# Quickstart

- Human documentation: [https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/getting-started/quickstart](https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/getting-started/quickstart)

- Agent Markdown: [https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/getting-started/quickstart.md](https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/getting-started/quickstart.md)

- Requested language: `en-US`

- Content language: `en-US`

- Documentation version: `1.0.0-rc.0`

- Source: [boards/getting-started/quickstart.mdx](https://github.com/dream-num/documentation/blob/dev/content/guides/boards/getting-started/quickstart.mdx)

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Before installing Univer Boards, learn the four concepts that appear throughout its API and documentation. They describe how a Board is assembled, stored, changed, and controlled.

## Basic Concepts

### Plugins

Univer features are delivered as plugins. `@univerjs-pro/boards` provides the Board model, commands, and `UniverBoardsPlugin`; `@univerjs-pro/boards-ui` provides the canvas, editing interface, and `UniverBoardsUIPlugin`. Rich text, drawing, ink, and shape editing packages are technical rendering dependencies registered during setup—you do not need prior knowledge of another Univer product. Table and mind-map elements are optional Board plugins.

Register only the product plugins your application needs. The [installation guide](https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/getting-started/installation.md) lists the complete browser setup and its dependencies.

### Snapshot and data model

`IBoardData` is the persistence format for one Board unit. It keeps pages in `pages` and their order in `pageOrder`; each page keeps elements in `elements` and their rendering order in `elementOrder`. Resources, themes, the active page, zoom, and Board settings also belong to the Board snapshot.

Use a snapshot to create, save, or restore a Board. After the unit is running, do not mutate the snapshot object directly. Read [Board Data Structure](https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/model/board-data.md) and [Board Elements](https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/model/board-elements.md) for the schema.

### Command

Runtime changes go through commands. Inserting an element, changing its transform, moving it into a container, or changing page state through the command or Facade layer keeps the model, canvas, undo/redo, and collaboration paths consistent.

Prefer Facade APIs for application code. Use command IDs directly only when you need a lower-level integration that the Facade does not expose.

### Facade API

Facade API wraps the Board command and model layers with `FBoard` and element handles. Import `@univerjs-pro/boards/facade`, then create the API with `FUniver.newAPI(univer)` after registering plugins. From there, an application can create or find a Board, read its active page and elements, and manage containers and swimlanes.

Continue with [Installation & Basic Usage](https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/getting-started/installation.md), then use the [Boards Facade API guide](https://docs.univer.ai/guides/boards/getting-started/facade.md) to create and edit Board content.