# First steps

> Connect an assistant, send it one message, and approve the first note it saves.

Page: https://docs.memex.tools/first-steps

Five steps take you from an empty memex to a first note you approved.

> **Self-hosted memex**
>
> Install it and create its account first: see [Install self-hosted memex](https://docs.memex.tools/self-hosted-install). Then connect an assistant on your computer: see [Connect assistants to self-hosted memex](https://docs.memex.tools/self-hosted-connect).

### 1. Connect an assistant
Follow the steps for yours: [Claude](https://docs.memex.tools/connect-claude), [ChatGPT](https://docs.memex.tools/connect-chatgpt), [Gemini Spark](https://docs.memex.tools/connect-gemini), or [an agent or a script](https://docs.memex.tools/connect-agent).

### 2. Send the first message
Paste [your first message](https://docs.memex.tools/first-message) into a new chat. It tells the assistant to check memex before answering and to offer to save what you decide.

### 3. Save something
In that chat, say "save that to memex". The assistant proposes a note.

### 4. Approve it
In memex, open **Review Inbox** and approve the note.

![Review Inbox with proposals from connected assistants](https://docs.memex.tools/images/inbox.jpg)

### 5. Tell assistants about you
Add [your profile](https://docs.memex.tools/profile), so you don't explain yourself in every chat.

## Next steps

- [Review Inbox](https://docs.memex.tools/review-inbox): Approve, amend or reject what your assistants wrote, one at a time or several at once.
- [Find notes](https://docs.memex.tools/find-notes): Search by words or by meaning, narrow by tags and status, and use search operators.
- [Skills](https://docs.memex.tools/skills): Notes of instructions an assistant loads when a task matches, and how to make and manage them.

> **Tip:** Keep the first note small. A decision from today's chat is enough to see the whole loop.

## Related

- [Connect an assistant](https://docs.memex.tools/connect): The address every assistant connects to, and which steps to follow for yours.
- [Your first message](https://docs.memex.tools/first-message): The message that tells a newly connected assistant how to use your memex.
- [Review Inbox](https://docs.memex.tools/review-inbox): Approve, amend or reject what your assistants wrote, one at a time or several at once.
- [Your profile](https://docs.memex.tools/profile): A note about you that every connected assistant reads, so you don't explain yourself in every chat.