt}\fcolorbox[rgb]{1.00,0.00,0.00}{1,1,1}{\strut ##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@kc\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@kd\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@kn\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@kr\endcsname{\let\PY@bf=\textbf\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@bp\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.50,0.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@fm\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.00,0.00,1.00}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@vc\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.10,0.09,0.49}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@vg\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.10,0.09,0.49}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@vi\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.10,0.09,0.49}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@vm\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.10,0.09,0.49}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@sa\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@sb\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@sc\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@dl\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@s2\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@sh\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@s1\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.73,0.13,0.13}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@mb\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@mf\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@mh\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@mi\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@il\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@mo\endcsname{\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.40,0.40,0.40}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@ch\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.25,0.50,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@cm\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.25,0.50,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@cpf\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.25,0.50,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@c1\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.25,0.50,0.50}{##1}}}
\expandafter\def\csname PY@tok@cs\endcsname{\let\PY@it=\textit\def\PY@tc##1{\textcolor[rgb]{0.25,0.50,0.50}{##1}}}

\def\PYZbs{\char`\\}
\def\PYZus{\char`\_}
\def\PYZob{\char`\{}
\def\PYZcb{\char`\}}
\def\PYZca{\char`\^}
\def\PYZam{\char`\&}
\def\PYZlt{\char`\<}
\def\PYZgt{\char`\>}
\def\PYZsh{\char`\#}
\def\PYZpc{\char`\%}
\def\PYZdl{\char`\$}
\def\PYZhy{\char`\-}
\def\PYZsq{\char`\'}
\def\PYZdq{\char`\"}
\def\PYZti{\char`\~}
% for compatibility with earlier versions
\def\PYZat{@}
\def\PYZlb{[}
\def\PYZrb{]}
\makeatother

Import it in your main.tex file (where you also import other packages):

\input{snippets/minted.tex}

The first lines of this file are packages which you might comment in or out (depending on if you already imported them in your main.tex file).

Create a file called minted.py in your project root with the following content:

from os import walk, path, system, mkdir

SNIPPETS = 'snippets/'
GENERATED = 'gen/'
MINTED = 'minted.tex'
# for example 'frame=single' to frame the code
OPTIONS = ''

if __name__ == '__main__':
    if not path.isdir(GENERATED):
        mkdir(GENERATED)

    _, _, filenames = next(walk(SNIPPETS))
    for file in filenames:
        if file == MINTED: continue

        # pygmentize -O full -f tex -o gen/hallo.tex snippets/hallo.rs
        outFile = GENERATED + path.splitext(file)[0] + '.tex'
        system(f'pygmentize -O verboptions={OPTIONS} -f tex -o {outFile} {SNIPPETS}{file}')

Install Python and pygmentize:
pip install pygmentize

Run python minted.py before running tectonic. You can just create a run.sh which executes both for example.

rm -rf gen/
python minted.py
tectonic main.tex

If you want syntax-highlighted code just create a new file in the snippets folder, for example snippets/snippet1.py:

print('hello world')

Import this snippet in your LaTeX document (it requires \usepackage{import} aswell):

This is my highlighted snippet called 'snippet1.py':
\import{gen/}{snippet1}

You can now create as many snippets in this folder as you wish.
Just compile your LaTeX file with run.sh now!

Uhh and don’t forget to add gen and _minted-main to your .gitignore :)

Labels and Captions

If you want to label your code snippet just use it like this:

\begin{figure}
    \import{gen/}{example}
    \caption{My Caption}
    \label{my-label}
\end{figure}

Additional Code Options

Change variable OPTIONS in the minted.py to add options to fancyvrb.
Concat multiple options with ,.
An example to draw a frame around code snippets would be:

OPTIONS = 'frame=single'