Players will be given their first ship very early into Starfield. After the first few introductory missions, you'll be set free to explore the galaxy to your heart's content. Flying your ship and the inevitable combat to follow is one of the core mechanics in the game, giving players many options of how to handle other ships they come across.
Starfield: How To Board Enemy Ships
Boarding enemy ships can lead to much better rewards than destroying the ship outright; here's how to board an enemy ship in Starfield.