Getting Started
Stardew Valley is an open-ended game, allowing the player to achieve goals non-linearly.
There are various ways to earn income and many activities to choose from including farming, fishing, foraging, mining, fighting enemies, crafting, cooking, gift giving, completing quests, and restoring the Community Center.
Character creation
The Character Creation screen allows options for character name, gender, appearance, farm name, and preferred pet.
- There are 24 skin tones, 32 hair styles, 112 shirts and 20 accessories to choose from.
- The sliders next to eye color, hair color, and pants color represent hue, saturation, and lightness.
- The pet chosen here determines which pet will arrive on the farm later.
- Gender does not affect ingame marriage.
- The "favorite thing" will be referenced ingame when a specific item is obtained.
Players can later change their appearance for 
500g, in the Wizard's tower, after reaching 4 Hearts of friendship with him.
Controls
All hotkeys can be reassigned by opening the menu and choosing the Options tab 
| Key | Description |
| W A S D |
W moves the character up, A moves left, S moves down, D moves right |
| Left Click, C | Use tool |
| Right Click, X | Check/Do Action |
| Escape, E | Open Menu |
| F | Open Journal |
| M | Open Map window |
| Left Shift | Run |
| 1 - 0, - , + | Inventory hotkeys |
| F4 | Screenshot mode |
| Mouse Selection | Click on any item position with your mouse, even empty ones (which cannot be done with the mouse wheel or even the hotkeys) |
Tilling the soil
Use the hoe to till the soil on the farm and plant the 15 parsnip Seeds provided by Mayor Lewis.
Watering crops
The best times to upgrade the watering can is the day before it is supposed to rain or the second to last day of the season. Blacksmith will need 2 days to upgrade any certain tools, including watering can. Upgrade during rainy days means that crops will become moisturized, so it is a great deal to do watering can during rainy day or no duty on watering. Note: Players can craft rain totem to increase rain probability.
Another way to waters a crops is by Sprinklers. They will water the crops daily (including Winter) with no need for maintenance. As the cheapest sprinklers, they can water 4 tilted tiles (plus direction), and others are 8 tiles (3x3 area)and 24 (5x5 area).
Energy
Energy limits productivity. One of the main ways to overcome this is by eating food. Most crops and many foraged items can be eaten in order to regain energy.
On the third day of summer, an earthquake will remove the rocks that block the path leading to the Spa (north of the Carpenter's Shop). The Spa will fully restore energy over a short period of time.
Skills
To level up skills, player must complete certain actions, related to that certain skill. farming XP are earned by fully growing a crop. foraging XP are earned by foraging or breaking the trees. mining XP are earned by breaking rocks and ore deposits. And fishing and using crab traps will increase fishing XP. As the XP increase, player will earn crafting recipes (every level except level 5 and 10) or perks and expertise (on level 5 and 10)
Expertise (level 5 and 10) will gain player a boosts on yielding products, including more products gained, additional selling price, using less inventories and others. Warning: As your choice on level 5 expertise, level 10 choice are biased by your choice on level 5 perks and they are permanent.
Villagers
Giving gifts to villagers will increase their friendship rating. At certain levels of friendship, villagers will send cooking recipes or food through mail. Earning a relationship are required to start dating with villagers.
Relationship perks Beginning - Treat you as a stranger At 4 - Gaining access to their room (not house, as villager will lock their door after certain time) At 6 - Gaining their trusts, and speak about themselves. Some villager will send you their recipes and food. At 8 - Similar to previous perks and a requirement to give them bouquet (start love relationship). At 10 - Treat you as his/her best friend. This point are required to player to marry with that villager At 13 - Maximum relationship point for only your husband/wife. They are more likely to do farming, cooking, fixing posts, watering pet bowl in random interval.
Events only relationship requirements - Spring festival requires player to gain at least 4 hearts to ask them to be your dance partners. As this event, partners relationship points will remained unchanged. - Retrieving Lewis pants requires 4 relationship points with Marnie (gaining access to their room) - Every 2 level, villager cutscene are available. It will shows the real inside for that villager traits.
- See also: List of Best Gifts by Villager
Television
The television provides useful information, such as weather forecasts, fortune telling, free cooking recipes, and other general tips.