---
title: "Get Started"
description: "Get started with Middleware installation to deploy agents, monitor applications, and enable full observability."
section: "Getting Started"
breadcrumb: "Overview"
canonical: "https://docs.middleware.io/get-started"
---
# Get Started

Middleware unifies data from across your systems to help **pinpoint issues**, identify and **monitor bottlenecks**, and simulate and report on **user behavior** without the need for deep code level changes or in-house managed data pipelines.

Data is collected through simple to deploy [**Host Agents**](/get-started/agent), [**SDKs**](/get-started/apm), and [**3rd party integrations**](/integrations) (e.g. AWS, Azure, Prometheus, and many others). All data points are connecting using request context to simplify exploration and root cause analysis.

**New here? Three steps to your first data.** Create an account, copy your keys, install an agent.

1. **Create your account** — Sign up free, or sign in with Google, GitHub or SSO
2. **Copy your API key and target** — Snippets across these docs fill them in once you sign in
3. **Install your first agent** — A host agent, an SDK, or a third-party integration

## Creating an account

In order to get started you will need to create an account.

- [Sign Up](https://app.middleware.io/auth/register) — Sign up for a free account and get a 14 day free trial.
- [Log In](https://app.middleware.io/auth/login) — Log in if you already have an account.

> You may choose to authenticate using **Google**, **Github**, **Email**, **Okta SSO**, or **Microsoft Entra ID SSO**.

## When you first log in

The first screen you land on is the [Installation Page](https://app.middleware.io/installation/agent/kubernetes), which is a collection of installation guides for all supported operating systems, languages, and integrations.

The **Getting Started** docs you're reading are a step-by-step guide catered towards new users. If you already know what you want to install, feel free to skip to the associated [Installation Page](https://app.middleware.io/installation/agent/kubernetes) in the platform, or the relevant section in the left nav of these docs.

## API key and target url

All of Middleware's instrumentation uses an `MW_API_KEY` and an `MW_TARGET` to authorize requests and determine where to send data.

### In code snippets across the docs

The `MW_API_KEY` and `MW_TARGET` are pre-populated in code snippets across the documentation, assuming you are logged in (top right of the screen). The project dropdown will say "Default" unless you have multiple [Projects](/features/accounts/projects) inside the platform.

```bash
MW_API_KEY="your-initial-token"
MW_TARGET=your-initial-uid
```

### Inside the platform

You may also find your keys on any of the [Installation Pages](https://app.middleware.io/installation/agent/kubernetes) inside of the Middleware platform.

## Built for all stacks

Middleware supports all major operating systems and programming languages, with additional support for third-party agents like Datadog, the OTel Collector, Logstash, fluentd, and more.

- [**Agent Installation**](/get-started/agent) — Install a host agent on Linux, Windows, macOS, Kubernetes, Docker or ECS.
- [**SDKs**](/get-started/apm) — Instrument your services with the APM and RUM SDKs.
- [**Integrations**](/integrations) — Connect cloud accounts, databases, message queues and on-call tools.

Need assistance or want to learn more about Middleware? Get in touch with us via our Contact Us page or join our Slack channel.