# Start

> Start Barn with up, connect with ssh, and read the other guides only when needed.

---

LLMS index: [llms.txt](/llms.txt)

---

With Barn installed, new users can start a test lab with the [Quick Start](tutorial/):

```bash
barn up
barn ssh
```

When no inventory or deployment exists, interactive `up` creates the default
inventory. It can prepare missing host dependencies and networking. Repeat `barn up` to retry unfinished guest setup without
restarting healthy VMs. For unattended setup, run `barn setup --yes` before
`barn up`.

Package availability is recorded on [Status](../about/status/); developers and
source reviewers can use [Build from Source](source-build/).

Everything else is separated by task:

1. [Daily Operations](operations/) — status, access, start/stop, changes,
   scale-in, and destroy.
2. [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting/) — diagnostics and common fixes.
3. [Image Repositories](images/) — choose images, use mirrors, import, and
   prune the cache.
4. [Build from Source](source-build/) — developer builds, checks, and local
   PATH setup.
5. [Uninstall and Clean Up](uninstall/) — remove the deployment, images,
   networking, and state.
6. [Automation and Guest Scripts](automation/) — unattended setup, JSON acceptance,
   repeatable guest commands, and the Pigsty handoff.
7. [Storage and Access](storage/) — disk retention, file transfer, SSH tunnels,
   and Linux directory sharing.
8. [macOS Virtual Machines](macos/) — unreleased `barn mac`: macOS 27 guests
   on Apple Silicon with desktop, SSH, shared folders, and clipboard.

---

Section pages:

- [Quick Start](/docs/start/tutorial/): Install Barn 0.9.0, start an Ubuntu lab with up, connect with ssh, and scale from the same inventory.
- [Daily Operations](/docs/start/operations/): The normal lifecycle for the one deployment: inspect, access, scale, change, stop, and destroy.
- [Troubleshooting](/docs/start/troubleshooting/): Short, safe runbooks for setup, networking, images, drift, interrupted state, and SSH.
- [Automation and Guest Scripts](/docs/start/automation/): Prepare an unattended lab, check JSON results, and run repeatable scripts inside selected guests.
- [Storage, Files, and Service Access](/docs/start/storage/): Configure test data disks, understand retention, transfer files, and reach guest services through OpenSSH.
- [macOS Virtual Machines](/docs/start/macos/): Run macOS 27 virtual machines on Apple Silicon with barn mac — create, connect, share files and the clipboard, and clean up.
- [Image Repositories](/docs/start/images/): Choose guest images, use a mirror, import a local qcow2, and prune the cache.
- [Build from Source](/docs/start/source-build/): Build Barn for development and review, then run the complete source gate.
- [Uninstall and Clean Up](/docs/start/uninstall/): Safely remove the Barn deployment, integrations, images, host network, and default state directory.