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urbit.org/docs/using/setup.md
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1---
2navhome: /docs
3next: true
4sort: 2
5title: Setup
6---
8# Getting started
10On disk your urbit is an append-only log and a checkpoint. Or, in simpler terms, a directory where we keep your urbit’s state. We call this a ‘pier’.
12## Initialize
14To create an urbit, we need an identity, called a "ship." A ship
15is both a network address and a memorable name.
17You are probably creating one of two kinds of ship, a 32-bit
18"planet" or a 128-bit "comet."
20If you have an Urbit invitation, you'll have a planet like
21`~fintud-macrep` and `~fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres`. To create
22your pier:
24 $ bin/urbit -w fintud-macrep -t fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres
26This will create a directory `fintud-macrep/` and begin building
27your urbit. This may take a few minutes.
29If you do not have a ticket, you can still make a 'comet', a wild
30urbit drifting through cyberspace. Pick your own directory name,
31it doesn't matter:
33 $ bin/urbit -c mycomet
35This will create the directory `mycomet/` and generate a 128-bit identity for your urbit.
37## Orientation
39When your urbit is finished booting you should see a `dojo>` prompt. Welcome!
41By default your urbit is quite bare-bones. Let's stroll through what's already running:
43### Shell — `:dojo`
45The command prompt in front of you is a simple shell and Hoon REPL. Let's make sure it works:
47 ~fitund-macrep:dojo> (add 2 2)
49Should produce:
51 > (add 2 2)
52 4
54Good.
56### Messaging — `:talk`
58Use `^X` (ctrl-x) to change your prompt. Let's join the main Urbit chat channel:
60 ~fitund-macrep:talk() ;join ~doznec/urbit-meta
62`:talk` is stateful, so your urbit will download a backlog.
63`/urbit-meta` is the place to ask questions, get help and talk
64about anything Urbit-related.
66### Web — `:tree`
68Urbit is also accessible through the web. Try opening:
70 http://localhost:8080/
72in your favorite browser. You'll be prompted to use `+code`.
73This page was generated by `:tree`, the basic Urbit web
74interface. You can also access your urbit through
75`http://fintud-macrep.urbit.org` (where `fintud-macrep` is your
76planet name).
78### Filesystem — `%clay`
80`%clay`, the Urbit filesystem, isn't mounted to unix by default. Switch to the `:dojo` prompt and run:
82 ~fitund-macrep:dojo> |mount %
84This should produce:
86 > |mount %
87 >=
89which indicates the command was processed.
91`|mount %` will cause a `home/` directory to appear inside your pier folder. Changes to these files are automatically synced into your urbit.
93## Learn more
95If you're eager to get started programming you're ready to head over to <a href="../../hoon/demo">the Hoon demo</a>.
97To learn more about using the system, let's keep going: