---
title: Quickstart
description: Create your first Motionly project, edit it visually, and export an MP4 in a few minutes.
---

# Quickstart

Get from an empty folder to an exported MP4 in a few minutes. You need Node.js `20.19.0` or newer.

## Create and open a project

```bash
npx @coppsary/motionly init my-video
```

`init` scaffolds `my-video/`, offers to install the Motionly agent skill, then starts the editor at `http://localhost:4173/editor`. Press `Ctrl+C` to stop it and reopen the project later with:

```bash
cd my-video
npx @coppsary/motionly dev
```

Prefer to skip agent setup for now? Pass `--skip-skills`. See [Installation](/installation) for the full CLI reference.

## Edit the scene

1. Select a layer in the **Scene** panel or click a visible object on the canvas.
2. Drag to reposition, or use **Position**, **Scale**, **Rotation**, and **Opacity** in the Properties panel.
3. For text layers, change the content, font size, or color.
4. Select an animation preset and tune **Duration**, **Delay**, and **Easing**.
5. Click **Play** or scrub the timeline to review each frame.
6. Drag clip edges in the timeline to change when a layer starts or ends.
7. Click **Save**. Motionly serializes visual changes back to `project.motion` automatically.

## Add text or audio

- Click **Text** in the Scene panel to add a text layer.
- Import an audio file from the **Audio** rail, then drag it onto the timeline. The bottom track shows a waveform preview, and you can drag the clip horizontally to adjust its start time.

Motionly saves audio placement in `project.motion`, plays it back in sync with the preview, and mixes it into MP4 exports at the same start offset.

## Export MP4

Click **Export MP4** in the top toolbar. Motionly captures evaluated canvas frames, sends them to the local FFmpeg export server, and includes project audio. Exports use the project's current resolution and FPS.

## Inspect the source

Click **.motion** to inspect the generated source. Edit through the visual controls for normal work, and see the [Motion language overview](/motion-language/overview) when you want to hand-edit or generate `.motion` from an agent.
