Install VisualHFT and verify first launch

Use this guide for the VisualHFT Core and Pro installer, VisualHFT-Setup.exe. If you clone from GitHub, use the open-source build guide; the package layout and available plugins are different.

Choose an installation path

Use the path that matches how you intend to work with VisualHFT.

Path	Best for	What you need
VisualHFT installer	Operators and researchers using Core or Pro	A VisualHFT access or download link
Source build	Plugin authors, contributors, and teams evaluating the public code	Follow the pinned open-source build guide

The VisualHFT installer is the normal Core and Pro path. Build from source when you need to inspect or change the public application, develop open-source plugins, or validate a contribution.

System requirements

• Windows 11 on a 64-bit processor
• A current graphics driver for GPU-backed chart surfaces
• Outbound HTTPS and secure WebSocket access for live exchange connectors
• A VisualHFT account with access to the requested release channel and plugins

The installer is self-contained and carries its .NET 10 runtime. You do not need to install a separate .NET SDK or Visual Studio for Core or Pro.

Install a released build

1. Download VisualHFT-Setup.exe from the stable or beta link assigned to your account.
2. Open the file properties and inspect its Digital Signatures tab before running it. Stop if the signature is missing or invalid.
3. Run the installer as your normal Windows user. It installs per-user under %LocalAppData%\VisualHFT.
4. Allow the installed application to launch, then complete sign-in when prompted.
5. Wait for the Dashboard and toolbar to finish loading before opening connectors or studies.

Released builds update through the VisualHFT release channel. Stable and beta channels are separate; use beta only when you are intentionally validating a prerelease.

Build from source

The public repository is the canonical source for open-source build instructions. It requires the VisualHFT OxyPlot fork in a sibling directory—cloning only the application repository is not sufficient.

Open the pinned source-build guide →

Confirm a healthy first launch

A healthy first launch has these properties:

• the main shell opens without a blocking error;
• Marketplace, Plugins Management, and Application Settings are reachable from the Dashboard toolbar;
• provider and connector state are visible before you rely on any data;
• panels may show empty or placeholder values until data arrives;
• the notification surface does not report a persistent startup failure.

No market data is required for this check. Empty charts on first launch are expected.

Establish a first Dashboard baseline

Treat the initial workspace as a small operational baseline:

1. Keep Multi Venue Prices visible as the initial market-data surface.
2. Open Plugins Management and inspect plugin status before starting anything.
3. Configure one connector and one liquid symbol.
4. Add studies only after the connector is publishing current data.

Start with one venue and one liquid symbol. Adding several feeds at once makes connection, symbol-normalization, and entitlement problems harder to isolate.

Next step

Continue to Run and operate VisualHFT to configure a connector, select a venue and symbol, and verify feed health.

For the public source-build workflow, read Getting Started with the Open-Source VisualHFT Application.