--- title: "How to Write - Quick Start" url: https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start/ --- # How to Write - Quick Start | Sentry Docs New SDKs should use the Quick Start guide format outlined on this page. You may still encounter Getting Started guides for existing SDKs. ##### Note If you want to update an existing Getting Started Guide without refactoring it into a Quick Start guide, see [How to Write - Getting Started](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-getting-started.md). If you're unsure what kind of guide you're looking at, ask a question by [opening an issue in GitHub](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-docs/issues/new/choose). Why the change? This change stems from our commitment to following best practices and making our docs as accessible as possible. With the new Quick Start guides, we want to provide a more structured and focused approach, helping writers create valuable content with confidence, ultimately assisting users in reaching their goals with Sentry. **Quick Start vs. Getting Started:** | | Quick Start | Getting Started | | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | **Focus** | Goal-oriented, immediate action, minimal steps | Learning-oriented, broader concepts, background information | | **Content** | Highlights critical steps with less focus on the how and why | More explanatory and provides background information | | **Audience** | Developers who want to get started quickly | Developers seeking a deeper understanding | | **Format** | Single page; Concise | Often spans multiple pages; Comprehensive | Our Quick Start guides aim to: * Enable developers to quickly onboard Sentry with features such as Error Monitoring, Tracing, and Session Replay * Keep instructions concise by avoiding unnecessary explanations or background information * Focus on action by including code examples and commands * Achieve a functional Sentry setup with visible results in a user's Sentry project * Serve as the basis for further customization ## [Structuring the Guide Frontmatter](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start.md#structuring-the-guide-frontmatter) Each Quick Start guide begins with frontmatter that contains SDK-level details, such as its title, support level, and device categories. This frontmatter lives at the top of the guide's `index.mdx` file (for example, `/docs/platforms//guides//index.mdx`). An example: ```mdx --- title: "TanStack Start React" description: Learn how to set up and configure Sentry in your TanStack Start React application using the installation wizard, capture your first errors, logs and traces and view them in Sentry. sdk: sentry.javascript.tanstackstart-react categories: - server - browser --- ``` ## [Structure Templates](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start.md#structure-templates) We've created two Quick Start guide templates: one for wizard setup and one for manual setup. Use them as a basis and add new sections (steps) as you see fit. If an SDK has both Quick Start guides, make sure that both guides reach the same outcome, meaning the modifications in the developer's project should be consistent (within reason). ### [Wizard Setup](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start.md#wizard-setup) The wizard is the fastest way to set up Sentry – your guide should reflect this by relying on the wizard for the core setup while providing additional information when it makes sense and helps the developer. You can wrap these additions into `Expandable` components to hide them by default and de-clutter your page visually. We recommend you base your guide on a similar existing SDK page, such as: * [Angular quick start guide wizard setup](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/javascript/guides/angular.md) **Minimal structure:** * **Title and summary** * The title gets picked up automatically from the page frontmatter * Describe what the developer will achieve by following this guide * **Prerequisites** * **Step 1: Install** * Make sure "Install" is always the first step to get developers into action quickly * Provide the primary installation method(s) for this SDK (we document alternate methods on a separate page, as in this [example](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/javascript/install.md)) * Briefly introduce the features the wizard can enable; use an `Expandable` component to hide the content by default * List the changes the wizard applies in the developer's application, such as updating configuration files and creating example code for testing the setup later; use an `Expandable` component to hide the content by default * **Step 2: Verify Your Setup** * Explain how to test the setup. For example, direct the developer to use the examples created by the wizard * **Subsection: View Captured Data in Sentry** * Direct developers to look at the captured errors in their Sentry project * Optional: Provide detailed instructions using an `` * **Next Steps** * Provide a list of links to recommended next topics ### [Manual Setup](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start.md#manual-setup) Use this template for your manual setup guides. Keep your instructions concise