---
title: "Getting Started"
permalink: /docs/getting_started
---
Starting out with yadm should be just a few easy steps.

### If you don't currently have a repository
Start out with an empty local repository

    yadm init
    yadm add <important file>
    yadm commit

Eventually you will want to push the local repo to a remote.

    yadm remote add origin <url>
    yadm push -u origin master

### If you have an existing remote repository
Clone your existing repo using yadm.

    yadm clone <url>
    yadm status

The `clone` command will attempt to check out all files that exist in the
repository. If a file already exists locally and has content that differs from
the one in the repository, the local file will be left unmodified and you'll
have to review and resolve the differences.

---

That's all it takes to start. Now most Git commands can be used as
`yadm <git command>`.
Read about [common commands](common_commands) for ideas.