git.iko.soy/urbit.org
on 30f92fe help sign in
urbit.org/docs/using/setup.md
150 lines 3.9 kB history raw
1---
2navhome: /docs/
3navuptwo: true
4next: true
5sort: 2
6title: Setup
7---
9# Getting started
11On disk your urbit is an append-only log and a checkpoint. Or, in
12simpler terms, a directory where we keep your urbit’s state. We call
13this a _pier_.
15## Initialize
17To create an urbit, we need an identity. This identity is both a network
18address and a memorable name.
20You are probably creating one of two kinds of urbit: a 32-bit _planet_
21or a 128-bit _comet_. For a quick terminology guide and high-level
22refresher, refer to this [handy reference sheet](../../about/glossary/).
24If you have an Urbit invitation, you'll have a planet like
25`~fintud-macrep` and `~fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres`. To create your
26pier:
28```
29$ urbit -w fintud-macrep -t fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres
30```
32This will create a directory `fintud-macrep/` and begin building your
33urbit. This may take a few minutes.
35> If you are booting a star, the process is the same as above, with your
36> respective star name and ticket.
38> If you are booting a galaxy, see
39> [this Fora post](https://urbit.org/fora/posts/~2016.8.17..21.04.11..1450~/).
41If you do not have a ticket, you can still make a _comet_, a wild urbit
42drifting through cyberspace. Pick your own directory name, it doesn't
43matter:
45```
46$ urbit -c mycomet
47```
49This will create the directory `mycomet/` and generate a 128-bit
50identity for your urbit.
52## Orientation
54After about five to ten minutes, when your urbit is finished booting,
55you should see a `dojo>` prompt. Welcome!
57By default your urbit is quite bare-bones. Let's stroll through what's
58already running:
60### Shell — Dojo
62The command prompt in front of you is a simple shell and Hoon REPL.
63Let's make sure it works:
65```
66~your-urbit:dojo> (add 2 2)
67```
69Should produce:
71```
72> (add 2 2)
74```
76Good.
79### Messaging — Talk
81Use `ctrl-x` to change your prompt. Let's join the main Urbit chat
82channel, `/urbit-meta`:
84```
85~your-urbit:talk[] ;join ~samzod/urbit-meta
86```
88Talk is stateful, so your urbit will download a backlog.
89`/urbit-meta` is the place to ask questions, get help, talk about
90anything Urbit-related, and meet everyone on here.
92### Discussion — Fora
94Fora is the place for long-form Urbit discussion. It's hosted on an
95Urbit and served over HTTP via Eyre, Urbit's web server.
97Head on over to:
99 https://urbit.org/~~/fora
101The `/~~/` in the URL will redirect you to a login page, which will
102provide you steps to run the `+code` generator (shell script) in your
103Dojo to get your password. Copy and paste that into your password box
104input and hit Enter. After loading, you'll find yourself redirected to
105the Fora home page, authenticated, where you can post and comment under
106the name of your ship.
108### Web — Tree
110Your Urbit is also accessible through its own web interface. Try
111opening:
113 http://localhost:8080/~~/
115in your favorite browser. Like on `urbit.org`, you'll be prompted to use
116`+code` in your Dojo to retrive your password and log in. This page was
117generated by Tree, the basic Urbit web interface. You can also access
118your urbit through `https://your-urbit.urbit.org/~~/`. Note that this
119latter approach is slower for the time being because we proxy over the
120Urbit network, Ames, but a better, faster solution for this is in the
121works.
123### Filesystem — Clay
125Clay, the Urbit filesystem, isn't mounted to Unix by default. Switch
126to the Dojo prompt and run:
128```
129~your-urbit:dojo> |mount %
130```
132This should produce:
134```
135> |mount %
136>=
137```
139which indicates the command was processed.
141`|mount %` will cause a `home/` directory to appear inside your pier
142folder. Changes to these files are automatically synced into your urbit.
144## Learn more
146If you're eager to get started programming you're ready to head over to
147[the Hoon section](../../hoon/mission/).
149To learn more about using the system, let's keep going: