# \cal

Changes the font of subsequent characters in the current group to calligraphic.

https://texform.dev/latex/commands/cal

## Metadata

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Topic | [Fonts and styles](https://texform.dev/latex/topics/fonts-styles) |
| Packages | base, textmacros |
| Allowed mode | math, text |
| Tags | presentation, discouraged |
| Commonality | high |
| Kind | declarative |

## Syntax

### base

Argument specification: ``

Changes the font of subsequent characters in the current group to calligraphic.

### textmacros

Argument specification: ``

Legacy declaration that switches following text to a calligraphic-style variant until the current group ends.

## Common tasks

### How to switch into calligraphic letters

Legacy switch; prefer \mathcal{L} for a single identifier.

```latex
{\cal L}(f)
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%7B%5Ccal+L%7D%28f%29)

### How to write a calligraphic family of sets

```latex
{\cal F} \subset {\cal P}(X)
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%7B%5Ccal+F%7D+%5Csubset+%7B%5Ccal+P%7D%28X%29)

## Examples

```latex
x \cal y
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=x+%5Ccal+y)

```latex
{x \cal y} z
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%7Bx+%5Ccal+y%7D+z)

```latex
\text{\cal A}
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Ctext%7B%5Ccal+A%7D)

## Package variants

| Package | Argument specification | Allowed mode | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| base |  | math | Changes the font of subsequent characters in the current group to calligraphic. |
| textmacros |  | text | Legacy declaration that switches following text to a calligraphic-style variant until the current group ends. |

## Renderer support

| Package | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| base | full | full | full |
| textmacros | full | full | full |

## Usage frequency

1.55% of formulas in the measured corpus contain this entry, rank 37 of 263 entries with frequency data.

## In TeXForm

TeXForm parses this entry as declarative syntax; the package determines its argument specification.

### Discouraged in base

Legacy declaration-style font switch; modern LaTeX usage prefers the scoped alphabet command \mathcal.

```latex
{\cal $1} -> \mathcal{$1}
```

\mathcal is the modern LaTeX math alphabet command with explicit argument scope, replacing the older declaration-style switch.

## Equivalent forms

```latex
\mathcal{#1}
```

approximate. Prefix command alternative for math mode

```latex
\mathcal{...}
```

approximate. \mathcal is a command with arguments, whereas \cal is declarative.

## See also

- [\\bf](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/bf)
- [\\it](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/it)
- [\\mit](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/mit)
- [\\oldstyle](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/oldstyle)
- [\\rm](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/rm)
- [\\sf](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/sf)
- [\\tt](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/tt)

## Test cases

### base

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| {\cal a} | Positive: baseline | Pass | Pass | Pass |

### textmacros

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| {\cal a} | Positive: baseline | Pass | Pass | Pass |