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Henry Lin
Henry Lin

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Chapter 2: Environment Setup and Installation

#linux #python #tooling #tutorial

Chapter 2: Environment Setup and Installation

Learning Objectives

After completing this chapter, you will:

  • Understand NautilusTrader's system requirements and dependencies
  • Master Python environment configuration methods
  • Learn to install NautilusTrader from different sources
  • Solve common installation issues
  • Configure an appropriate development environment

2.1 System Requirements

Operating System Support

NautilusTrader supports the following operating systems:

Operating System Architecture Status Description
Linux x86_64 ✓ Fully supported Recommended, best performance
Linux ARM64 ✓ Fully supported For ARM servers
macOS ARM64 (Apple Silicon) ✓ Fully supported Recommended for M1/M2/M3 chips
macOS x86_64 ✓ Supported For Intel chips
Windows x86_64 ✓ Supported 64-bit Windows 10/11

Python Version Requirements

  • Minimum requirement: Python 3.12
  • Recommended version: Python 3.12 - 3.14
  • Not supported: Python < 3.12

Hardware Requirements

Minimum Configuration

  • CPU: Dual-core 2GHz
  • Memory: 4GB RAM
  • Storage: 10GB available space
  • Network: Stable internet connection

Recommended Configuration

  • CPU: Quad-core 3GHz+
  • Memory: 16GB+ RAM
  • Storage: 50GB+ SSD
  • Network: Low-latency connection (< 50ms)

Production Environment

  • CPU: Octa-core 3GHz+
  • Memory: 32GB+ RAM
  • Storage: 500GB+ NVMe SSD
  • Network: Dedicated line, latency < 10ms

Optional Dependencies

Redis (Optional)

For caching and message bus persistence:

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install redis-server

# macOS (using Homebrew)
brew install redis

# Windows
# Download and install Redis for Windows
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Docker (Optional)

For containerized deployment:

# Install Docker Desktop
# https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop
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2.2 Python Environment Configuration

2.2.1 Using pyenv to Manage Python Versions (Recommended)

pyenv is a Python version management tool that allows easy switching between different Python versions.

Installing pyenv

macOS:

# Install using Homebrew
brew install pyenv

# Add to shell configuration file
echo 'export PYENV_ROOT="$HOME/.pyenv"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'command -v pyenv >/dev/null || export PATH="$PYENV_ROOT/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'eval "$(pyenv init -)"' >> ~/.zshrc

# Reload configuration
source ~/.zshrc
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Linux:

# Install dependencies
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y make build-essential libssl-dev zlib1g-dev \
    libbz2-dev libreadline-dev libsqlite3-dev wget curl llvm \
    libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev xz-utils tk-dev

# Clone pyenv repository
git clone https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv.git ~/.pyenv

# Add to shell configuration
echo 'export PYENV_ROOT="$HOME/.pyenv"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'command -v pyenv >/dev/null || export PATH="$PYENV_ROOT/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'eval "$(pyenv init -)"' >> ~/.bashrc

# Reload configuration
source ~/.bashrc
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Installing Python 3.12 

# List available versions
pyenv install --list | grep "3.12"

# Install Python 3.12
pyenv install 3.12.7

# Set global default version
pyenv global 3.12.7

# Verify installation
python --version
# Python 3.12.7
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2.2.2 Using uv Package Manager (Highly Recommended)

uv is an extremely fast Python package manager, 10-100x faster than pip.

Installing uv

macOS and Linux:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
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Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex
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Creating Virtual Environment 

# Create project directory
mkdir nautilus_trading
cd nautilus_trading

# Create virtual environment
uv venv

# Activate virtual environment
source .venv/bin/activate  # Linux/macOS
# or
.venv\Scripts\activate     # Windows
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2.3 Installing NautilusTrader

2.3.1 Method 1: Install from PyPI (Easiest)

This is the most recommended installation method for most users.

# Upgrade uv to latest version
uv self update

# Install nautilus_trader
uv pip install nautilus_trader
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Installing Specific Integrations (Optional)

If you need to use specific exchange integrations, you can install additional dependencies:

# Interactive Brokers support
uv pip install "nautilus_trader[ib]"

# Docker support
uv pip install "nautilus_trader[docker]"

# Visualization tools
uv pip install "nautilus_trader[visualization]"

# Betfair support
uv pip install "nautilus_trader[betfair]"

# DydX support
uv pip install "nautilus_trader[dydx]"

# Install all extra features
uv pip install "nautilus_trader[all]"
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Verifying Installation 

# Create test script test_install.py
import nautilus_trader as nt
from nautilus_trader.model import InstrumentId

print(f"NautilusTrader version: {nt.__version__}")
print("Installation successful!")

# Test basic functionality
try:
    # Try to create a simple object
    instrument_id = InstrumentId.from_str("BTCUSDT.BINANCE")
    print(f"Test passed: {instrument_id}")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"Test failed: {e}")
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Run the test:

python test_install.py
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2.3.2 Method 2: Install from Nautech Systems Package Index

This method provides more version options, including development versions.

