Getting Started

Getting Started

Option 1 — the Windows exe (easiest)

1. Download EliteTrader.exe from Releases.
2. Run it. A desktop window opens; the app also serves the same UI on your network (the LAN URL is printed at startup, e.g. http://192.168.1.65:8666).
3. Allow the Windows Firewall prompt on Private networks if you want to use it from a phone/tablet.

The exe keeps its database in a data\ folder next to itself and updates itself: when a new release ships, a banner offers one-click Update & restart, and you can read the release notes right in the app before applying. (Checksum-verified; disable in Settings if you prefer.)

Windows may warn about an unsigned exe the first time — it's built by GitHub Actions from the public source; you can also build it yourself with build_exe.bat.

Option 2 — run from source (Windows)

Requires Python 3.10+.

git clone https://github.com/TannerMidd/elite-trader
cd elite-trader
run.bat

run.bat creates a virtual environment, installs dependencies and starts the app. run.bat --headless runs the server only (open the URL in a browser).

Option 3 — Linux / Steam Deck

The game runs under Steam Proton; the app runs natively with Python 3.10+:

git clone https://github.com/TannerMidd/elite-trader
cd elite-trader
chmod +x run.sh
./run.sh --headless

Open the printed URL in any browser. Journals inside the Proton prefix are auto-detected (~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/359320/pfx/... and ~/.steam variants). Headless + browser is the recommended mode on Linux. Autoplot is Windows-only; everything else works fully.

First run: what happens automatically

• Journal detection — the app finds the Elite Dangerous journal folder by itself, including a relocated Saved Games folder (resolved via the Windows known-folder API). Your commander, ship, location, credits, missions and trade history fill in within seconds.
• If it can't find the journals, a banner appears with an OPEN SETTINGS button → paste the folder path into Settings → Journal folder (it validates as you type and applies immediately, no restart). If the folder simply doesn't exist yet because the game has never run, the app picks it up by itself the moment the game creates it.

Next steps

• Build the Market Database for local, instant trade routes.
• Mount a tablet and try Flight Panel Mode.
• Bind nothing, change nothing — Autoplot uses your existing keys.