> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.quanux.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get started with QuanuX in minutes

> Install QuanuX, configure your broker credentials, start the server and research cockpit, and run your first backtest — all in a single session.

This guide walks you through the fastest path from zero to a running QuanuX environment. By the end, you'll have the backend server and Tauri research cockpit running locally, your secrets stored securely, and a backtest executing against historical data. The steps below assume you're on Linux or macOS and have the prerequisites installed — see the [Installation guide](/installation) if you need to set those up first.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install QuanuX">
    The fastest way to install QuanuX is through the official Conda channel. This installs the platform and all Python dependencies into a managed environment with no dependency conflicts.

    ```bash theme={null}
    conda config --add channels conda-forge
    conda config --add channels QuanuX
    conda install quanux
    ```

    If you prefer pip or want to install from source, see the full [Installation guide](/installation) for all three install paths.

    <Note>
      QuanuX requires Python 3.10+, Node.js v20+, and pnpm. The Conda install handles Python dependencies automatically, but you'll need Node.js and pnpm available separately for the cockpit.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure your secrets">
    QuanuX stores broker API keys, infrastructure credentials, and other secrets in your operating system's keyring — nothing is written to disk in plaintext. Run the interactive setup CLI to configure them:

    ```bash theme={null}
    python -m server.cli.setup_secrets
    ```

    The CLI will prompt you for each credential. At minimum, configure the keys for the brokerage you intend to connect to. You can add more credentials later at any time by re-running the wizard or using `quanuxctl <integration> <field> "<value>"`.

    <Tip>
      See [Managing secrets](/configuration/secrets) for the full list of supported integrations and how to set credentials for Rithmic, IBKR, TopstepX, and Tradovate.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start the core server">
    In a dedicated terminal, start the QuanuX backend server with uvicorn:

    ```bash theme={null}
    uvicorn server.app.main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080 --reload
    ```

    The `--reload` flag enables hot-reloading during development. For production nodes, omit it. The server exposes the QuanuX API on port 8080 and manages connections to your configured brokerages and data sources.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Launch the research cockpit">
    In a second terminal, start the Tauri desktop cockpit. This is your primary interface for strategy development, backtesting, and observing live execution:

    ```bash theme={null}
    pnpm -C client/desktop/tauri-app tauri dev
    ```

    The cockpit window will open automatically. On first launch, it connects to the server running on `localhost:8080`.

    <Tip>
      You can also run the cockpit as a web app without the Tauri desktop wrapper. Use `pnpm run web` from the project root to launch the browser-based version instead.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run your first backtest">
    With the server running and the cockpit open, navigate to the **Strategy Forge** section in the cockpit sidebar. From there you can:

    1. Create a new strategy using the Python editor or the AI Strategy Architect.
    2. Select a historical dataset (Databento L3 data is the primary source).
    3. Run the strategy through the Crucible backtesting engine.

    The Crucible engine uses the same code paths as live execution, so backtest results have binary replay parity with live structural executions — no drift between research and production.

    For a detailed walkthrough of writing and backtesting strategies, see [Writing strategies](/forge/writing-strategies) and [Backtesting](/forge/backtesting).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What's next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Core concepts" icon="lightbulb" href="/concepts/architecture">
    Understand how QuanuX nodes are structured and how the execution plane works.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Strategy Forge" icon="flask" href="/forge/overview">
    Learn how to develop, compile, and deploy strategies through the Forge.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Brokerages" icon="building-columns" href="/integrations/brokerages">
    Connect to your brokerage or prop firm through Rithmic, TopstepX, or IBKR.
  </Card>

  <Card title="CLI Reference" icon="terminal" href="/cli/overview">
    Use `quanuxctl` to manage nodes, deploy engines, and monitor your cluster.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>