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JT-Trader Installation

Complete guide for installing and configuring the JT-Trader platform for algorithmic trading.

License​

JT-LAB has a dual license:

  • 🟢 Free for personal, educational, and open-source use under AGPLv3 license.
  • 🔒 Commercial use requires a paid license.

System Requirements​

To run JT-LAB, you need:

  • Node.js: version 18
  • Git: for cloning the repository
  • Yarn: for dependency management
  • Redis: officially the system can work with file cache

Installation Methods​

JT-Trader can be installed in three ways depending on your needs:

🚀 Launcher - for users​

If you simply want to use JT-Trader for trading and don't plan to develop your own robots, then Launcher is the ideal choice. It will automatically install everything needed and configure the system for you.

🐳 Docker - for server deployments​

If you want to deploy JT-Trader on your server or in the cloud, then Docker is a convenient way. You can easily scale the system and manage multiple instances.

📦 GitHub - for developers​

If you plan to develop your own trading robots or make changes to the code, then installing from GitHub will give you full control over the source code and customization capabilities.

1. Installation via Launcher​

Launcher is the simplest way to install JT-Trader. It automatically downloads all necessary components, configures the environment, and launches the application. Perfect for those who want to quickly start working with the system.

Downloading Launcher​

Choose the version for your operating system:

Operating SystemDownload Link
WindowsJT-Trader-Launcher-Setup.exe
macOS (Intel)JT-Trader-Launcher.dmg *
macOS (Apple Silicon)JT-Trader-Launcher-arm64.dmg *
macOS Requirements

After installing the application on macOS, you need to remove the quarantine by running the command in the terminal:

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/JT-Trader Launcher.app"

This is necessary for the application to work correctly on macOS.

Installation​

  1. Download the appropriate file for your OS
  2. Run the installer and follow the instructions
  3. Wait for the automatic configuration to complete
  4. Open your browser and go to: http://localhost:8080

Launcher Advantages​

  • ✅ Automatic installation of all dependencies
  • ✅ Pre-configured environment
  • ✅ Automatic updates
  • ✅ Simple management interface
  • ✅ Built-in problem diagnostics

2. Installation via Docker​

Docker provides an isolated environment for running JT-Trader without the need to install dependencies on the main system. Great for deployment on servers and cloud environments.

Installing Docker​

Download and install the latest version of Docker for your operating system.

Quick Installation​

Windows​

  1. Create a working directory for the application
  2. Download the setup-windows.bat file and place it in the working directory
  3. Run setup-windows.bat
  4. After installation is complete, open your browser and go to: http://localhost:8080/

Linux / macOS​

  1. Create a working directory for the application
  2. Download the setup.sh file and place it in the working directory
  3. Open terminal, navigate to the working directory and run:
bash setup.sh
  1. After installation is complete, open your browser and go to: http://localhost:8080/

3. Direct Installation from GitHub​

📦 GitHub repository: jt-lab-com/jt-trader

For developers and advanced users who want full control over the installation process. This method is necessary if you plan to develop your own trading robots or modify the source code.

Cloning the Repository​

Clone the repository along with the jt-lib submodule:

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/jt-lab-com/jt-trader.git

Alternatively: If you already have a cloned repository without submodules:

git clone https://github.com/jt-lab-com/jt-trader.git
cd jt-trader
git submodule update --init --recursive

Installing Dependencies​

Navigate to the project folder and install dependencies:

cd jt-trader && yarn

Environment Configuration​

Create a .env file in the project root directory, copying the contents of .env.example, and specify values for the following environment variables:

Example .env Configuration​

# Basic settings
PORT=8080
SITE_API_HOST=https://jt-lab.com
STANDALONE_APP=1

# Trading engine mode: both, realtime, tester
ENGINE_MODE="both"

# File and directory paths
DATABASE_URL="file:/path/to/your/project/storage.db"
ROLLUP_TS_CONFIG=tsconfig.bundler.json
STRATEGY_FILES_PATH=/path/to/your/project/strategy-source/src
MARKETS_FILE_PATH=markets.json
ARTIFACTS_DIR_PATH=/path/to/your/project/artifacts
HISTORY_BARS_PATH=downloaded-history-bars
LOGS_DIR_PATH=artifacts

# Redis (optional - system can work with file cache)
# REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379

Variable Description​

VariableDescriptionExample
PORTPort on which the application will run8080
SITE_API_HOSTBase URL of the site APIhttps://jt-lab.com
STANDALONE_APPLocal operation mode (1 = enabled)1
ENGINE_MODETrading engine mode"both", "realtime", "tester"
DATABASE_URLAbsolute path to SQLite database file"file:/path/to/your/project/storage.db"
STRATEGY_FILES_PATHAbsolute path to strategy source code/path/to/your/project/strategy-source/src
ROLLUP_TS_CONFIGPath to TypeScript configurationtsconfig.bundler.json
MARKETS_FILE_PATHPath to markets configuration filemarkets.json
ARTIFACTS_DIR_PATHPath to strategy reports directory/path/to/your/project/artifacts
HISTORY_BARS_PATHPath to historical data directorydownloaded-history-bars
LOGS_DIR_PATHPath to logs directoryartifacts
REDIS_URLRedis connection URL (optional)redis://localhost:6379

⚠️ Important: Path Configuration​

Replace /path/to/your/project/ with actual paths to your project:

  • DATABASE_URL - specify the full path to the database file
  • STRATEGY_FILES_PATH - specify the path to the strategy source code folder
  • ARTIFACTS_DIR_PATH - specify the path to the reports and artifacts folder

Example for Windows:

DATABASE_URL="file:C:/Users/YourName/jt-trader/storage.db"
STRATEGY_FILES_PATH=C:/Users/YourName/jt-trader/strategy-source/src
ARTIFACTS_DIR_PATH=C:/Users/YourName/jt-trader/artifacts

Example for Linux/macOS:

DATABASE_URL="file:/home/username/jt-trader/storage.db"
STRATEGY_FILES_PATH=/home/username/jt-trader/strategy-source/src
ARTIFACTS_DIR_PATH=/home/username/jt-trader/artifacts

Build and Run​

To build the project, run:

yarn build:prod

To run the application in production mode:

yarn start:prod

Installation Verification​

  1. Open the web interface:

    • Go to: http://localhost:8080
    • Make sure the application loads

  2. Check JT-LIB:

# Check for jt-lib folder in the project
ls -la jt-lib/
  1. Configure exchange connections:
    • Go to the web interface
    • Navigate to the "Connections" section
    • Add exchange connections

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

"Module not found" Error​

# Reinstall dependencies
rm -rf node_modules
yarn install

Port Issues​

# Check which ports are in use
netstat -tulpn | grep :8080

Exchange Connection Issues​

  • Check API key correctness
  • Make sure IP address is allowed on the exchange
  • Check internet connection

Next Steps​

After successful installation:

  1. JT-Trader Configuration - Platform setup
  2. Getting Started - Interface learning
  3. Creating Strategies - Trading robot development
  4. Tester Overview - Strategy testing

Congratulations! You have successfully installed JT-LAB. Now you can start creating trading strategies! 🚀