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

# Getting Started

The `tape` command-line tool does everything from your terminal: reserve tapes, write
and read data, and manage S3-style objects. Point it at Tapedrive on your own hardware
or at [Tapenet](https://docs.tape.network/tapenet.md). If you use the `solana` CLI, you already know the conventions
here: the same default keypair path and the same one-letter URL shortcuts.

## Installation

```bash theme={null}
curl -fsSL https://tape.network/install.sh | sh
```

The Tapedrive installer includes the CLI, node, gateway, Git remote helper, and
the `tape-install` updater in one versioned user-local release.

See [Install Tapedrive](https://docs.tape.network/install.md) for supported platforms and release-management
commands.

## Quick Start

From a fresh install to a file written and read back.

![Terminal recording of tape create, tape write, and tape read](https://mintcdn.com/tapedrive/IVlwjOpRsvR7xk5g/images/write.gif?s=abef920c6095c379234cdd79a66b0efb)

A full write session: create a tape, write a file, read it back.

**1. Connect to Tapenet**

[Local Tapedrive](https://docs.tape.network/tapenet/local.md) keeps the system on hardware you control. It isn't
released yet, so these steps use Tapenet.

Complete the [wallet and funding setup](https://docs.tape.network/tapenet/access.md) before continuing. It
configures this terminal and the wallet these commands will use.

Check both at once:

```bash theme={null}
tape balance
```

```text Tapenet output theme={null}
pubkey:  9WzDXwBbmkg8ZTbNMqUxvQRAyrZzDsGYdLVL9zYtAWWM
rpc:     https://devnet.tape.network, then https://api.devnet.solana.com
sol:     1.500000000  (1500000000 lamports)
tape:    25.000000000  (25000000000 flux)
```

**2. Reserve a tape**

`tape create` reserves a tape on-chain, saves the tape keypair to `~/.tape/cassettes/<tape-address>.json` (or wherever `--out` points), and makes it the active tape for the commands that follow. Without flags it reserves 5 GiB for 100 epochs; both are CLI defaults you can change. `--duration 7d` reserves by time instead. The command spends TAPE immediately, after checking the wallet can pay; add `--dry-run` to see the cost first.

```bash theme={null}
tape create --capacity 100m --duration 7d
```

```text Output theme={null}
tape address:     E79y5bh5zTLq9h7SgPGRsDpcmTB1oa7YGscFFFiojy2D
label:            yk5y3rg6cwclvyz7sv763kttt2d2sinpzdm3chuzw72th45s2c3a
capacity:         104857600 bytes
epochs:           active=241 expiry=410
epoch duration:   1h
expires:          ~2026-09-23 22:00 UTC (in 7d)
cost:             0.0161226 TAPE + ~0.00564372 SOL
```

**3. Write**

Write a file to the active tape and get back an address:

```bash theme={null}
tape write ./photo.jpg
```

```text Output theme={null}
address:          7trKAddressExampleBase58Value11111111111111
bytes written:    87342
```

Size decides the path. Small inputs ride inside the transaction, mid-size inputs become one certified track, and large files stream ([how the write paths work](https://docs.tape.network/sdks/writing.md)). Certification happens inside the flow: when the command returns an address for a coded write, the track is certified. There is no separate step to forget.

**4. Read it back**

```bash theme={null}
tape read 7trKAddressExampleBase58Value11111111111111 --out ./download.bin
```

Reads go to stdout by default; `--out` writes a file. Add `--gateway` to fetch decoded bytes through a gateway instead of contacting storage nodes directly.

**5. Where to go next**

The command reference covers each area: [tape management](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/tape-management.md), [uploads](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/uploads.md), [downloads](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/downloads.md), [static-site deployment](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/deploy.md), [objects](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/objects.md), [deletions](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/deletions.md), and [context](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/context-management.md). Existing S3 tooling can skip the CLI entirely: see the [S3 gateway](https://docs.tape.network/tools/s3-gateway.md). For programmatic use, start at the [SDK quickstart](https://docs.tape.network/sdks/quickstart.md).

## Troubleshooting

**Not enough TAPE.** Follow [Get TAPE](https://docs.tape.network/tapenet/access.md#get-tape), then
check the balance of the wallet you are using.

**Not enough SOL.** Follow [Get devnet SOL](https://docs.tape.network/tapenet/access.md#get-devnet-sol)
to fund transaction fees.

**Wrong context.** If balances or tapes look missing, check where the CLI is pointed.
`--url d` points the CLI at Solana devnet, which Tapenet runs on. The
[context page](https://docs.tape.network/tools/cli/commands/context-management.md) covers the config file and
environment variables.


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