Stable Version 

# Install latest stable version from official package index
uv pip install nautilus_trader \
    --index-url https://packages.nautechsystems.io/simple
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Development Version 

# Install latest development version (includes latest features)
uv pip install --pre nautilus_trader \
    --index-url https://packages.nautechsystems.io/simple
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Specific Version 

# Install specific version
uv pip install nautilus_trader==1.220.0 \
    --index-url https://packages.nautechsystems.io/simple
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2.3.3 Method 3: Build from Source (Developers)

If you need to modify source code or use the latest unreleased features.

Installing Build Dependencies

Installing Rust:

# Install using rustup (recommended)
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source "$HOME/.cargo/env"

# Verify installation
rustc --version
cargo --version
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Installing Clang (Linux):

sudo apt-get install clang
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Installing Clang (Windows):

  1. Install Visual Studio 2022
  2. Select "C++ Clang tools for Windows" in the installer

Clone and Build 

# Clone repository
git clone --branch develop https://github.com/nautechsystems/nautilus_trader.git
cd nautilus_trader

# Install all dependencies
uv sync --all-extras

# Set environment variables (Linux/macOS)
export PYO3_PYTHON=$(pwd)/.venv/bin/python
export PYTHONHOME=$(python -c "import sys; print(sys.base_prefix)")
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Build and Install 

# Build project
make build

# Or use make to build debug version
make build-debug

# Install to current environment
uv pip install -e .
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2.3.4 Method 4: Using Docker (Containerization)

If you want to use a containerized environment.

Pull Image 

# Pull latest version
docker pull ghcr.io/nautechsystems/nautilus_trader:latest

# Or pull nightly version
docker pull ghcr.io/nautechsystems/nautilus_trader:nightly
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Run Container 

# Run interactive container
docker run -it --rm \
    -v $(pwd):/workspace \
    ghcr.io/nautechsystems/nautilus_trader:latest \
    bash

# Or use JupyterLab
docker run -p 8888:8888 \
    ghcr.io/nautechsystems/jupyterlab:latest
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Dockerfile Example 

FROM ghcr.io/nautechsystems/nautilus_trader:latest

# Install additional dependencies
RUN pip install "nautilus_trader[all]"

# Copy your strategy code
COPY ./strategies /app/strategies
COPY ./data /app/data

WORKDIR /app

# Run your strategy
CMD ["python", "-m", "nautilus_trader", "run", "--config", "config.yml"]
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2.4 Development Environment Configuration

2.4.1 IDE Configuration

VS Code Configuration

Install extensions:

  1. Python
  2. Python Docstring Generator
  3. Pylance
  4. GitLens
  5. Docker (if using Docker)

Configure settings.json:

{
    "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "./.venv/bin/python",
    "python.linting.enabled": true,
    "python.linting.pylintEnabled": true,
    "python.formatting.provider": "black",
    "editor.formatOnSave": true,
    "editor.codeActionsOnSave": {
        "source.organizeImports": true
    }
}
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Configure debugger (.vscode/launch.json):

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Debug Strategy",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/run_strategy.py",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "env": {
                "PYTHONPATH": "${workspaceFolder}"
            }
        }
    ]
}
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PyCharm Configuration

  1. Open project
  2. Set Python interpreter to point to virtual environment
  3. Configure code style (Black)
  4. Set up type checking (mypy)

2.4.2 Code Formatting and Quality Checking

Create pyproject.toml:

[tool.black]
line-length = 100
target-version = ['py312']
include = '\.pyi?$'
extend-exclude = '''
/(
  # directories
  \.eggs
  | \.git
  | \.hg
  | \.mypy_cache
  | \.tox
  | \.venv
  | build
  | dist
)/
'''

[tool.isort]
profile = "black"
multi_line_output = 3
line_length = 100
include_trailing_comma = true

[tool.mypy]
python_version = "3.12"
warn_return_any = true
warn_unused_configs = true
disallow_untyped_defs = true

[tool.ruff]
line-length = 100
select = ["E", "F", "W", "C90"]
ignore = ["E501"]
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2.4.3 Git Configuration

Create .gitignore:

# Python
__pycache__/
*.py[cod]
*$py.class
*.so
.Python
env/
venv/
ENV/
env.bak/
venv.bak/

# IDEs
.vscode/
.idea/
*.swp
*.swo
*~

# Jupyter Notebook
.ipynb_checkpoints

# OS
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# NautilusTrader specific
logs/
data/
*.log
config_live.yml
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2.5 Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Python Version Incompatibility

Error message:

ERROR: Package requires a different Python
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Solution:

# Check Python version
python --version

# Switch to 3.12+ using pyenv
pyenv global 3.12.7

# Or create new environment using conda
conda create -n nautilus python=3.12
conda activate nautilus
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Issue 2: Compilation Error (Linux)

Error message:

error: invalid value for 'target-feature': 'crt-static'
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Solution:

