> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.earthbuild.dev/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.earthbuild.dev/basics.md).

# Learn the basics

EarthBuild is a build automation tool that uses docker containers to enforce build repeatability. EarthBuild is meant to be run on your local system and in your CI. EarthBuild's implicit caching and parallelism will make your builds repeatable and fast.

This tutorial will walk you through a basic example of using EarthBuild.

## Table of Contents

* **Introduction** <-- You are here.
* [Part 1: A simple Earthfile](/basics/part-1-a-simple-earthfile.md)
* [Part 2: Outputs](/basics/part-2-outputs.md)
* [Part 3: Adding dependencies With Caching](/basics/part-3-adding-dependencies-with-caching.md)
* [Part 4: Args](/basics/part-4-args.md)
* [Part 5: Importing](/basics/part-5-importing.md)
* [Part 6: Using Docker In EarthBuild](/basics/part-6-using-docker-with-earthbuild.md)
* [Part 7: Using remote runners](/basics/part-7-using-remote-runners.md)
* [Part 8: Using EarthBuild in CI](/basics/part-8a-using-earthbuild-in-your-current-ci.md)
* [Final words](/basics/final-words.md)

## Installation

We recommend you install EarthBuild on your computer, so you can follow along and try the examples. See the [installation instructions](https://www.earthbuild.dev/install.html).

## Questions & Feedback

If you have any questions, feedback or suggestions for EarthBuild or this tutorial feel free to reach out to us on our [Slack community](https://earthly.dev/slack) or open a [GitHub issue](https://github.com/earthbuild/earthbuild/issues). EarthBuild is free and open and we love and appreciate feedback and contributions from the community!

## Get Started with EarthBuild

We will start the first lesson with a simple Earthfile.

👉 [Part 1: A simple Earthfile](/basics/part-1-a-simple-earthfile.md)


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://docs.earthbuild.dev/basics.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
