About this time every year, Apple gives a gift to mobile developers: the newest version of iOS. Developers then have most of the summer to play with the beta version and ready their apps for the full release of the operating system when the new iPhone is launched later in the year.

This year Apple has announced iOS 7—and it is a dramatic new release of Apple’s core mobile operating system with a new look and a treasure trove of new functions.

How do you get started with iOS 7? Below are the basics of what you will need to know to load the new iOS and get started building apps.

Before Downloading The iOS 7 Beta

Before you ge