aboutsummaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/docs/newbs_getting_started.md
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorskullY <skullydazed@gmail.com>2020-02-25 10:58:36 -0800
committerskullydazed <skullydazed@users.noreply.github.com>2020-03-05 16:00:10 -0800
commit45e218ceec1269e5e2751146272637922cd7e9d9 (patch)
tree2dd63b29f8c5a9e3751eeb47a17ef25187525f5d /docs/newbs_getting_started.md
parent86f6405574d75cdc69c32829cb523aa1538ecd77 (diff)
downloadqmk_firmware-45e218ceec1269e5e2751146272637922cd7e9d9.tar.gz
qmk_firmware-45e218ceec1269e5e2751146272637922cd7e9d9.zip
overhaul the newbs guide
Diffstat (limited to 'docs/newbs_getting_started.md')
-rw-r--r--docs/newbs_getting_started.md34
1 files changed, 20 insertions, 14 deletions
diff --git a/docs/newbs_getting_started.md b/docs/newbs_getting_started.md
index 7ea4c62e2..10ebb03d2 100644
--- a/docs/newbs_getting_started.md
+++ b/docs/newbs_getting_started.md
@@ -1,16 +1,10 @@
1# Getting Started 1# Setting Up Your QMK Environment
2
3Your computer keyboard has a processor inside of it, similar to the one inside your computer. This processor runs software that is responsible for detecting button presses and informing the computer when keys are pressed. QMK fills the role of that software, detecting button presses and passing that information on to the host computer. When you build your custom keymap, you are creating an executable program for your keyboard.
4
5QMK tries to put a lot of power into your hands by making easy things easy, and hard things possible. You don't have to know how to program to create powerful keymaps — you only have to follow a few simple syntax rules.
6
7# Prerequisites
8 2
9Before you can build keymaps, you need to install some software and set up your build environment. This only has to be done once no matter how many keyboards you plan to compile firmware for. 3Before you can build keymaps, you need to install some software and set up your build environment. This only has to be done once no matter how many keyboards you plan to compile firmware for.
10 4
11If you would prefer a more graphical user interface approach, please consider using the online [QMK Configurator](newbs_building_firmware_configurator.md). 5## 1. Download Software
12 6
13## Download Software 7There are a few pieces of software you'll need to get started.
14 8
15### Text Editor 9### Text Editor
16 10
@@ -29,7 +23,13 @@ QMK Toolbox is an optional graphical program for Windows and macOS that allows y
29* For Windows: `qmk_toolbox.exe` (portable) or `qmk_toolbox_install.exe` (installer) 23* For Windows: `qmk_toolbox.exe` (portable) or `qmk_toolbox_install.exe` (installer)
30* For macOS: `QMK.Toolbox.app.zip` (portable) or `QMK.Toolbox.pkg` (installer) 24* For macOS: `QMK.Toolbox.app.zip` (portable) or `QMK.Toolbox.pkg` (installer)
31 25
32## Set Up Your Environment 26### A Unix-like Environment
27
28Linux and macOS come with unix shells you can execute already. You will only need to setup your build environment.
29
30On Windows you will need to install MSYS2 or WSL and use those environments. Instructions for setting up MSYS2 are provided below.
31
32## Prepare Your Build Environment
33 33
34We've tried to make QMK as easy to set up as possible. You only have to prepare your Linux or Unix environment, then let QMK install the rest. 34We've tried to make QMK as easy to set up as possible. You only have to prepare your Linux or Unix environment, then let QMK install the rest.
35 35
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ After opening a new MSYS2 MinGW 64-bit terminal run these commands:
48 48
49 pacman -S git python3-pip 49 pacman -S git python3-pip
50 python3 -m pip install qmk 50 python3 -m pip install qmk
51 qmk setup
52 51
53### macOS 52### macOS
54 53
@@ -58,7 +57,6 @@ After Homebrew is installed run these commands:
58 57
59 brew tap qmk/qmk 58 brew tap qmk/qmk
60 brew install qmk 59 brew install qmk
61 qmk setup
62 60
63### Linux 61### Linux
64 62
@@ -68,13 +66,17 @@ You will need to install Git and Python. It's very likely that you already have
68* Fedora / Red Hat / CentOS: `yum install git python3 && python3 -m pip install qmk` 66* Fedora / Red Hat / CentOS: `yum install git python3 && python3 -m pip install qmk`
69* Arch: `pacman -S qmk` 67* Arch: `pacman -S qmk`
70 68
69## 2. Run QMK Setup
70
71After installing QMK you can set it up with this command: 71After installing QMK you can set it up with this command:
72 72
73 qmk setup 73 qmk setup
74 74
75In most situations you will want to answer Yes to all of the prompts.
76
75?> If you already know [how to use GitHub](getting_started_github.md), we recommend that you create your own fork and use `qmk setup <github_username>` to clone your personal fork. If you don't know what that means you can safely ignore this message. 77?> If you already know [how to use GitHub](getting_started_github.md), we recommend that you create your own fork and use `qmk setup <github_username>` to clone your personal fork. If you don't know what that means you can safely ignore this message.
76 78
77## Test Your Build Environment 79## 3. Test Your Build Environment
78 80
79Now that your QMK build environment is set up, you can build a firmware for your keyboard. Start by trying to build the keyboard's default keymap. You should be able to do that with a command in this format: 81Now that your QMK build environment is set up, you can build a firmware for your keyboard. Start by trying to build the keyboard's default keymap. You should be able to do that with a command in this format:
80 82
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ Checking file size of clueboard_66_rev3_default.hex
94 * The firmware size is fine - 26356/28672 (2316 bytes free) 96 * The firmware size is fine - 26356/28672 (2316 bytes free)
95``` 97```
96 98
97## Configure Your Build Environment 99## 4. Configure Your Build Environment (Optional)
98 100
99You can configure your build environment to set the defaults and make working with QMK less tedious. Let's do that now! 101You can configure your build environment to set the defaults and make working with QMK less tedious. Let's do that now!
100 102
@@ -106,6 +108,10 @@ You can also set your default keymap name. Most people use their github username
106 108
107 qmk config user.keymap=<github_username> 109 qmk config user.keymap=<github_username>
108 110
111After this you can leave those arguments off and compile your keyboard like this:
112
113 qmk compile
114
109# Creating Your Keymap 115# Creating Your Keymap
110 116
111You are now ready to create your own personal keymap! Move on to [Building Your First Firmware](newbs_building_firmware.md) for that. 117You are now ready to create your own personal keymap! Move on to [Building Your First Firmware](newbs_building_firmware.md) for that.