When I say this is a mechanical sewing machine, I mean it has no electronic parts. I like that, because machines that are purely mechanical tend to last longer.
The manual assumes that you've sewn before and that you are familiar with the basics of sewing machines.
You will need to adjust the tension carefully, if the tension is wrong, the fabric may not move. Some people complained about this in reviews of the other shark machines, but there is a lovely chart in the manual that tells you where each dial should be set for light, medium, or heavy fabrics. If you use the chart, you shouldn't have any problems.