# Make your first swap (/users/quickstart)



This is the whole path. It takes one signature.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ## Open the app [#open-the-app]

    Go to [zerochord.com](https://zerochord.com).

    The header shows the product name and the Cardano network this deployment reads. Check
    that network now. A wallet on a different network cannot sign here, and Zerochord blocks
    signing rather than letting you find out at the end.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ## Connect your wallet [#connect-your-wallet]

    The **Wallet** panel lists every CIP-30 wallet extension your browser exposes. Press
    **Connect** next to the one you want.

    Once connected, the panel shows your change address, the network your wallet reports, and
    whether the wallet holds collateral. Every Zerochord route runs a Plutus script, so
    collateral is required. If your wallet reports none, set some aside in the wallet and the
    panel updates.

    [More on connecting a wallet](/users/guides/connect-a-wallet)
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ## Choose the pair and the amount [#choose-the-pair-and-the-amount]

    In **Pair and amount**, pick what you pay under **You pay** and what you want under **You
    receive**. Each option shows the asset symbol and how many decimal places it has.

    Type the amount in whole units of the asset you are paying. If you type more decimal
    places than the asset holds, Zerochord tells you and does not round. Rounding your input
    without saying so would change the amount you are about to sign for.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ## Set your slippage allowance [#set-your-slippage-allowance]

    **Slippage allowance, basis points** starts at 50, which is 0.50 percent. It must be a
    whole number below 10 000.

    This number decides the minimum output written into the transaction. A larger allowance
    accepts a worse fill. A smaller one is stricter, and the swap fails rather than filling
    below it.

    [More on slippage](/users/guides/set-slippage)
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ## Read the quote [#read-the-quote]

    The quote appears on the right as soon as Zerochord has one. While it is working, the
    panel says **Reading pools and solving the route**.

    Read at least these three lines before you go on:

    * The banner at the top, which says how the route settles.
    * **Minimum output enforced on chain**, which is the number the transaction is held to.
    * **Against the direct route**, which says whether routing beat the best single pool.

    [What every row means](/users/guides/read-your-quote)
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ## Sign and submit [#sign-and-submit]

    Press **Sign and submit**. Your wallet opens and asks you to approve one transaction.

    The button stays disabled until a quote with a minimum output exists, so the numbers you
    are signing for are always on screen first. If the button is disabled, every reason is
    listed under it.

    <Callout type="warn">
      Approve promptly. The venue caps how long a signed swap stays valid. If the window closes
      while the wallet dialog is open, Zerochord tells you exactly that, sends nothing, and
      fetches a fresh quote for you.
    </Callout>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ## Check what arrived [#check-what-arrived]

    After submission you land on the receipt for that transaction. Press **Read the received
    amount from the chain** to have Zerochord read the result back off the chain and put it
    next to the minimum you were quoted.

    [More on receipts](/users/guides/check-your-receipt)
  </Step>
</Steps>

## If the route places an order instead [#if-the-route-places-an-order-instead]

Some routes settle inside the transaction you sign. Others place an order that a batcher
fills afterwards. The banner on the quote panel always says which, and it never calls an
order immediate.

When your route places an order, it appears under **Pending orders** until it fills. You
can cancel it from there and get your funds back.

<Cards>
  <Card title="Track a pending order" href="/users/guides/track-a-pending-order" />

  <Card title="Cancel an order" href="/users/guides/cancel-an-order" />
</Cards>