# Install system dependencies
sudo apt-get install build-essential

# Or use static linking
export RUSTFLAGS="-C target-feature=+crt-static"
uv pip install nautilus_trader
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Issue 3: Insufficient Memory

Error message:

MemoryError during build
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Solution:

# Increase swap space
sudo fallocate -l 4G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile

# Limit parallel compilation
export CARGO_BUILD_JOBS=2
uv pip install nautilus_trader
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Issue 4: Network Issues (Chinese Users)

Error message:

Could not fetch URL https://pypi.org/simple/...
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Solution:

# Use domestic mirror
uv pip install nautilus_trader \
    --index-url https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple

# Or configure pip
pip config set global.index-url https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple
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Issue 5: Permission Error

Error message:

PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied
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Solution:

# Use user installation
uv pip install --user nautilus_trader

# Or use virtual environment (recommended)
uv venv
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install nautilus_trader
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2.6 Verifying Installation

Create Test Script

Create verify_installation.py:

#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Verify NautilusTrader Installation
"""

import sys
from pathlib import Path

def test_imports():
    """Test basic imports"""
    print("Testing imports...")

    try:
        import nautilus_trader as nt
        print(f"✓ NautilusTrader {nt.__version__}")
    except ImportError as e:
        print(f"✗ Import failed: {e}")
        return False

    try:
        from nautilus_trader.model import InstrumentId, Price, Quantity
        print("✓ Core models")
    except ImportError as e:
        print(f"✗ Core models import failed: {e}")
        return False

    try:
        from nautilus_trader.backtest.engine import BacktestEngine
        print("✓ Backtest engine")
    except ImportError as e:
        print(f"✗ Backtest engine import failed: {e}")
        return False

    try:
        from nautilus_trader.adapters.binance.common.enums import BinanceAccountType
        print("✓ Binance adapter")
    except ImportError as e:
        print("⚠ Binance adapter not installed (optional)")

    return True

def test_basic_functionality():
    """Test basic functionality"""
    print("\nTesting basic functionality...")

    try:
        from nautilus_trader.model import InstrumentId
        from decimal import Decimal

        # Create instrument ID
        instrument_id = InstrumentId.from_str("BTCUSDT.BINANCE")
        print(f"✓ Created instrument ID: {instrument_id}")

        # Create price object
        from nautilus_trader.model.objects import Price
        price = Price.from_str("50000.00")
        print(f"✓ Created price object: {price}")

        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"✗ Basic functionality test failed: {e}")
        return False

def test_performance():
    """Test performance"""
    print("\nTesting performance...")

    try:
        import time
        from nautilus_trader.model.objects import Price
        from decimal import Decimal

        # Test object creation speed
        start = time.time()
        for _ in range(10000):
            Price.from_str("50000.00")
        elapsed = time.time() - start

        print(f"✓ Created 10,000 price objects in {elapsed:.3f} seconds")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"✗ Performance test failed: {e}")
        return False

def main():
    print("NautilusTrader Installation Verification")
    print("=" * 40)

    # Check Python version
    if sys.version_info < (3, 12):
        print(f"⚠ Python version too low: {sys.version}")
        print("Python 3.12 or higher is required")
        return

    print(f"✓ Python version: {sys.version.split()[0]}")

    # Run tests
    tests = [
        test_imports,
        test_basic_functionality,
        test_performance,
    ]

    all_passed = True
    for test in tests:
        if not test():
            all_passed = False

    print("\n" + "=" * 40)
    if all_passed:
        print("✓ All tests passed! Installation successful.")
    else:
        print("⚠ Some tests failed. Please check installation.")
        sys.exit(1)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()
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Run Verification 

python verify_installation.py
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Expected Output 

NautilusTrader Installation Verification
========================================
✓ Python version: 3.12.7
Testing imports...
✓ NautilusTrader 1.220.0
✓ Core models
✓ Backtest engine
✓ Binance adapter
Testing basic functionality...
✓ Created instrument ID: BTCUSDT.BINANCE
✓ Created price object: 50000.00
Testing performance...
✓ Created 10,000 price objects in 0.045 seconds

========================================
✓ All tests passed! Installation successful.
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2.7 Next Steps

Congratulations! You have successfully installed NautilusTrader. In the next chapter, we will:

  1. Learn NautilusTrader's core concepts
  2. Create your first simple strategy
  3. Run your first backtest
  4. Understand the basic workflow

2.8 Summary

This chapter detailed the NautilusTrader installation process:

Key Points

  1. System requirements: Python 3.12+, supports mainstream operating systems
  2. Recommend using uv package manager for fast installation
  3. Multiple installation methods: PyPI, source build, Docker
  4. Virtual environment isolation to avoid dependency conflicts
  5. Verify installation to ensure functionality works

Best Practices

  • Use pyenv to manage Python versions
  • Use uv to manage package dependencies
  • Create dedicated virtual environments
  • Configure development tools and environment properly
  • Run verification scripts to confirm installation

2.9 References

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