# Getting Started

**URL:** https://heroiclabs.com/docs/nakama/getting-started/
**Summary:** Introduction to Nakama, a scalable server for social and real-time games and apps. See the available features and next steps for getting started developing with Nakama.
**Keywords:** getting started, nakama
**Categories:** nakama, getting-started

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# About Nakama

<img src={{< fingerprint_image "/images/pages/nakama/getting-started/nakama-logo.svg" >}} alt="Nakama Logo" width="215">

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Nakama is a scalable, open-source backend for social and real-time games.

With Nakama, you can add user authentication, social networking, storage, and real-time data exchange into your games. It's developed by <a href="https://heroiclabs.com" target="\_blank">Heroic Labs</a> to handle the difficult but essential services that go into all social and real-time games.

Nakama is designed to run at massive scale. It works as a <a href="https://heroiclabs.com/enterprise/" target="\_blank">distributed cluster</a> so when your game gets featured in the App Store, all you need do is launch a few more instances and we'll handle the extra load with ease.

During development, you can run Nakama on your macOS, Linux, or Windows machine. When it's time to move into production, either move into a cloud of your choosing or use <a href="https://heroiclabs.com/heroic-cloud/" target="\_blank">Heroic Cloud</a>.

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## Features

Focus on building your game. Let Nakama handle:

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  <div style="flex: 1; margin: 0 1em 0 0">
    <strong>User accounts</strong>
    <p>Every <a href="../concepts/user-accounts/">user</a> is registered and has a profile for other users to find and become friends with or join groups and chat.</p>
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  <div style="flex: 1">
    <strong>Friends</strong>
    <p><a href="../concepts/friends/">Friends</a> are a great way to build a social community.</p>
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</div>

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  <div style="flex: 1; margin: 0 1em 0 0">
    <strong>Groups and Clans</strong>
    <p>A <a href="../concepts/groups/">group</a> brings together a bunch of users into a small community or team.</p>
  </div>
  <div style="flex: 1">
    <strong>Real-time chat</strong>
    <p>Users can <a href="../concepts/chat/">chat</a> with each other 1-on-1, as part of a group, and in chat rooms.</p>
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</div>

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  <div style="flex: 1; margin: 0 1em 0 0">
    <strong>In-app notifications</strong>
    <p><a href="../concepts/notifications/">In-app notifications</a> make it easy to broadcast a message to one or more users.</p>
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  <div style="flex: 1">
    <strong>Leaderboards</strong>
    <p><a href="../concepts/leaderboards/">Leaderboards</a> are a great way to add a social and competitive element to any game.</p>
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  <div style="flex: 1; margin: 0 1em 0 0">
    <strong>Matchmaker</strong>
    <p>The <a href="../concepts/multiplayer/matchmaker/">matchmaker</a> makes it easy in real-time and turn-based games to find active opponents to play against.</p>
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  <div style="flex: 1">
    <strong>Multiplayer</strong>
    <p>The <a href="../concepts/multiplayer/relayed/">multiplayer engine</a> makes it easy for users to set up and join matches where they can rapidly exchange data with opponents.</p>
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### Server runtime code

The server integrates the Lua programming language as a fast embedded [code runtime](../server-framework/).

This is useful to run custom logic which isn't running on the device or browser. The code you deploy with the server can be used immediately by clients so you can change behavior on the fly and add new features faster.

## Console support

Nakama supports all [major consoles](/docs/nakama/client-libraries/consoles/) including PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

![]({{< fingerprint_image "/images/pages/index/console_logos_min.png" >}})

## Next steps

Build the next big hit for mobile, console, desktop, and web with Nakama. We have first-class game engine integration including [Unity](../client-libraries/unity/) for ease of development.

To get the most out of Nakama you should follow the rest of this guide. And if you need help <a href="mailto:support@heroiclabs.com">get in touch</a> with the Heroic Labs team about our developer training.

The first step to building your project with Nakama is to [install it](./install/docker/).