# Getting Started with Memgraph Lab

Learn all about the key steps needed to set up and use Memgraph Lab effectively.
This section will guide you through:
- [Installation and deployment](#installation-and-deployment)
- [Connection types](#connection-types)
- [Data migration](#data-migration)

Each topic is covered briefly here, with links to detailed subsections for further guidance.

## Installation and deployment

Install and run Memgraph Lab in different environments:

- [Desktop application](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/installation-and-deployment#install-memgraph-lab-desktop-application): Download and install on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- [Docker](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/installation-and-deployment#install-memgraph-lab-with-docker): Quickly set up Memgraph and Memgraph Lab with a single command.
- [Public shared](https://lab.memgraph.com): A pre-deployed version of Memgraph Lab, accessible in the browser for connecting to public Memgraph instances without installation.

For a complete installation guide, visit the [Installation and deployment](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/installation-and-deployment) section. If you already have Memgraph Lab installed, learn how to [update to the latest version](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/installation-and-deployment#update-memgraph-lab).

## Connection types

Memgraph Lab provides multiple ways to connect to a Memgraph database, depending on your deployment setup:

- [Standalone instance](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/connection-types#connect-to-a-standalone-instance): Establish a direct connection to a single Memgraph database instance, ideal for local development and small-scale deployments.
- [Main or replica instance](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/connection-types#connect-to-a-main-or-replica-instance): Manually connect to either the main instance, which handles write operations or a replica instance for read operations.
- [HA cluster with automatic failover](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/connection-types#connect-to-an-ha-cluster-with-automatic-failover): Connect to a High Availability cluster where automatic failover ensures seamless transitions between instances, providing increased reliability.

For detailed instructions on configuring and using each connection type, visit the [Connection types](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/connection-types) section.

## Data migration

Once connected, you can use Memgraph Lab to migrate data in Memgraph. 
Besides having a set of pre-prepared
[datasets](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/data-migration#datasets) which you can
import, Memgraph Lab eases the import of the following formats:

- [CSV file import](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/data-migration#csv-file-import): Load structured data from CSV files using the built-in CSV file import tool, making it easy to bring in tabular data.
- [CYPHERL](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/data-migration#cypherl): Import the CYPHERL file with Cypher queries to manually insert, update or modify data directly within Memgraph Lab.
- [Streaming data](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/data-migration#streams): Integrate real-time data sources, such as Kafka or Pulsar, to continuously ingest and analyze data as it arrives.

For a detailed guide on loading data, visit the [Data import](https://memgraph.com/docs/memgraph-lab/getting-started/data-migration) section.