The first minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Prìomh Mhinistear na h-Alba) is the head of government of Scotland and the keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, one of the great officers of state in Scotland. The first minister leads the Scottish Government, the executive branch of the devolved government.

The first minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development, and presentation of the Scottish Government's policies. Additional functions of the first minister include promoting and representing Scotland in an official capacity, at home and abroad, as part of the Scottish Government's approach to international relations. The first minister is nominated by the Scottish Parliament by members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), and is formally appointed by the monarch.

Members of the Scottish Cabinet and junior ministers of the Scottish Government are appointed by the first minister. The first minister is directly accountable to the Scottish Parliament for their actions and the actions of the wider government and cabinet. Additionally, the first minister is responsible for appointing the country's law officers – the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General for Scotland, as well as nominating and appointing the Lord President of the Court of Session, the Lord Justice Clerk and Senator's of the College of Justice, judges who sit within the Supreme Courts of Scotland.

The first minister is supported by their deputy first minister, as well as cabinet secretaries, junior ministers, government directorates and civil servants. The first minister is advised on matters by their chief of staff. The office is currently held by John Swinney, the MSP for Perthshire North and the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP). Swinney was elected first minister by the Scottish Parliament on 7 May 2024, and was sworn in the following day at the Court of Session.

Following the referendum in 1997, in which the Scottish electorate gave their consent, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive (later the Scottish Government) were established by the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the Labour government of the prime minister, Tony Blair.

Under the Acts of Union 1707, the former Parliament of Scotland merged with the English parliament, forming the Parliament of Great Britain. The re-establishment of a dedicated legislature and executive for Scotland was known as devolution and initiated a measure of home rule (self-governance) in its domestic affairs, such as health, education and justice. The devolution movement came to a head in the 1970s, and resulted in a Royal Commission on the Constitution, leading to the Scotland Act 1978. This would have established an autonomous Scottish Executive with a leader termed 'First Secretary', a post for which Strathclyde political leader Geoff Shaw was widely expected to be chosen. Shaw died prematurely and the failure of the referendum of 1979 led to the Act not being implemented.

Following the 1997 referendum and Scotland Act 1998, Scottish devolution led to the establishment of a post of first minister as head of the devolved Scottish Government.

Since 1999, the Secretary of State for Scotland of the British Government has had a much reduced role at the renamed Scotland Office as a result of the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government.