The OpenLayers library contains a wealth of functionality. Though the developers have worked hard to provide examples of that functionality and have organized the code in a way that allows other experienced developers to find their way around, may users find it a challenge to get started from scratch.
New users will most likely find diving into the OpenLayer’s example code and experimenting with the library’s possible functionality the most useful way to begin.
For further information on specific topics, browse the growing collection of OpenLayers documentation.
After understanding the basic components that make-up and control a map, search the API reference documentation for details on method signatures and object properties.
OpenLayers is supported and maintained by a community of developers and users like you. Whether you have questions to ask or code to contribute, you can get involved by signing up for one of the mailing lists and introducing yourself.