# Quickstart
## Quickstart Guide: Your First Project
Welcome to the Genesys quickstart! This guide will walk you through the "happy path" of creating a complete ROS 2 project from scratch. In just a few minutes, you will:
1. Create a new, structured workspace.
2. Generate a ROS 2 package and a publisher node inside it.
3. Build your project with a single command.
4. Run your new node.
Let's get started!
#### Prerequisites
Before you begin, please ensure you have the following set up:
1. **A ROS 2 Distribution:** Genesys requires an installed ROS 2 distribution (like Humble or Iron).
2. **`ROS_DISTRO` Environment Variable:** Make sure this variable is set. You can check it with `echo $ROS_DISTRO`.
Let's get started!
#### Step 1: Installation and Setup
Before you can create a project, you need to install the Genesys CLI and ensure your environment is correctly configured.
**1. Check ROS 2 Environment**
First, make sure you have a ROS 2 distribution (like Humble or Iron) sourced and the `ROS_DISTRO` environment variable is set. You can check it with:
```bash
echo $ROS_DISTRO
```
If this command doesn't print your ROS 2 version (e.g., `humble`), you'll need to source your ROS 2 setup file (e.g., `source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash`).
**2. Install the Genesys CLI**
Install the framework's command-line interface using `pip`. The [`setup.py`](code-assist-path:c:\Users\HP\Documents\genesys\Genesys\setup.py) file defines the package name `genesys-framework-cli`.
```bash
pip install genesys-framework-cli
```
**3. Update Your PATH**
The `pip` command often installs executables in a local directory that isn't in your system's `PATH` by default. To make the `genesys` command available everywhere, you need to add this directory to your `PATH`.
Run this command to add it for your current terminal session:
```bash
export PATH="$(python3 -m site --user-base)/bin:$PATH"
```
For a permanent change, add this line to your shell's startup file (e.g., `.bashrc` or `.zshrc`):
```bash
echo 'export PATH="$(python3 -m site --user-base)/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
```
**4. Verify Your Setup**
In a **new terminal**, run the Genesys doctor to check that everything is configured correctly:
```bash
genesys doctor
```
If all checks pass with a green light, you're ready to build your first project!
***
#### Step 2: Create a New Workspace
Now that the CLI is installed, let's create a new project workspace. This command scaffolds a standard directory structure for you.
```bash
genesys new my_robot_ws
cd my_robot_ws
```
This creates a `my_robot_ws` directory containing `src/`, `launch/`, `config/`, and other standard ROS 2 folders.
#### Step 3: Create a Package and a Node
Next, let's generate a Python package and a simple publisher node inside it. The `--with-node` flag tells Genesys to create a default node right after creating the package.
```bash
genesys make pkg demo_pkg --with-node
```
You will be prompted to choose the type of node; the default is a publisher node. For now, go with the publisher node
The interactive wizard will guide you. When it's done, Genesys will have automatically:
* Created a package directory at `src/demo_pkg`.
* Generated the necessary `package.xml` and [`setup.py`](code-assist-path:c:\Users\HP\Documents\genesys\Genesys\setup.py) files.
* Created a node file at `src/demo_pkg/demo_pkg/demo_pkg_node.py`.
* **Registered the node as an executable** in [`setup.py`](code-assist-path:c:\Users\HP\Documents\genesys\Genesys\setup.py).
* **Generated a launch file** at `launch/demo_pkg_launch.py` to run your new node.
#### Step 4: Build the Workspace
With our code generated, it's time to build the project. The `build` command is a powerful wrapper around the standard ROS 2 tools.
```bash
genesys build
```
This single command runs `colcon build` and automatically sources the `install/setup.bash` file, making your new executables available in your current terminal.
#### Step 5: Run Your Node
Finally, let's run the node. With Genesys, you don't need to remember which package a node belongs to.
```bash
genesys run demo_pkg_node
```
You should see output in your terminal as the node publishes messages. To see the messages being published, open a **new terminal** and run:
```bash
genesys topic echo /chatter
```
#### Congratulations!
You have successfully installed Genesys, created, built, and run your first ROS 2 application. You've seen how the unified CLI and auto-generation tools can significantly speed up your development workflow.
#### Next Steps
* **Explore the Generated Code:** Open `src/demo_pkg/demo_pkg/demo_pkg_node.py` to see how the `@node`, `@timer`, and `@publisher` decorators work.
* **Read the Core Concepts:** Dive deeper into "The Genesys Way" to understand the design philosophy.
* **Check the Command Reference:** See what other powerful commands are available in the `genesys` CLI.
