---
navhome: /docs/
navuptwo: true
next: true
sort: 2
title: Setup
---

# Getting started

On 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_.

## Initialize

To create an urbit, we need an identity. This identity is both a network
address and a memorable name.

You are probably creating one of two kinds of urbit: a 32-bit _planet_
or a 128-bit _comet_. For a quick terminology guide and high-level
refresher, refer to this [handy reference sheet](../../about/glossary/).

If you have an Urbit invitation, you'll have a planet like
`~fintud-macrep` and `~fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres`. To create your
pier:

```
$ urbit -w fintud-macrep -t fortyv-tombyt-tabsen-sonres
```

This will create a directory `fintud-macrep/` and begin building your
urbit. This may take a few minutes.

> If you are booting a star, the process is the same as above, with your
> respective star name and ticket. 
>
> If you are booting a galaxy, see 
> [this Fora post](https://urbit.org/fora/posts/~2016.8.17..21.04.11..1450~/).

If you do not have a ticket, you can still make a _comet_, a wild urbit
drifting through cyberspace. Pick your own directory name, it doesn't
matter:

```
$ urbit -c mycomet
```

This will create the directory `mycomet/` and generate a 128-bit
identity for your urbit.

## Orientation

After about five to ten minutes, when your urbit is finished booting,
you should see a `dojo>` prompt. Welcome!

By default your urbit is quite bare-bones. Let's stroll through what's
already running:

### Shell — Dojo

The command prompt in front of you is a simple shell and Hoon REPL.
Let's make sure it works:

```
~your-urbit:dojo> (add 2 2)
```

Should produce:

```
> (add 2 2)
4
```

Good.


### Messaging — Talk

Use `ctrl-x` to change your prompt. Let's join the main Urbit chat
channel, `/urbit-meta`:

```
~your-urbit:talk[] ;join ~samzod/urbit-meta
```

Talk is stateful, so your urbit will download a backlog.
`/urbit-meta` is the place to ask questions, get help, talk about
anything Urbit-related, and meet everyone on here.

### Discussion — Fora

Fora is the place for long-form Urbit discussion. It's hosted on an
Urbit and served over HTTP via Eyre, Urbit's web server.

Head on over to:

    https://urbit.org/~~/fora

The `/~~/` in the URL will redirect you to a login page, which will
provide you steps to run the `+code` generator (shell script) in your
Dojo to get your password. Copy and paste that into your password box
input and hit Enter. After loading, you'll find yourself redirected to
the Fora home page, authenticated, where you can post and comment under
the name of your ship.

### Web — Tree

Your Urbit is also accessible through its own web interface. Try
opening:

    http://localhost:8080/~~/

in your favorite browser. Like on `urbit.org`, you'll be prompted to use
`+code` in your Dojo to retrive your password and log in. This page was
generated by Tree, the basic Urbit web interface. You can also access
your urbit through `https://your-urbit.urbit.org/~~/`. Note that this
latter approach is slower for the time being because we proxy over the
Urbit network, Ames, but a better, faster solution for this is in the
works.

### Filesystem — Clay

Clay, the Urbit filesystem, isn't mounted to Unix by default. Switch
to the Dojo prompt and run:

```
~your-urbit:dojo> |mount %
```

This should produce:

```
> |mount %
>=
```

which indicates the command was processed.

`|mount %` will cause a `home/` directory to appear inside your pier
folder. Changes to these files are automatically synced into your urbit.

## Learn more

If you're eager to get started programming you're ready to head over to
[the Hoon section](../../hoon/mission/).

To learn more about using the system, let's keep going: