# Get started with Unity

> Understand the core Unity workflows and Editor concepts.

Unity is a real-time engine that you can use to create 2D and 3D applications, and then use Unity's gaming services to manage the lifetime of your application beyond its development. There's a few different pathways to getting started, depending on whether you're completely new to game development, or if you're moving from a different engine or DCC tool.

## Install the Unity Editor

The main way to download and install the Unity Editor is through the [Unity Hub](https://unity.com/download). For more information, refer to the [Unity Hub documentation](https://docs.unity.com/en-us/hub.md).

For more information on the different ways of installing Unity, refer to [Install Unity](/engine/6000.5/manual/get-started/install-and-upgrade/getting-started-installing-unity.md).

Once you have installed the Editor, familiarize yourself with the [Editor interface](/engine/6000.5/manual/unity-editor.md). It contains all the windows you need to manage and create gameplay.

## First-time game developers

If you're new to game development, the best place to start is by completing some [Unity Learn](https://learn.unity.com/) tutorials.

For a beginner tutorial on using the Editor and creating basic gameplay, refer to the [Unity Essentials pathway](https://learn.unity.com/pathway/unity-essentials).

For information on creating your first project, refer to [Create your first project](/engine/6000.5/manual/get-started/first-time-user/create-first-project.md).

## Changing to Unity from other games engines

Unity's architecture is based around [GameObjects](/engine/6000.5/manual/working-with-gameobjects/game-objects.md) (similar to Actors in Unreal, and Nodes in Godot) and [components](/engine/6000.5/manual/working-with-gameobjects/unity-components/components.md). Everything in your project is a GameObject, which acts as a container for components. Components add functionality like lighting, collisions, and audio to GameObjects. You can also group together GameObjects into reusable templates called [prefabs](/engine/6000.5/manual/working-with-gameobjects/prefabs.md) to create reusable gameplay elements.

You add GameObjects to a [scene](/engine/6000.5/manual/working-with-scenes/scenes-working-with.md), and manage their relationships in the [Hierarchy](/engine/6000.5/manual/unity-editor/editor-windows-views-reference/hierarchy-window/hierarchy.md).

Unity uses a Y-up, left-handed coordinate system, which differs from other engines. It also uses C# for scripting. For information about some of the important types and classes in Unity, refer to [Fundamental Unity types](/engine/6000.5/manual/scripting/fundamental-unity-types.md).

## Common workflows and topics

The following articles cover common workflows you can perform in Unity:

* [2D game development](/engine/6000.5/manual/unity2d/2d-game-development.md)
* [3D physics](/engine/6000.5/manual/physics-section/physics-overview.md)
* [Asset importing](/engine/6000.5/manual/assets-and-media/import-assets/importing-assets.md)
* [Building your application](/engine/6000.5/manual/building-and-publishing/build-settings.md)
* [Input](/engine/6000.5/manual/input.md)
* [Lighting configuration](/engine/6000.5/manual/lighting-overview/lighting-configuration-workflow.md)
* [Programming](/engine/6000.5/manual/scripting/get-started.md)
* [UI systems](/engine/6000.5/manual/uitoolkits/ui-system-compare.md)
* [Visual scripting](https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/com.unity.visualscripting@latest)
* [Accessibility](/engine/6000.5/manual/accessibility.md)

## Additional resources

* [Unity Hub documentation](https://docs.unity.com/en-us/hub.md)
* [Get started with 3D game development](/engine/6000.5/manual/get-started/first-time-user/quickstart3d.md)
* [Get started with AI in Unity](/engine/6000.5/manual/get-started/first-time-user/getting-started-ai.md)
* [Get started with monetization and mobile ad mediation](/engine/6000.5/manual/get-started/first-time-user/intro_monetization.md)
* [Get started with packages](/engine/6000.5/manual/packages-list/packages.md)
* [Get started with textures](/engine/6000.5/manual/materials-and-shaders/textures/textures-getting-started.md)
* [Get started with URP](/engine/6000.5/manual/render-pipelines/universal-render-pipeline/introduction.md)
* [Get started with programming in Unity](/engine/6000.5/manual/scripting/get-started.md)