quickstart.mdx

title	Quick start
sidebarTitle	Quick Start
description	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.

```bash otter-term ```

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

Start these for now:

```bash
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).

Bind this to a compositor hotkey for daily use:

```bash
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).

Bind Super, or another spare key:

```bash
otter-overview
```

Workspace cards, window tiles, search, and an app grid. See [otter-overview](/desktop/otter-overview).

```bash otter-screenshot ```

Click and drag a region. The image copies to your clipboard.

```bash 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).

```bash otter-note new ```

Bind a hotkey, for example `Super+N`.

```bash otter-monitor ```

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

Print current conditions:

```bash
otter-weather
```

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

```bash
otter-weather --watch 900 --write-cache &
```

See [otter-weather](/apps/otter-weather) and [otter-bar](/desktop/otter-bar).

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

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

bind = $mainMod, D, exec, otter-launcher
bind = SUPER, Super_L, exec, otter-overview
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+o exec otter-overview
bindsym $mod+p exec otter-screenshot
bindsym $mod+v exec otter-clip popup

See Keybinds for the full reference.

What's next

Autostart the shell daemons your desktop needs. Set up widgets, tray, and the launcher button. Bar, theme, and app settings in the GUI. Manual config files and hot-reload behavior.