# Getting Started

Run a request against the public [test.mmt.dev](https://test.mmt.dev) server in under a minute.

## 1. Install

Install the [VS Code extension](./install.md).

For CLI and CI, install [Testlight](./features/testlight/index.md) — see [Install](./features/testlight/install.md).

## 2. VS Code extension intro

After install, click the Multimeter activity icon in the VS Code sidebar. You get a custom `.mmt` editor, [panels](./panels/index.md), and a gallery for new files.

[![VS Code extension intro](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qlJTTd8YX6w/hqdefault.jpg)](https://youtu.be/qlJTTd8YX6w)

See **[Panels](./panels/index.md)** for Temp Files, Get Started, Mock Server, Connections, Cache, Environment Variables, and History.

### Empty page (new `.mmt`)

Create a draft from [Temp Files](./panels/temp-files.md) → **New MMT file** (or Command Palette **New Multimeter File**). When a file has no `type:` yet, Multimeter shows the empty page instead of the full editor:

1. **Select type** — click a type icon such as {{btn:symbol-method:API}} or {{btn:beaker:Test}} to write `type: …` and open that editor
2. **Gallery** — or click a sample card; it fills the file with a working snippet you can run immediately

## 3. Create an API file

Create `get_json.mmt`:

```yaml
type: api
title: Get sample JSON
url: https://test.mmt.dev/json
method: get
format: json
```

## 4. Send it

In VS Code, open the file and click {{btn:send:Send}}. The Response panel shows status, headers, and body.

With the CLI:

```sh
npx mmt-testlight run get_json.mmt
```

## 5. Try a test

Create `echo_test.mmt`:

```yaml
type: test
title: Simple HTTP test
description: Calls an HTTP endpoint directly and checks the response
steps:
  - http: https://test.mmt.dev/echo
    title: Send an echo request
    method: post
    body:
      message: hello world
    expect:
      status: 200
      body.body.message: hello world
```

Click {{btn:play:Run test}} — the Report panel shows whether checks passed.

## Next steps

- [Send an API request](./tasks/send-api-request.md) — inputs, outputs, and headers
- [Panels](./panels/index.md) — Temp Files, Get Started, and the other views
- [Browse examples](/docs/examples) — copy a working folder
- [MMT Files](./files.md) — types, shared metadata, and layout