diff --git a/index.rst b/index.rst
--- a/index.rst
+++ b/index.rst
@@ -46,6 +46,20 @@
 * PEPs_ (Python Enhancement Proposals)
 
 
+Quick Start
+-----------
+
+Here is a list of the basic step necessary to get set up and make a patch:
+
+1. get :ref:`a clone of CPython <setup>` with
+   ``hg clone http://hg.python.org/cpython``;
+2. run ``./configure --with-pydebug && make -j2``
+   to :ref:`build Python <compiling>`;
+3. :doc:`run the tests <runtests>` with ``./python -m test``;
+4. make the :doc:`patch <patch>`;
+5. submit it to the `issue tracker <http://bugs.python.org/>`_.
+
+
 Contributing
 ------------
 
diff --git a/setup.rst b/setup.rst
--- a/setup.rst
+++ b/setup.rst
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@
 affected files as described below.)
 
 
+.. _compiling:
+
 Compiling (for debugging)
 -------------------------