# Quick Start

This guide will help you get Llamactl up and running in just a few minutes.

## Step 1: Start Llamactl

Start the Llamactl server:

```bash
llamactl
```

By default, Llamactl will start on `http://localhost:8080`.

## Step 2: Access the Web UI

Open your web browser and navigate to:

```
http://localhost:8080
```

You should see the Llamactl web interface.

## Step 3: Create Your First Instance

1. Click the "Add Instance" button
2. Fill in the instance configuration:
   - **Name**: Give your instance a descriptive name
   - **Model Path**: Path to your Llama.cpp model file
   - **Additional Options**: Any extra Llama.cpp parameters

3. Click "Create Instance"

## Step 4: Start Your Instance

Once created, you can:

- **Start** the instance by clicking the start button
- **Monitor** its status in real-time
- **View logs** by clicking the logs button
- **Stop** the instance when needed

## Example Configuration

Here's a basic example configuration for a Llama 2 model:

```json
{
  "name": "llama2-7b",
  "model_path": "/path/to/llama-2-7b-chat.gguf",
  "options": {
    "threads": 4,
    "context_size": 2048
  }
}
```

## Using the API

You can also manage instances via the REST API:

```bash
# List all instances
curl http://localhost:8080/api/instances

# Create a new instance
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/instances \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "my-model",
    "model_path": "/path/to/model.gguf",
  }'

# Start an instance
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/instances/my-model/start
```

## OpenAI Compatible API

Llamactl provides OpenAI-compatible endpoints, making it easy to integrate with existing OpenAI client libraries and tools.

### Chat Completions

Once you have an instance running, you can use it with the OpenAI-compatible chat completions endpoint:

```bash
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "my-model",
    "messages": [
      {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "Hello! Can you help me write a Python function?"
      }
    ],
    "max_tokens": 150,
    "temperature": 0.7
  }'
```

### Using with Python OpenAI Client

You can also use the official OpenAI Python client:

```python
from openai import OpenAI

# Point the client to your Llamactl server
client = OpenAI(
    base_url="http://localhost:8080/v1",
    api_key="not-needed"  # Llamactl doesn't require API keys by default
)

# Create a chat completion
response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="my-model",  # Use the name of your instance
    messages=[
        {"role": "user", "content": "Explain quantum computing in simple terms"}
    ],
    max_tokens=200,
    temperature=0.7
)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)
```

### List Available Models

Get a list of running instances (models) in OpenAI-compatible format:

```bash
curl http://localhost:8080/v1/models
```

## Next Steps

- Learn more about the [Web UI](../user-guide/web-ui.md)
- Explore the [API Reference](../user-guide/api-reference.md)
- Configure advanced settings in the [Configuration](configuration.md) guide