> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://bilt.me/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Build your first app in under 5 minutes

Build a working iOS app from a text description — no code, no install, no Mac required.

**Estimated time:** 5 minutes

By the end of this guide, you'll have a live app running in a cloud iOS simulator and a preview link you can share.

<Card title="Build on Bilt" icon="rocket" href="https://app.bilt.me?ref=docs" horizontal>
  Open the dashboard and follow along — free to start.
</Card>

## Step 1: Create an account

Sign up at [bilt.me/sign-up](https://bilt.me/sign-up). You'll land on your dashboard, ready to build.

## Step 2: Describe your app

Type a description of what you want to build in the prompt box on your dashboard. Be as specific or general as you like:

<CodeGroup>
  ```text Simple theme={null}
  A habit tracker where I can add daily habits and mark them complete
  ```

  ```text Detailed theme={null}
  A recipe app with categories (breakfast, lunch, dinner), a favorites list,
  a shopping list that auto-generates from selected recipes, and a clean
  minimal design with a warm color palette
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/buildingppou/Eg5vvKqxHX5gf36V/images/quickstart1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Eg5vvKqxHX5gf36V&q=85&s=872d112d31169a5dc0d6cf11d332251a" alt="The dashboard prompt box where you describe your app" width="783" height="620" data-path="images/quickstart1.png" />
</Frame>

<Tip>
  See the [prompting guide](/docs/guides/prompting) for tips on writing prompts that get better results.
</Tip>

## Step 3: Watch it build

Bilt's AI generates your app in real time. You'll see:

* **Live code generation** — The AI writes React Native code as you watch
* **Live preview** — Your app appears in a live preview right in the browser
* **Progress updates** — Status messages show what the AI is working on

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/buildingppou/Eg5vvKqxHX5gf36V/images/quickstart2.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Eg5vvKqxHX5gf36V&q=85&s=1e34d6348da00c4ec00d1f6195583945" alt="Chat view during a build, with the agent summarizing the screens it created" width="850" height="1318" data-path="images/quickstart2.png" />
</Frame>

No Xcode, no local setup, no waiting for builds. The app runs live as it's created.

## Step 4: Iterate with chat

Your app is live — now refine it by chatting with the AI:

```text theme={null}
Add a dark mode toggle in settings
```

```text theme={null}
Make the navigation bar sticky and change the accent color to teal
```

```text theme={null}
Add sign-in so users can create accounts and save their data
```

Each message triggers a new build cycle. The preview updates in real time so you can see changes instantly.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/buildingppou/Eg5vvKqxHX5gf36V/images/Quickstart3.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Eg5vvKqxHX5gf36V&q=85&s=ebe8dc0d16d51923f747cd2563305cc3" alt="Workspace with chat on the left and the live phone preview with QR code on the right" width="1972" height="1531" data-path="images/Quickstart3.png" />
</Frame>

## Step 5: Share or ship

Once you're happy with your app:

* **Share a preview link** — Send a live link to testers or stakeholders
* **Push to GitHub** — Connect a repo to keep your code in version control
* **Publish your app** — Submit to the App Store, Google Play, or both directly from Bilt
* **Export the code** — Download the full React Native source and continue on your own

## What just happened?

Behind the scenes, Bilt:

1. Interpreted your description and planned the app architecture
2. Generated production-ready React Native code
3. Built the app in a cloud sandbox
4. Showed your app in a live preview in your browser
5. Applied your chat messages as iterative updates

All of this happens in the cloud — nothing installed on your machine.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Prompting guide" icon="sparkles" href="/docs/guides/prompting">
    Write better prompts for better apps
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect a backend" icon="database" href="/docs/features/bilt-cloud">
    Add sign-in, a database, and file storage with Bilt Cloud
  </Card>

  <Card title="Push to GitHub" icon="github" href="/docs/features/github-integration">
    Version control your app code
  </Card>

  <Card title="Publish your app" icon="rocket" href="/docs/features/publish-your-app">
    Ship to the App Store, Google Play, or both
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  **Prefer working from an AI agent?** See the [MCP quickstart](/docs/quickstart-mcp) to connect Bilt to Claude, Cursor, or OpenClaw.
</Info>