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

# Where to start

> A quick map of the Fundamentals section of Start Here: two plain-language series, Core Banking and Accounting, and which one to read first.

The **Fundamentals** section of Start Here is where you build intuition before touching anything Lerian-specific. It holds two short, plain-language series that build a foundation for core banking from two angles. Accounting explains trustworthy financial records. Core Banking explains how a complete banking platform applies them.

<Card title="Accounting" icon="money-bill-wave" href="/en/start-here/fundamentals/accounting/what-is-accounting" horizontal>
  Explains the language underneath it: assets, liabilities, debits, credits, and how the books stay balanced.
</Card>

<Card title="Core Banking" icon="building-columns" href="/en/start-here/fundamentals/core-banking/what-is-core-banking" horizontal>
  Explains a complete core banking platform: its ledger foundation, accounts, balances, value movement, customer identity, reporting, and auditability.
</Card>

They sit side by side because they answer different questions. Core Banking shows you the *machine*. Accounting shows you the *grammar* behind it.

## Which one first

***

| If you want to…                                                                        | Start with                            |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Understand how a complete core banking platform works, including its ledger foundation | **Core Banking**                      |
| Understand the accounting language behind it                                           | **Accounting**                        |
| Understand both                                                                        | **Accounting**, then **Core Banking** |

<Tip>
  If you're unsure, start with **Accounting**. The vocabulary it teaches makes everything in Core Banking (and the rest of the docs) easier to follow.
</Tip>