Getting Started
===============

.. verified:: 2025-11-20
   :reviewer: Christof Buchbender

Welcome to the CCAT Data Center! This section provides essential information for new
users and team members.

For a high-level overview about the data center see the :doc:`core_concepts`.

This documentation is organized by role and use case, making it easy to find information
relevant to your work.

We distinguish between four main roles:

* **Scientists** - Researchers using CCAT data and HPC resources
* **Instrument Teams** - Teams responsible for the operation of the instruments
* **Operations** - Teams responsible for the operation of the data center
* **Developers** - Teams responsible for the development of the data center software
  components and infrastructure

For each role we have a dedicated guide that provides information relevant to your work:

* :doc:`../scientists/guide` - Scientists guide
* :doc:`../instrument/integration` - Instrument teams guide
* :doc:`../operations/datacenter_operations` - Operations guide
* :doc:`../components/developers` - Developers guide


Essential Guides
----------------

* :doc:`core_concepts` - Core concepts and terminology
* :doc:`how_we_work_together` - Team collaboration guidelines

What's Next?
------------

After reviewing the getting started materials:

1. Review role-specific guides: :doc:`../scientists/guide`,
   :doc:`../instrument/integration`, or :doc:`../operations/datacenter_operations`
2. To understand the system architecture and infrastructure explore the
   :doc:`../operations/datacenter_operations` 
3. For detailed documentation on individual components such as the data transfer system,
   the API or the frontend check out the :doc:`../components/developers` for Python
   package documentation

Need Help?
----------

* Check the troubleshooting sections in each guide
* Review the FAQ in the :doc:`how_we_work_together` document
* Contact the team using the channels described in the collaboration guide