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

# Getting Started

> Sign in, connect your repository, and run your first Patrol.

This guide walks through everything needed to go from a fresh sign-in to your first test run.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in">
    Open your Watchtower workspace and sign in. If you don't have an account yet, use the sign-up link on the same screen to create one.

    Watchtower keeps you signed in across visits, so you land straight on your Dashboard the next time you open it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect your repository">
    On a brand-new workspace, the sidebar shows a **Connect Codebase** button instead of the usual sync button. Click it to open **Configuration**, then go to the **CI / Repos** tab.

    Click **Connect GitHub** and follow the prompts to install Watchtower's GitHub App on your account or organization, then choose the repositories you want it to access.

    <Tip>
      If your repository can't use the GitHub App (for example, a self-hosted GitLab setup), the **CI / Repos** tab also has manual setup instructions for GitHub Actions and GitLab CI. See [Connecting a Repository](/v0.5.0/guides/connecting-a-repository).
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a test source">
    Right after connecting, Watchtower asks **which repo should feed Test Center**, the one whose Playwright or Cypress spec files it should track. Pick a repository, or choose **None (Watchman analysis only)** if you only want AI review of pull requests without a tracked test inventory.

    You can connect additional repositories later and switch the test source at any time from **Configuration → CI / Repos**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sync your codebase">
    Click **Sync Codebase** in the sidebar. Watchtower scans your test source for spec files and imports them into folders that mirror your repository's structure. Re-run sync any time; it also runs automatically whenever you load the app or reconnect a repository.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up your environments">
    If your team tests against more than one environment (staging, production, etc.), add them under **Configuration → Codebase → Environments**. Environments show up as filters throughout Watchtower and as a picker when you run Patrol.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run your first Patrol">
    Open **Test Center → Patrol**, choose a test suite (or leave it on **All Tests**), and click **Run Patrol**. Results stream into the console live, and pass/fail counts land on your Dashboard as soon as the run finishes.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What's next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Navigating Watchtower" icon="compass" href="/v0.5.0/navigating-watchtower">
    Get familiar with the sidebar, top bar, and main views.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Test Center" icon="list-check" href="/v0.5.0/test-center">
    Learn how tests are organized, prioritized, and triaged.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>