> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://onr.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> From zero to a fully functional Open Next Router gateway in under 2 minutes.

Welcome to Open Next Router! This guide will help you install, configure, and route your first LLM request through the gateway locally.

<Note>
  **Prerequisites:** Ensure you have **Go 1.25+** and **Make** installed on your system. If you prefer Docker, check out the [Docker Guide](/getting-started/docker).
</Note>

## Getting Up and Running

<Steps>
  <Step title="Clone the Repository">
    First, grab the source code from GitHub:

    ```bash theme={null}
    git clone https://github.com/r9s-ai/open-next-router.git
    cd open-next-router
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build the Binary">
    Compile the `onr` binary using the provided Makefile:

    ```bash theme={null}
    make build
    ```

    This will place the executable in the `bin/` directory or your `$GOPATH/bin`. If it's globally available, you can simply run `onr`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initialize Configuration Files">
    Open Next Router relies on three main YAML configuration files. You can start with the defaults provided in the repository.

    <AccordionGroup>
      <Accordion title="onr.yaml (Server Config)" icon="server">
        Main server configurations including ports, logger, and paths to other config files.
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion title="keys.yaml (Authentication & Routing)" icon="key">
        Defines your downstream API keys, rate limits, and which DSL routing profile to apply.
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion title="models.yaml (Provider Secrets)" icon="lock">
        Safely store the actual upstream API keys (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic tokens) required to dispatch requests.
      </Accordion>
    </AccordionGroup>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run Configuration Tests">
    It's always a good idea to validate your configuration syntax before starting the server:

    ```bash theme={null}
    onr test -c onr.yaml
    ```

    If everything is correct, you'll see a `Configuration is valid` message.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start the Gateway">
    Launch the router:

    ```bash theme={null}
    onr run -c onr.yaml
    ```

    You should see the server boot up and begin listening on `http://localhost:3300`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send Your First Request">
    Open Next Router natively exposes an OpenAI-compatible `/v1/chat/completions` endpoint. Try calling it:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -X POST http://localhost:3300/v1/chat/completions \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -H "Authorization: Bearer your-onr-client-token" \
      -d '{
        "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello, Open Next Router!"}]
      }'
    ```

    *Replace `your-onr-client-token` with a token defined in your `keys.yaml`.*
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next Steps

Now that you have traffic flowing, explore these essential topics to unlock the power of ONR:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="DSL Overview" icon="code" href="/dsl/overview">
    Learn how to write dynamic routing rules, rewrites, and token tracking.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Load Balancing & Fallbacks" icon="scale-balanced" href="/guides/load-balancing">
    Configure multi-provider failover for maximum resilience.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Observability" icon="chart-line" href="/ecosystem/observability">
    Set up Promtail, Loki, and Grafana for comprehensive gateway monitoring.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Admin Panel" icon="desktop" href="/ecosystem/admin-panel">
    Manage keys and live DSL configurations visually.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>