---
layout: ~/layouts/Main.astro
title: Getting Started
---

Astro is modern static site builder. Learn what Astro is all about from [our homepage](https://astro.build/) or [our release post](https://astro.build/blog/introducing-astro). This page is an overview of the Astro documentation and all related resources.

Looking for a quick overview of what Astro is? [Visit our homepage.](https://astro.build)

## Try Astro

The easiest way to try Astro is to run `npm init astro` in a new directory on your machine. This CLI command will walk you through starting a new Astro project.

Read our [Installation Guide](/installation) for a full walk-through on getting set up with Astro.

### Online Playgrounds

If you're interested in playing around with Astro in the browser, you can use an online code playground. Try a Hello World template on [CodeSandbox](https://codesandbox.io/s/astro-template-hugb3).

_Note: some features (ex: Fast Refresh) are currently limited on CodeSandbox._

## Learn Astro

People come to Astro from different backgrounds and with different learning styles. Whether you prefer a more theoretical or a practical approach, we hope you'll find this section helpful.

- If you prefer to **learn by doing**, start with our [examples library](https://github.com/snowpackjs/astro/tree/main/examples).
- If you prefer to **learn concepts step by step**, start with our [basic concepts and guides](/core-concepts/project-structure).

Like any unfamiliar technology, Astro does have a learning curve. With practice and some patience, you _will_ get the hang of it.

### Learn `.astro` Syntax

When you begin to learn Astro, you'll see many files using the `.astro` file extension. This is the **Astro component syntax**: a special HTML-like file format that Astro uses for templating. It was designed to feel familiar to anyone with HTML or JSX experience.

Our guide on [Astro components](/core-concepts/astro-components) walks you through the new syntax, and is the best way to learn.

### API Reference

This documentation section is useful when you want to learn more details about a particular Astro API. For example, [Configuration Reference](/reference/configuration-reference) lists all possible configuration options available to you. [Built-in Components Reference](/reference/builtin-components) lists all available core components, like `<Markdown />` and `<Prism />`.

### Versioned Documentation

This documentation always reflects the latest stable version of Astro. Once we hit the v1.0 milestone, we will add the ability to view versioned documentation.

## Staying Informed

The [@astrodotbuild](https://twitter.com/astrodotbuild) Twitter account is the official source for the updates from the Astro team.

We also post release announcements to our [Discord community](https://astro.build/chat) in the #announcements channel.

Not every Astro release deserves its own blog post, but you can find a detailed changelog for every release in the [`CHANGELOG.md` file in the Astro repository](https://github.com/snowpackjs/astro/blob/main/packages/astro/CHANGELOG.md).

## Something Missing?

If something is missing in the documentation or if you found some part confusing, please [file an issue for the documentation](https://github.com/snowpackjs/astro/issues/new/choose) with your suggestions for improvement, or tweet at the [@astrodotbuild](https://twitter.com/astrodotbuild) Twitter account. We love hearing from you!

## Credit

This getting started guide was originally based off of [React's](https://reactjs.org/) getting started guide.