# Getting Started (/docs/console/getting-started)

Location: Console > Getting Started

This guide walks you through setting up your Console account and creating your first project.

Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

* A GitHub account (for authentication)
* A Prisma project (optional, but recommended)

Step 1: Create your account [#step-1-create-your-account]

1. Go to [console.prisma.io/login](https://console.prisma.io/login?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=console)
2. Click **Sign in with GitHub**
3. Authorize Prisma Console to access your GitHub account

You now have a Console account with a default workspace.

Step 2: Set up a workspace [#step-2-set-up-a-workspace]

When you create an account, a default workspace is automatically created for you. You can create additional workspaces for different teams or organizations.

Create a workspace (optional) [#create-a-workspace-optional]

To create an additional workspace:

1. Click the workspace dropdown in the top navigation
2. Click **Create Workspace**
3. Enter a name for your workspace
4. Click **Create**

Step 3: Create a project [#step-3-create-a-project]

Projects organize your databases and environments within a workspace.

Using the Console web interface [#using-the-console-web-interface]

1. Navigate to your workspace
2. Click **Create Project**
3. Enter a project name
4. Click **Create**

Step 4: Create a resource [#step-4-create-a-resource]

Resources are the actual databases or environments within your project.

For Prisma Postgres [#for-prisma-postgres]

1. Navigate to your project
2. Click **Create Database**
3. Enter a database name
4. Select a region
5. Click **Create**

For Accelerate [#for-accelerate]

1. Navigate to your project
2. Click **Create Environment**
3. Enter an environment name (e.g., "production")
4. Click **Create**

Step 5: Generate a connection string [#step-5-generate-a-connection-string]

Connection strings authenticate your application's requests to Prisma products.

Using the Console web interface [#using-the-console-web-interface-1]

1. Navigate to your resource (database or environment)
2. Click **Connection Strings** tab
3. Click **Create Connection String**
4. Enter a name for the connection string
5. Copy the connection string and store it securely
6. Click **Done**

Step 6: Use the connection string in your application [#step-6-use-the-connection-string-in-your-application]

Add the connection string to your `.env` file:

```bash
# For Accelerate
DATABASE_URL="prisma://accelerate.prisma-data.net/?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
```

Next steps [#next-steps]

* Learn more about [Console concepts](/console/concepts)
* Explore [database metrics](/console/features/metrics)
* Check out the [CLI reference](/cli/console)

## Related pages

- [`Concepts`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/console/concepts): Understand the core concepts of the Prisma Console: user accounts, workspaces, projects, and resources