> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mariadb.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mariadb.com/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/gridgain8-get-started.md).

# Get Started

Get started with GridGain 8: core concepts, what GridGain is, and quick-start guides to install, start a node, and run your first application.

New to GridGain? Start here. This section introduces the core concepts, explains what GridGain is and how it relates to Apache Ignite, and walks you through your first application with a quick-start guide in your preferred language.

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[Concepts](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/gridgain8-get-started/concepts.md)
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Overview of the core concepts and components shared by Apache Ignite and GridGain, from in-memory computing and clustering to partitioning, colocation, and multi-tiered storage.
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[What Is GridGain?](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/gridgain8-get-started/what-is-gridgain.md)
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Introduction to GridGain as an in-memory computing platform: what you can do with it, its editions, and how to migrate from Apache Ignite.
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[Quick Start Guide](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/gridgain8-get-started/quick-start.md)
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Install GridGain, start a node, and run your first application in your preferred language, then follow short quickstart guides for a local cache cluster, the cache API, and monitoring.
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[Learning Paths](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/gridgain8-get-started/learning-paths.md)
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Tutorials that take you from a local cache cluster to colocated compute, persistence, and application examples.
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[Application Examples](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/gridgain8-get-started/application-examples.md)
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Standalone example applications: a Spring Boot REST service, a Micronaut microservice, a serverless Azure Function, and JSON in SQL.
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[How-To Guides](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/gridgain8-get-started/how-to-guides.md)
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Task-focused guides for security, monitoring, performance, operations, and integrations.
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