diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9a894e3..aaf7d10 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -118,7 +118,34 @@ The [documentation](docs/) covers each convention in detail.
 
 ## Installation and first build
 
-Use Node.js 22.18+ within the 22.x release line, or Node.js 24 or newer.
+Use Node.js 22.18+ within the 22.x release line, or Node.js 24 or newer, with npm 10 or newer.
+
+### Create a new app
+
+Start a new project with the [DOMStack starter](https://github.com/bcomnes/create-domstack-app#readme):
+
+```sh
+npm create @domstack/app@latest my-app
+cd my-app
+npm run dev
+```
+
+The starter prompts for TypeScript or JavaScript and optional JSX, Tailwind CSS, and deployment support.
+It installs dependencies and copies DOMStack's default layout, global stylesheet, and client script into `src/` for customization.
+Open the development server's URL and edit `src/page.md` to see changes with live reload.
+
+Stop the development server with Ctrl+C, then build the site into `public/`:
+
+```sh
+npm run build
+```
+
+
+See the [starter options](https://github.com/bcomnes/create-domstack-app#options) for non-interactive setup and other choices.
+
+### Manual setup alternative
+
+To start without the generator, install DOMStack and create a page yourself.
 The v12 prerelease is published under the `beta` npm tag.
 
 In a new project directory:
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index d76d7c0..2a4d120 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ dataDeps:
 # Documentation
 
 [DOMStack](../) builds websites from ordinary HTML, Markdown, CSS, and JavaScript files.
-Start with [Core concepts](../#core-concepts), then follow [Installation and first build](../#installation-and-first-build).
+Start with [Core concepts](../#core-concepts), then [create a new app](../#create-a-new-app) with `npm create @domstack/app@latest my-app`.
+To set up the files yourself, follow the [manual setup alternative](../#manual-setup-alternative).
 Use these references as your project grows.
 
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