---
title: Quickstart
description: Install Vale and run your first lint against Google's style guide.
url: https://linda-s-thally-demo-for-vale.thally.app/quickstart
---

# Quickstart

Install Vale and run your first lint against Google's style guide.

In this quickstart, you'll install Vale, set it up to use Google's developer documentation style guide, and check your first file. It takes about 10 minutes, and all you need to know is how to run commands in a terminal.

## Before you begin

You need:

- A terminal on macOS, Windows, or Linux
- An internet connection to download Google's style guide in step 4
- An empty folder to work in

#### Install Vale

    Install Vale with your operating system's package manager.

#### macOS

        ```bash
        brew install vale
        ```

#### Windows

        ```powershell
        winget install -e --id errata-ai.Vale
        ```

#### Linux

        ```bash
        sudo snap install vale
        ```

    Then check that it installed:

    ```bash
    vale --version
    ```

    You should see `vale version 3.24.0` or later.

    For other ways to install Vale, see the [official installation guide](https://docs.vale.sh/install).

#### Create a sample file

    In your empty folder, create a file named `README.md` and paste in this text:

    ```markdown README.md
    # Acme

    Acme is a tool that deploys your app.

    ## Install

    In order to install Acme, run the following command.

    Click on the button below to get started.
    ```

    It contains two phrases that Google's style guide tells writers to avoid, "In order to" and "Click on." Vale should catch both.

#### Add a configuration file

    Create a file named `.vale.ini` in the same folder as your `README.md` file. Vale won't run without this configuration file. It tells Vale which rules to use and which files to check.

    Paste in these settings:

    ```ini .vale.ini
    StylesPath = styles
    MinAlertLevel = suggestion

    Packages = Google

    [*.{md,mdx}]
    BasedOnStyles = Vale, Google
    ```

    Here's what each setting does:

    | Setting | What it does |
    | --- | --- |
    | `StylesPath` | Sets the folder where Vale keeps its rules |
    | `MinAlertLevel` | Sets the lowest severity Vale reports, from `suggestion` to `warning` to `error` |
    | `Packages` | Lists the published style guides to download, in this case Google's |
    | `[*.{md,mdx}]` | Applies the settings below it to Markdown and MDX files |
    | `BasedOnStyles` | Lists the style guides to check your files against. `Vale` is Vale's built-in style guide, which includes a spell checker. `Google` is Google's style guide, which you download in the next step |

#### Download Google's style guide

    Run this command to download Google's style guide:

    ```bash
    vale sync
    ```

    Vale has a [package library](https://github.com/vale-cli/packages) of more than 20 ready-made rule sets and style guides, including Google's, Microsoft's, and Red Hat's. The `vale sync` command installs whichever packages you list under `Packages` in your `.vale.ini` file, and saves them in the folder you set in `StylesPath`, in this case `styles`.

    You should see something like this:

    ```text Terminal
    SUCCESS  Synced 1 package(s) to '/path/to/your/folder/styles'.
    ```

#### Check the file

    Run Vale on your README:

    ```bash
    vale README.md
    ```

    Vale lists every problem it finds, one per line:

    ```text Terminal
     README.md
     7:1  warning  Use 'to' instead of 'In order to'.                Google.WordListCase
     9:1  warning  Use 'click' or 'click in' instead of 'Click on'.  Google.WordListCase

    ✖ 0 errors, 2 warnings and 0 suggestions in 1 file.
    ```

    Each line tells you where the problem is, how serious it is, what to change, and which rule flagged it. So the first line means that on line 7, column 1, Google's style guide prefers "to" over "In order to."

#### Fix the warnings and check again

    In `README.md`, make the two changes Vale suggested:

    - On line 7, change "In order to install Acme" to "To install Acme."
    - On line 9, change "Click on the button" to "Click the button."

    Then run Vale again:

    ```bash
    vale README.md
    ```

    This time, Vale has nothing to flag:

    ```text Terminal
    ✔ 0 errors, 0 warnings and 0 suggestions in 1 file.
    ```

    Congratulations! Vale is now checking your writing against Google's style guide.

## Next steps

Google's style guide is a good starting point, but your team probably has its own terms and rules. To check your content against those too, add your organization's style guide to Vale.

#### [Add your style guide to Vale](/guides/add-your-style-guide)

  Turn your team's style guide into Vale rules.