quick-start.html

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layout: default
group: quick-start
meta-description: Quick Start Guide
hero: true
hero-title: Quick Start
hero-strap: Get up and running in 10 minutes
---
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        <h3>1. Get the jars</h3>
        <p>The recommended way to include Ebean in your project is using Maven, which will automatically include any dependencies for you.
        However you can also download the necessary Jar archives yourself and add them to your Java project classpath.</p>              
        <ul>
            <li><a href="documentation-maven-dependencies.html">Use Maven dependencies</a></li>
            <li><a href="documentation-download-jars.html">Download the jar files yourself</a></li>
        </ul>
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        <h3>2. Create "entity" classes</h3> 
        <p>You need to define the entity classes that Ebean will use as database proxies. To start with, it is often quickest to create entity
        classes manually. Once you understand the process, you may wish to auto-generate entity classes from your database.</p>                
        <ul>
            <li><a href="documentation-writing-an-entity-class.html">Create an entity class</a></li>
            <li><a href="documentation-generating-an-entity-class.html">Generate entity classes from the database</a></li>                    
        </ul>
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        <h3>3. Enhance entity classes</h3>
        <p>Ebean needs to "enhance" your entity classes to make them act as database proxies. This can be done dynamically using the Ebean Agent class,
        or statically at compile time using the Ebean Maven plugin.</p>
        <ul>
            <li><a href="documentation-dynamic-entity-enhancement.html">Enhance dynamically at application startup</a></li>
            <li><a href="documentation-static-entity-enhancement.html">Enhance statically using the Maven plugin</a></li>                                           
            <li><a href="documentation-ebean-and-play-framework.html">Notes for Play Framework</a></li>                                      
        </ul>
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        <h3>4. Connect to data</h3> 
        <p>Ebean may be magical, but it still needs to know about your database, and for the interested offers a short but powerful list of
           configuration options (which go in ebean.properties of course).</p>               
        <ul>
            <li><a href="documentation-configuring-ebean.html#datasource">Defining your data source</a></li>                 
            <li><a href="documentation-configuring-ebean.html">ebean.properties options</a></li>
        </ul>
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        <h3>5. Run some queries</h3>
        <p>Once you have successfully run your first query, you are officially up and running. If you need inspiration, try replicating one of the
        demo examples.</p>                
        <ul>
            <li><a href="demo-some-simple-queries.html#load-all-instances">Load all instances of a class</a></li>
            <li><a href="demo-some-complex-queries.html#complex-query">Run a complex query</a></li>
            <li>Allow yourself a Yeeeeha!</li>
        </ul>
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        <h3>6. Feel the power!</h3> 
        <p>Ebean is fast and simple, but it does much more than simple CRUD. Take a peek at some of the more advanced features
        and keep them in mind for when you need them.</p>               
        <ul>
            <li><a href="documentation-lazy-and-eager-fetching.html">Lazy fetch control</a></li>
            <li><a href="documentation-complex-data-relationships.html">Handling complex relations</a></li>                 
            <li><a href="documentation-database-transactions.html">Transactions</a></li>                                     
            <li><a href="documentation-queries-with-raw-sql.html">Using raw SQL</a></li>                                     
        </ul>
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        <h3>7. Go deeper</h3> 
        <p>Now you understand how Ebean improves Java database programming, consider reading the docs in more depth
        and even supporting the project.</p>               
        <ul>
            <li><a href="documentation-maven-dependencies.html">Browse the documentation</a></li>                 
            <li><a href="https://github.com/ebean-orm/avaje-ebeanorm">Browse the source code</a></li>
            <li><a href="blog.html">Follow the Ebean blog</a></li>
            <li><a href="donate.html">Donate to development</a></li>
        </ul>
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