and ask yourself, "Does the developer need to know this to successfully finish the guide, or is this a topic they can read about later in the documentation?" We recommend you base your guide on a similar existing SDK page, such as: * [Angular quick start guide manual setup](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/javascript/guides/angular/manual-setup.md) **Minimal structure:** * **Title and summary** * The title gets picked up automatically from the page frontmatter * Describe what the developer will achieve by following this guide * **Prerequisites** * **Step 1: Install** * Make sure "Install" is always the first step to get developers into action quickly * Provide the primary installation method(s) for this SDK (we document alternate methods on a separate page, as in this [example](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/javascript/install.md)) * If a feature needs an extra package (for example, a profiling package), include it in the install snippet * **Step 2: Configure** * Start by briefly describing which features work as soon as `Sentry.init()` is called, which features the guide enables in the config, and which steps cover features that need no extra configuration (e.g., Logs, Application Metrics) * Briefly describe each feature and link to its product docs; use an `Expandable` component to hide the content by default. Mark features that are always enabled * **Subsection: Initialize the SDK** * Provide a `sentry.init` snippet that enables all main features the SDK supports. Add comments in the code sample to limit the content you put into the surrounding prose * Below the intro, list each enabled feature and the option or integration that turns it on (with a link to the option's reference docs), so developers can remove what they don't need * **Subsections: SDK-specific instructions** * Create subsections for source maps, tunneling, or other necessary instrumentation * Each major topic gets its own subsection. If a topic is large enough to need its own page-level step, make it a separate step after Configure instead * **Step X: Other steps** * Add any other steps that are necessary to get the developer to a functional Sentry setup. For example, if the SDK supports Logs, you may want to explain how to send them * **Verify Your Setup** * Provide one simple test that throws an error, for example, via a route or button * **Subsection: View Captured Data in Sentry** * Direct developers to look at the captured errors in their Sentry project * Optional: Provide detailed instructions using an `` * **Next Steps** * Provide a list of links to recommended next topics ## [Content Placement and Reusability](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start.md#content-placement-and-reusability) If the content you want to include doesn't already exist, create a new file for your SDK in the respective folder in [`/src/platform-includes/`](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-docs/tree/master/platform-includes). **Examples:** * **Install** [`/platform-includes/getting-started-install/`](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-docs/tree/master/platform-includes/getting-started-install) * **Configuration** [`/platform-includes/getting-started-config/`](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-docs/tree/master/platform-includes/getting-started-config) * **Verify** [`/src/platform-includes/getting-started-verify/`](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-docs/tree/master/platform-includes/getting-started-verify) Integrate this content into your guide using the `PlatformSection` component. If the SDK supports performance monitoring, add it to the list that links back into the SDK content from Product, stored in [`/docs/product/dashboards/sentry-dashboards/index.mdx`](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-docs/blob/master/docs/product/dashboards/sentry-dashboards/index.mdx) (Sentry Dashboards index, which includes a Set Up section and platform redirect to tracing). ## [Additional Requirements for Our Wizard](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start.md#additional-requirements-for-our-wizard) The Quick Start content is also used by our in-app onboarding wizard to get users up and running with Sentry. Keeping all content up to date is critical. Important: * If you update the code samples for an SDK, also update the wizard * If you add something new, such as additional configuration, to the wizard also update the manual setup guide ### [Update the Wizard](https://docs.sentry.io/contributing/approach/sdk-docs/write-quick-start.md#update-the-wizard) The in-app wizard is where developers first integrate our SDKs. It's not a simple copy/paste from the Quick Start for two reasons: 1. New users lack the context that our Docs provide (think of it this way, there's no left-hand sidebar to review). 2. Experienced users likely have alerts and so forth turned off, so don't expect one clear workflow. Also, don't review the workflow. Point users to the product for a tour. As a result, a simple copy/paste of the Quick Start won't suffice. See the [Next.js wizard](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-wizard/tree/master/src/nextjs) as an example.