---
title: Pick a template
description: Pick the right starter for your idea — an interactive app or a content site.
---

Your app gets its name, colour and icon automatically from what you ask for: tell your agent the app's name and what it does in your first prompt. To rename it later, ask your agent — it edits one file (`brand.json`) and everything follows.
Every Outer app starts from one of two starters. Tell your agent which one
you want in your first prompt. The default is `app`.

Building it? The agent reads Agents → [Templates](/agents/start-here/templates)
for the technical details.

## Pick one in your first prompt

| Your idea | What to ask for |
| --- | --- |
| Landing page, portfolio, blog, event page | Ask for a `website` |
| Grocery list, dashboard, anything with accounts or live data | Ask for an `app` |
| Starts static, might grow accounts later | Ask for an `app`. A site that outgrows the website template wants the app template instead |

Ask like this: "Build a portfolio site on Outer with the website template."
Or: "Build a grocery list app for my family on Outer."

## The app starter

The `app` is an interactive app: accounts, live state,
dashboards, anything with more than one database table. Pages read and
write the database directly. Pick it when people
sign in, save things, or see live updates. Every app is installable on phones: [Install on phones](/frontend/install-on-phones).

## The website starter

The `website` is a content site: landing pages, portfolios, blogs, event
pages. Pages are mostly static, prerendered HTML with Astro routing. Small
interactive parts (like a newsletter form) run as islands. It fits at most
one server route or two talking to D1.

## When your site outgrows the website starter

A website that needs sign-in, live collaboration, or a second database
table has outgrown the website template. Rebuild it on `app` rather than
stretching server routes into a full app. If your site grows accounts or
live collaboration, say so: it wants the app template, not more islands.