---
title: "Quick start: your first answer from your own lab data"
description: "Create a Biocompile project, ask the AI research assistant about a plate-reader CSV, check the Python code behind the answer and keep the result on the project."
url: https://www.biocompile.com/docs/quick-start/
section: "Get started"
last_updated: 2026-10-23
app_url: https://app.biocompile.com/research-hub
---

# Quick start: your first answer from your own lab data

> Create a Biocompile project, ask the AI research assistant about a plate-reader CSV, check the Python code behind the answer and keep the result on the project.

Source: https://www.biocompile.com/docs/quick-start/. Index of all Biocompile documentation: https://www.biocompile.com/docs/index.md

Biocompile's quick start takes you from sign-in to a first cited answer about your own data
in six steps. The example is a growth experiment: optical density readings at 600 nm from
a 96-well plate reader, exported as `plate_reader_OD600_2026-03.csv`.

For a guided tour inside the application instead, open **Help → Replay onboarding**.

You need a Biocompile account. Sign up at
[app.biocompile.com/signup](https://app.biocompile.com/signup), which is free to start and
needs no payment method, or ask an organization admin to invite you if your team already
uses Biocompile.

## Get a first answer

1. Open **Research Projects**, choose **New Project**, enter a **Project Name** such as
   "Growth of strain K12-04 on xylose", and choose **Create Research Project**.
   Result: Biocompile shows "Project created" and opens the new project.
2. If the assistant pane is hidden, choose **Show assistant** in the top bar. Then choose
   **New conversation**, open **No project** under the message box and select your
   project under **Project context**. Result: the menu shows "Project:" followed by your
   project's name.
3. Drag `plate_reader_OD600_2026-03.csv` into the message box, or type `@` and the name of
   a file already in the Knowledge Atlas, then ask a focused question and send it:

   > Fit a logistic growth model to each well in plate_reader_OD600_2026-03.csv, report
   > the maximum growth rate per well and flag wells that look contaminated.

   Result: the assistant shows each of its **Work steps** as it runs, then writes its
   answer.
4. Open a step to read its **Request** and **Response**, and follow the citations in the
   answer. Result: you see the code that produced each number. If the answer is not what
   you need, ask a sharper follow-up in the same conversation.
5. Choose **Contribute work** under the message box, then **Prepare contribution**.
   Result: "Preparing contribution" appears, followed by a review of every change the
   assistant proposes for the project.
6. Check each proposed change and choose **Accept contribution**. Result: Biocompile shows
   "Contribution approved and applied", and the findings appear in the project.

> **Note:** In Auto Mode the assistant can prepare and apply contributions without
> asking. Turn **Auto Mode** off beside the message box to review each one.

## Next steps

- [AI research assistant: ask your files and the literature](https://www.biocompile.com/docs/ai-research-assistant.md)
- [Knowledge Atlas: upload, preview and edit lab files](https://www.biocompile.com/docs/knowledge-atlas.md)
- [Research projects: hypotheses, evidence and decisions](https://www.biocompile.com/docs/projects.md)

## Get access to Biocompile

Biocompile is used in the browser at https://app.biocompile.com. It is free to start and no payment method is required: sign up at https://app.biocompile.com/signup?mc_cta=docs-md&mc_path=/docs/quick-start.md. If your team already uses Biocompile, ask an organization admin to invite you. Research teams that want hands-on setup can apply for the founder-led pilot at https://www.biocompile.com/pilot/. Questions: https://www.biocompile.com/contact/.