# Installing and working with Derby

If you are new to Derby and JDBC programming, this section will help you begin using the product.

If you are an experienced JDBC programmer, see Quick start guide for experienced JDBC users.

- Installing Derby
  To install Derby you must first download the Derby zip or tar archive from the Derby Web site.
- Setting up your environment
  You need to set several environment variables so that the scripts that are included with the Derby bin distribution run correctly. These scripts need to be run in an appropriate command line environment, i.e. a "Command Prompt" on Windows or a shell on Unix.
- Using the Derby tools and startup utilities
  There are several tools and utilities that you might want to use as you begin to work with Derby.

Related concepts
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