{"title":"Introduction","description":"","section":"","version":"v1.5","path":"","canonical_url":"https://amberframework.org/docs/v1.5","markdown_url":"https://amberframework.org/docs/v1.5.md","inherited":true,"content_markdown":"# Introduction\n\nAmber is a web development framework written in the Crystal programming language. The framework implements the server-side MVC pattern using the object-oriented paradigm. Many of Amber's components and concepts will be familiar for developers with experience with other web frameworks like Phoenix, Ruby on Rails or Python's Django.\n\n![Amber Framework](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/amberframework/site-assets/master/videos/amber-animated-logo.gif)\n\nAmber aims to deliver developer happiness, productivity, and bare metal performance. The Crystal language is heavily inspired by Ruby, delivering familiarity, productivity, and a low learning curve for experienced Ruby developers. Meanwhile, Crystal also has some modern features like macros, first class concurrency, union types, C bindings, and a built in dependency manager. Amber takes advantage of all these features providing you an opinionated structure to develop a web application.\n\nAmber offers a variety of familiar tools such as generators, database management, CLI, deployment tools, docker support, encrypted secrets, websockets, and more for fast prototyping and developing enterprise-grade web applications. If you come from a Ruby on Rails background you will feel right at home, but, be aware Amber is not Rails! Amber is type-safe, compiled, and embraces the best features from many different frameworks for example pipes for routing which is more similar to the Phoenix framework.\n\nThe aim of this introductory guide is to present a high-level overview of Amber Framework and the layers underneath that support it.\n\n## Getting Help\n\nIf you’re stuck, there are a number of places you can get help.\n\n* [**Discord**](https://discord.gg/vwvP5zakSn) for quick questions.\n* [**Stack Overflow**](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/amber-framework) for questions about the Crystal Language and Amber Framework.\n* [**Github**](https://github.com/amberframework/amber) for getting acquainted with source code, current issues and progress.\n* [**Online Guides**](/docs) for getting down and dirty working with Amber.\n* [**Twitter**](https://twitter.com/amberframework) to see latest news and announcements about Amber Framework.\n\n## Contributing\n\nContributing to Amber can be a rewarding way to learn, teach, and build experience in just about any skill you can imagine. You don’t have to become a lifelong contributor to enjoy participating in Amber.\n\nAmber is a community effort and we want You to be part of ours [Join Amber Community!](https://github.com/amberframework/amber/blob/master/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md)\n\n## First Steps\n\nLearning a new framework can be intimidating and exciting at the same time. To help you along, we have created a cookbook packed with examples and recipes to get the common tasks completed.\n\nIf you are new, you should start off with the [guides](guides/).\n\nIf you want a step by step tutorial try the [quick start](getting-started/).\n\nHappy developing!"}