---
title: Get Started with Parachain Development
description: Practical examples and tutorials for building and deploying Polkadot parachains, covering everything from launch to customization and cross-chain messaging.
categories:
- Basics
- Parachains
url: https://docs.polkadot.com/parachains/get-started/
word_count: 238
token_estimate: 557
version_hash: sha256:33ba15486ecca4f2953ffecd2080f2fed3e8b3f42fa015ae2cef4a227bb84606
last_updated: '2026-06-04T16:08:37+00:00'
---

# Get Started

The following sections provide practical recipes for building parachains on Polkadot—each focused on specific development scenarios with step-by-step, hands-on examples.

## Quick Start Guides

Quick start guides help developers set up and interact with the Polkadot parachain ecosystem using various tools and frameworks.

|                                            Tutorial                                            |         Tools         |                               Description                               |
|:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------:|:---------------------:|:-----------------------------------------------------------------------:|
| [Set Up the Parachain Template](/parachains/launch-a-parachain/set-up-the-parachain-template/) |     Polkadot SDK      | Learn how to set up and run the Polkadot SDK Parachain Template locally |
|            [Launch a Local Parachain](/parachains/testing/run-a-parachain-network/)            | Zombienet, Chopsticks |           Set up a local development environment for testing            |
|              [Fork an Existing Parachain](/parachains/testing/fork-a-parachain/)               |      Chopsticks       |           Create a local fork of a live parachain for testing           |

## Launch a Simple Parachain

Learn the fundamentals of launching and deploying a parachain to the Polkadot network.




## Customize Your Runtime

Build custom functionality for your parachain by composing and creating pallets.




### Pallet Development

Deep dive into creating and managing custom pallets for your parachain.




## Testing

Test your parachain in various environments before production deployment.




## Runtime Upgrades and Maintenance

Manage your parachain's lifecycle with forkless upgrades and maintenance operations.




## Interoperability

Configure your parachain for cross-chain communication using XCM (Cross-Consensus Messaging).




## Integrations

Integrate your parachain with essential ecosystem tools and services.




## Additional Resources

- [Polkadot SDK Documentation](https://paritytech.github.io/polkadot-sdk/master/polkadot_sdk_docs/polkadot_sdk/index.html)
- [Polkadot Wiki - Parachains](https://wiki.polkadot.com/learn/learn-parachains/)