The starter shingle if you put the first row of shingles on the edge of the roof just like all the rest you will see the bare roof deck through the cracks between the shingles.
Roof shingle cellophane strip.
A simpler and very useful purpose for using starter shingles along the rake edge is that it gives the installer a nice straight line to use as a guide when ending each course of the field shingles.
At the rake the sealant strip will be positioned at the outer roof edge and once warmed by the sun it will help seal the rake ends of all the finish roof shingles.
In the industry this strip is often referred to as release tape the cellophane release tape lines up with the adhesive strip on the shingle below it in the bundle to keep the shingles from.
A superior alternative to starter shi.
Many self taught roofers follow the wrong technique of installing the first row.
To prevent shingles from sticking to each other while still in the bundle manufacturers add a small strip of cellophane on the back of each shingle.
Iko s roofing shingles feature an adhesive strip on the back.
This article discusses best roofing practices for the installation of asphalt roof shingles including installation temperature shingle sealing methods shingle course offsets asphalt shingle nailing location and specifications low slope and steep slope limits for asphalt shingles and roof flashing at building eaves and around skylights.
The cellophane strip or in some products a plastic or wax coated paper strip found between individual asphalt roof shingles and located just over the glue strip that bonds shingles together is factory installed to prevent shingles from sticking together while they are still in the bundle in storage.