Learn Godot - Installation & Project Setup

#Introduction

Welcome to episode 3 of the Learn Godot series. In the previous two episodes, we built up theoretical understanding: in episode 1 we learned the history and why Godot, and in episode 2 we understood the scene tree, nodes, resources, signals, and export templates. Now it's time to get our hands dirty — we'll install Godot and create our first project.

Don't worry if the editor feels full of buttons at first; the editor layout only looks busy because it's feature-rich. This episode's roadmap: downloading and installing Godot, creating a new project, understanding the editor layout, resource folders and project settings, then running a project for the first time.

#Downloading and Installing Godot

Godot is distributed as a ready-to-run binary, not a large installer. Visit the official Godot website, grab the 4.x stable version, and choose the variant for your operating system. Versions compiled with the C# editor add C# language support, but for this series we use GDScript, so the standard version is enough.

For Linux and command-line lovers, download via curl and extract:

curl -LO https://github.com/godotengine/godot/releases/download/4.3-stable/Godot_v4.3-stable_linux.x86_64.zip

mkdir -p ~/tools
unzip Godot_v4.3-stable_linux.x86_64.zip -d ~/tools

~/tools/Godot_v4.3-stable_linux.x86_64

To make sure the binary is detected from anywhere, add that folder to your PATH in your shell configuration file. After that, verify the installation with godot --version — this command will show the engine version, and it's the same command we'll use to run projects via the CLI later. On Windows and macOS, just run the extracted executable; the process is identical.

#Creating a New Project

Open the Godot editor, then in the Project Manager choose New. Give the project a name, for example godot-lab, and choose a storage location. Godot will create a new folder containing project.godot — a text file that holds the entire project's configuration. Godot 4's default renderer is Forward+ for 3D; for a 2D project, choose the Mobile or Compatibility renderer to keep it lightweight.

A quick look at the contents of project.godot:

config_version=5
 
[application]
config/name="godot-lab"
run/main_scene="res://scenes/main.tscn"
 
[display]
window/size/viewport_width=1152
window/size/viewport_height=648
 
[rendering]
renderer/rendering_method="mobile"

This file can be edited manually, but it's better to change it through Project Settings in the editor to avoid format mistakes. The run/main_scene value determines which scene runs when you press the play button.

#Understanding the Editor Layout

When the project opens, you'll see several main panels that will accompany you for the whole journey:

• Scene panel (top left) — the node hierarchy of the currently open scene.
• Viewport (center) — the visual view of the scene; move, zoom, and select nodes directly here.
• Inspector (right) — the properties of the currently selected node.
• FileSystem (bottom left) — all of your project files.
• Bottom panel — output, debugger, and console for runtime messages.

Get used to the shortcuts: F1 opens search, and pressing the play button (or F5) runs the project. The main editor workflow: select a node in the Scene panel, adjust its properties in the Inspector, and save the scene.

#Resource Folders, Scenes, and Project Settings

Godot uses the res:// folder as the project root. Every file inside the project folder is recognized as a Godot resource. The recommended convention:

godot-lab/
├── project.godot
├── scenes/      # .tscn scene files
├── scripts/     # .gd GDScript files
├── assets/      # images, audio, models
└── shaders/     # .gdshader shader files

The folders don't have to be exactly like this, but consistency will save you in large projects. Project Settings (Project > Project Settings) is the configuration hub: project name, window size, input actions, autoload, and rendering settings. We'll return here often, especially when configuring the input map in episode 11.

#Running the Project and Testing

To run the project, first create a simple scene: click the + button in the Scene panel to add a root node (for example Node2D), save it as scenes/main.tscn, then set it as the main scene in Project Settings. After that, press F5 or click the play button.

Godot can also run a project from the terminal — useful for automated testing and debugging:

godot --path . --headless

The --headless mode runs the project without a window, ideal for running scripts and testing logic without a display. This combination will be our friend when we cover scripting in episode 5 and automation in episode 19.

#Conclusion

Godot is now installed and you have your first project. You know how to download and run the editor, read the structure of project.godot, recognize the editor layout, organize resource folders, and run a project both from the play button and from the command line. This is the operational foundation that will be used in every episode ahead.

The key takeaways:

• Godot is a ready-to-run binary; download the 4.x stable version for your OS.
• project.godot holds the entire project configuration, and run/main_scene determines the initial scene.
• The Scene panel, viewport, Inspector, FileSystem, and bottom panel are the five main editor areas.
• Use separate folders for scenes, scripts, and assets to keep the project maintainable.
• godot --path . --headless is your gateway to testing and automation.

In the next episode, episode 4, we dive into the core of gameplay: nodes, scenes, and instancing — from the types of nodes, building scene hierarchies, instancing scenes as reusable prefabs, to grouping nodes. You'll start to feel what it's like to "assemble" a game.