> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://zerv.wisl.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Run zerv flow in a Git repo, then fan one ZERV RON payload out to every format your pipeline needs.

## Version any Git state

`zerv flow` versions any Git state with no manual configuration. The current branch
determines the output:

```bash theme={null}
zerv flow
# → 1.0.0 (on main branch with tag v1.0.0)
# → 1.0.1-rc.1.post.3 (on release branch with pre-release tag)
# → 1.0.1-beta.1.post.3+develop.3.gf297dd0 (on develop branch)
# → 1.0.1-alpha.59394.post.1+feature.new.auth.1.g4e9af24 (on feature branch)
# → 1.0.1-alpha.17015.post.1.dev.1764382150+feature.dirty.work.1.g54c499a (on dirty feature branch)
```

See [Flow](/concepts/flow) for how branch patterns map to pre-releases, and the
[flow CLI](/cli/flow) for every schema, branch-rule, and override flag.

## Multiple format generation

Generate ZERV RON once, then convert it into every format your pipeline needs. This is the
pattern the [reusable GitHub Actions workflow](/cicd/github-actions) automates; see
[`.github/workflows/shared-zerv-versioning.yml`](https://github.com/wislertt/zerv/blob/main/.github/workflows/shared-zerv-versioning.yml)
for a full implementation.

```bash theme={null}
# (on dirty feature branch)
ZERV_RON=$(zerv flow --output-format zerv)

# semver
echo $ZERV_RON | zerv version --source stdin --output-format semver
# → 1.0.1-alpha.17015.post.1.dev.1764382150+feature.dirty.work.1.g54c499a

# pep440
echo $ZERV_RON | zerv version --source stdin --output-format pep440
# → 1.0.1a17015.post1.dev1764382150+feature.dirty.work.1.g54c499a

# docker_tag
echo $ZERV_RON | zerv version --source stdin --output-template "{{ semver_obj.docker }}"
# → 1.0.1-alpha.17015.post.1.dev.1764382150-feature.dirty.work.1.g54c499a

# v_semver
echo $ZERV_RON | zerv version --source stdin --output-prefix v --output-format semver
# → v1.0.1-alpha.17015.post.1.dev.1764382150+feature.dirty.work.1.g54c499a

# v_major (schema-based approach)
echo $ZERV_RON | \
    zerv version --source stdin \
         --schema-ron '(core:[var(Major)], extra_core:[], build:[])' \
         --output-prefix v --output-format pep440
# → v1

# v_major_minor (schema-based approach)
echo $ZERV_RON | \
    zerv version --source stdin \
         --schema-ron '(core:[var(Major), var(Minor)], extra_core:[], build:[])' \
         --output-prefix v --output-format pep440
# → v1.0

# v_major_custom (custom template-based approach)
echo $ZERV_RON | zerv version --source stdin --output-template "v{{ major | default(value=\"0\") }}"
# → v1

# v_major_minor_custom (custom template-based approach)
echo $ZERV_RON | zerv version --source stdin --output-template "v{{ major | default(value=\"0\") }}{{ prefix_if(value=minor, prefix=\".\") }}"
# → v1.0
```

## Where to go next

* [Flow](/concepts/flow) - how any Git state becomes a version
* [Schema system](/concepts/schema-system) - presets and custom RON schemas
* [Formats and templates](/concepts/formats-and-templates) - output formats and Tera templates
* [CI/CD](/cicd/github-actions) - drop-in GitHub Actions integration