> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ats-doc.gitbook.io/v1/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ats-doc.gitbook.io/v1/getting-started/quickstart.md).

# Quickstart

Get started with ATS in just a few steps! Follow the instructions below to set up the environment, configure your system, and start creating strategies.

**Step 1: Install Dependencies**

You can access the ATS codebase here: <https://github.com/ats-sys/ats>. If you have not cloned it yet, clone the code base first.

Make sure you have installed  [**Miniconda**](https://docs.anaconda.com/miniconda/install/) (or [**Anaconda**](https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/)) and [**MongoDB**](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/manual/administration/install-community/) on your system.&#x20;

To set up the environment for ATS, run the provided setup script. This script will create a separate Conda environment named `ats` with all the necessary dependencies specified in the `environment.yml` file. During the installation process, you can interactively choose optional dependencies to install.

The setup script can be executed using the following command:

```bash
./setup.sh
```

**Step 2: Configure Environment Variables**

Set up your environment by creating and configuring a `.env` file. This file should include the following settings:

```env
PORT=3000
LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017
MONGODB_DB=ats
```

* **PORT**: The port ATS will use (default: 3000).
* **LOG\_LEVEL**: Logging level (e.g., DEBUG for detailed logs).
* **MONGODB\_URI**: URI to connect to your MongoDB instance.
* **MONGODB\_DB**: Database name used for storing ATS data.

Ensure that MongoDB is running and accessible at the specified URI.

**Step 3: Start ATS**

Once everything is setup, ATS can be started using **one of the the following methods**.

1. Manually run the main script using the following commands:

```bash
conda activate ats
python main.py
```

2. Start ATS using the provided start script:

```bash
./start.sh
```

This will launch ATS on the configured port (3000 by default).

**Step 4: Access the Strategy Tester**

Open your web browser and navigate to:

```bash
http://localhost:3000/portal
```

This URL provides access to the ATS Strategy Tester interface.

**Step 5: Create a New Strategy**

To begin backtesting or live trading, create a new strategy:

1. In the Strategy Tester portal, select "Create New Strategy."
2. Use a sample JSON configuration to define your strategy parameters. Refer to the [Sample Trading Configs](/v1/getting-started/sample-trading-configs.md) section in this documentation for guidance on structure and required fields.