Edit: Factor/Getting started

Once you have downloaded a [[http://factorcode.org/|binary package]] or [[Factor/GIT repository|built from source]], you can start Factor as follows: - *Mac OS X*: Double-click %Factor.app% or run %open Factor.app% in a Terminal to start the UI; run %./factor% in the Terminal to start a command-line listener - *Windows*: Double-click %factor.exe%, or run %.\\factor.com% in a command prompt, to start the Factor UI - *Unix*: Run %./factor% in a shell to start the Factor UI if %$DISPLAY% is set, otherwise start a command line listener For more details, see [[Factor/Running Factor]]. = Documentation = The Factor environment includes extensive reference documentation and a short "cookbook" to help you get started. The best way to read the documentation is in the UI; press F1 in the UI listener to open the help browser tool. You can also browse the documentation online at [[http://docs.factorcode.org]]. Important subsections on the above site: - [[http://docs.factorcode.org/content/article-handbook-library-reference.html|Library reference]] - [[http://docs.factorcode.org/content/article-vocab-index.html|Vocabulary index]] - [[http://docs.factorcode.org/content/article-cookbook.html|Factor cookbook]] - The main [[http://docs.factorcode.org]] page has a search box for searching all of the documentation and language reference material. = First steps = - Configure Factor to [[Editor integration|work with your favorite editor]]. - Start a project with the [[Scaffold tool]]. - Read the introductory [[http://docs.factorcode.org/content/article-cookbook.html|Factor cookbook]] or the [[http://docs.factorcode.org/content/article-first-program.html|"Your First Program" tutorial]], both of which are a part of the [[http://docs.factorcode.org/content/article-handbook.html|Factor Handbook]]. = Explore further = You might want to look at some [[Factor/Examples]]. The [[Factor/FAQ]] will answer the most common questions. [[Chris Double]] maintains a [[http://www.bluishcoder.co.nz/factor-articles.pdf|collection of Factor articles]] covering various advanced topics. A great way to get started with Factor is to join the [[Concatenative IRC channel]] and introduce yourself. We are a friendly community and we like to help beginners. We also have a [[Factor/Mailing list]] for Factor discussion. = Difference between factor.exe and factor.com = On Windows, %factor.exe% is the preferred executable to use when launching Factor from Windows Explorer, whereas %factor.com% should be used from the command prompt. Running %factor.exe% from the command prompt will suppress standard input and output, and running %factor.com% from Windows Explorer will open a console window, even if the Factor UI is running. On other platforms, the same Factor VM binary is able to be used in both command-line and graphical modes, but on Windows, whether or not a program can use the console is a property of the executable file itself, and not of the program's runtime. Two executables are needed; building solely as a console application is unacceptable, because even if a hack is added to the VM's %main()% function to hide the console as soon as the program starts in graphical mode, it would still flicker on the screen. There is no way around this with the Win32 API.

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