# Quick Start for Programmers

Set it up and write the script yourself: a complete walkthrough, no prior Python experience required.

## Step 1: Prerequisites

| Python | STAAD.Pro | OS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3.10+ | any version | Windows only |

## Step 2: Open STAAD.Pro with a model

Open STAAD.Pro and load (or create) a structural file that already has a few nodes and beams in it. OpenStaad connects to this running session. It doesn't open STAAD.Pro for you, so it needs to already be running with a model loaded before you go any further.

## Step 3: Create a project folder

Create a new, empty folder anywhere you like, for example a folder named `openstaad-quickstart` on your Desktop. This is where your script and its Python environment will live.

## Step 4: Open the folder in a code editor

We recommend [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) (free). Open it, then **File → Open Folder…** and pick the folder you just created. Then open a terminal inside it with **Terminal → New Terminal**; you'll use it for every command below.

## Step 5: Create and activate a virtual environment

A virtual environment keeps OpenStaad's install isolated to this folder. In the terminal you just opened, run:

```bash
python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
```

You'll know it worked when the prompt starts showing `(venv)`.

## Step 6: Install OpenStaad

```bash
pip install openstaad
```

## Step 7: Write the script

Still in VS Code, create a new file named `quickstart.py` inside your folder, then copy and paste this into it:

```python
from openstaad import ops

s = ops.connect()
print(f"Nodes: {s.GetNodeCount()}")
print(f"Beams: {s.GetBeamList()}")
```

## Step 8: Run it

> ⚠ Make sure STAAD.Pro is still open with your model loaded.

```bash
python quickstart.py
```

You should see the node and beam counts from your model printed in the terminal.

Need Python or STAAD.Pro installed first? Start with [Start from Scratch](/guides/start_from_scratch).

Source: https://www.openstaad.com/guides/quick_start_programmers