> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.otter-shell.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick start

> Launch the terminal, autostart shell daemons, and try screenshot, clipboard, and notes after install.

Right after install. You need a Wayland compositor running. No compositor, no windows.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch the terminal">
    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-term
    ```

    Renders on the CPU through the shared Otter render stack. The terminal grid does not need a GPU.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start background daemons">
    Start these for now:

    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-bar &
    otter-wallpaper &
    otter-notifications &
    otter-osd &
    otter-clip daemon &
    otter-search &
    otter-idle &
    otter-polkit &
    ```

    For a permanent setup, add them to compositor autostart. See [Session setup](/desktop/session-setup).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the launcher">
    Bind this to a compositor hotkey for daily use:

    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-launcher
    ```

    Type to search apps. Try `=2+3*4` (calculator), `:heart` (emoji), `clip` (clipboard), or `file invoice` / `grep TODO` (desktop search; needs `otter-search` running).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Take a screenshot">
    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-screenshot
    ```

    Click and drag a region. The image copies to your clipboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Try the auto-clicker">
    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-clicker toggle
    ```

    With the default config, pick a point with the crosshair, then let it click. Run `toggle` again to stop. See [otter-clicker](/apps/otter-clicker).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a sticky note">
    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-note new
    ```

    Bind a hotkey, for example `Super+N`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the system monitor">
    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-monitor
    ```

    Check CPU, memory, disk, and running processes. See [otter-monitor](/apps/otter-monitor).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the weather">
    Print current conditions:

    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-weather
    ```

    For the status bar, add a weather widget in `otter-bar` and run:

    ```bash theme={null}
    otter-weather --watch 900 --write-cache &
    ```

    See [otter-weather](/apps/otter-weather) and [otter-bar](/desktop/otter-bar).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  **Bind global hotkeys in your compositor.** Wayland apps cannot grab system-wide shortcuts. Examples:

  **Hyprland** (`~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf`):

  ```ini theme={null}
  bind = $mainMod, D, exec, otter-launcher
  bind = $mainMod, P, exec, otter-screenshot
  bind = $mainMod, R, exec, otter-rec
  bind = $mainMod, V, exec, otter-clip popup
  bind = $mainMod, N, exec, otter-note new
  bind = $mainMod, L, exec, loginctl lock-session
  ```

  **Sway** (`~/.config/sway/config`):

  ```
  bindsym $mod+d exec otter-launcher
  bindsym $mod+p exec otter-screenshot
  bindsym $mod+v exec otter-clip popup
  ```

  See [Keybinds](/configuration/keybinds) for the full reference.
</Tip>

## What's next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Session setup" icon="desktop" href="/desktop/session-setup">
    Autostart the shell daemons your desktop needs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Status bar" icon="bars" href="/desktop/otter-bar">
    Set up widgets, tray, and the launcher button.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settings" icon="sliders" href="/desktop/otter-settings">
    Bar, theme, and app settings in the GUI.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/configuration/overview">
    Manual config files and hot-reload behavior.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>