diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0620bf5..7989926 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,13 @@ The skeleton documents what it provides and how to build on it. The framework's
 
 ## Get started
 
-Follow [Getting Started](docs/getting-started.md): prerequisites, cloning, installing, naming the plugin, and seeing it running in a local WordPress site. It takes about fifteen minutes.
+Create a new plugin with Composer, or clone this repository:
+
+```bash
+composer create-project rtcamp/plugin-elementary my-plugin
+```
+
+Then follow [Getting Started](docs/getting-started.md): prerequisites, getting the skeleton, installing, naming the plugin, and seeing it running in a local WordPress site. It takes about fifteen minutes.
 
 ## What is included
 
diff --git a/docs/getting-started.md b/docs/getting-started.md
index a42d738..1646b5e 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started.md
@@ -14,7 +14,19 @@ An existing local WordPress installation can replace the `wp-env` site; Docker i
 
 ## 1. Get the skeleton
 
-Clone it into the folder that will become your plugin directory:
+Download it into the folder that will become your plugin directory. Composer gives you a copy without the skeleton's Git history and installs the Composer dependencies:
+
+```bash
+composer create-project rtcamp/plugin-elementary acme-content-features
+cd acme-content-features
+git init
+git add .
+git commit -m "chore: start from plugin-elementary"
+nvm install
+nvm use
+```
+
+Or clone the repository:
 
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/rtCamp/plugin-elementary.git acme-content-features
@@ -23,6 +35,8 @@ nvm install
 nvm use
 ```
 
+The first commit gives the Composer copy a baseline to review init's changes against, and the repository lets `npm install` in step 2 set up the Git hooks.
+
 The folder name is the plugin's directory in WordPress and is what you pass to `wp plugin activate`. Name it after the main plugin file init will create (`acme-content-features`), so the local copy matches the release zip.
 
 ## 2. Install dependencies