Getting Started with Fincept Terminal Development

Your Complete Onboarding Guide

Welcome to Fincept Terminal! This guide will get you from zero to your first contribution.

What is Fincept Terminal?

Fincept Terminal is a native C++20 desktop terminal for financial research — Qt6 UI, embedded Python 3.11 analytics, one binary.

It ships in two editions on one data core:

Open source (this repository) — AGPL-3.0, free for learning, personal use and academic research. Ships one release a month. This guide covers building it.
Enterprise — the private, closed-source build for funds, family offices and research desks: 41 modules, proprietary datasets, multi-agent research, live broker routing, SSO and an SLA, from $99/user/month. It is not built from this repository.

The Big Picture

Current reality:

Legacy professional terminals: ~$27,000/year per seat
Industry-standard market data subscriptions: $20,000+/year
Professional tools locked behind paywalls

What this repository is for:

100+ data source integrations (stocks, crypto, forex, economic data, news)
AI-powered analysis — bring your own LLM key
Native C++ performance — no browser/JS overhead
Built by the community, for the community

Contributions land in the open-source edition. Private datasets, point-in-time history, included AI credits and live execution are Enterprise features.

Technology Decisions (and Why)

C++20 + Qt6 — Native performance, polished UI, single binary
Qt6 Network + WebSockets — Cross-platform networking, TLS built-in
Qt6 Charts — Financial charting without extra dependencies
Qt6 Sql (SQLite) — Local data caching for speed
Embedded Python — Access to vast ecosystem of financial libraries (yfinance, pandas, etc.)

Quick Setup

Prerequisites

Tool	Required Version	Notes
C++ compiler	MSVC 19.40+ / GCC 12.3+ / Apple Clang 15.0+	See platform-specific instructions below
CMake	3.27+	Build system
Qt	6.8.x (6.8.3 recommended)	UI framework
Python	3.11.x	Embedded analytics runtime

Optional (faster builds):

Ninja — parallel build system (auto-detected if installed)
ccache — compiler cache (auto-detected if installed)

Step 1 — Install a C++20 Compiler

Windows

Install Visual Studio 2022 17.10+ (Community edition is free). Select the "Desktop development with C++" workload during installation.

Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+ / Debian 12+)

sudo apt install -y build-essential g++-12

macOS

xcode-select --install

Requires Xcode 15.2+ (Apple Clang 15.0).

Step 2 — Install CMake

Windows: winget install Kitware.CMake
Linux: sudo apt install -y cmake (verify cmake --version >= 3.27; if older, download from cmake.org)
macOS: brew install cmake

Step 3 — Install Qt 6.8.3

Download the Qt Online Installer from https://www.qt.io/download-qt-installer

Select Qt 6.8.3 and your platform kit:

Windows: MSVC 2022 64-bit (default install: C:\Qt\6.8.3\msvc2022_64)
Linux: Desktop gcc 64-bit (default install: ~/Qt/6.8.3/gcc_64)
macOS: macOS (default install: ~/Qt/6.8.3/macos)

Linux system packages (alternative):

sudo apt install -y \
  qt6-base-dev qt6-charts-dev qt6-tools-dev qt6-base-private-dev \
  libqt6sql6-sqlite libqt6websockets6-dev \
  libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev

Step 4 — Install Python 3.11

Windows: python.org 3.11.9 (check "Add to PATH")
Linux: sudo apt install python3.11
macOS: brew install python@3.11

Step 5 — Clone and Configure

git clone https://github.com/Fincept-Corporation/FinceptTerminal.git
cd FinceptTerminal/fincept-qt

Tell CMake where Qt is (pick one method):

Option A — Environment variable (recommended, set once):

# Windows (PowerShell)
$env:QT_DIR = "C:\Qt\6.8.3\msvc2022_64"

# Linux
export QT_DIR=~/Qt/6.8.3/gcc_64

# macOS
export QT_DIR=~/Qt/6.8.3/macos

Option B — CMakeUserPresets.json (persistent per-clone):

cp CMakeUserPresets.json.example CMakeUserPresets.json
# Edit CMakeUserPresets.json — set CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH to your Qt install path

Option C — Command line (one-off):

cmake -B build/win-release -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
  -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="/path/to/Qt/6.8.3/kit"

Note: If you installed Qt to the default location, CMake will auto-detect it — no configuration needed.

Step 6 — Build and Run

Windows (run from Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022 or Developer PowerShell):

cmake --preset win-release
cmake --build --preset win-release
.\build\win-release\FinceptTerminal.exe

Linux:

cmake --preset linux-release
cmake --build --preset linux-release
./build/linux-release/FinceptTerminal

macOS:

cmake --preset macos-release
cmake --build --preset macos-release
./build/macos-release/FinceptTerminal.app/Contents/MacOS/FinceptTerminal

Windows users: You must run from a Developer Command Prompt (or run vcvars64.bat first) so that MSVC, Windows SDK headers, and Ninja are on PATH. A regular PowerShell/CMD will fail with "cannot find stddef.h" errors.

Verify Everything Works

Once the app opens:

Click "Continue as Guest" — No registration needed for development
Navigate to Markets tab — Should see market data
Try switching tabs — Dashboard, Markets, News, etc.

Understanding the Codebase

Project Structure

FinceptTerminal/
│
├── fincept-qt/                     ← Main application (you'll work here)
│   ├── src/                        ← C++ source code
│   │   ├── app/                    ← Entry point, MainWindow, ScreenRouter
│   │   ├── core/                   ← Shared infrastructure
│   │   │   ├── config/             ← App-wide constants
│   │   │   ├── events/             ← Pub/sub messaging (EventBus)
│   │   │   ├── logging/            ← Structured logging (Logger)
│   │   │   ├── result/             ← Result<T> error handling
│   │   │   └── session/            ← Session management
│   │   ├── ui/                     ← Reusable Qt widgets
│   │   │   ├── theme/              ← Obsidian design system (StyleSheets)
│   │   │   ├── widgets/            ← Card, SearchBar, StatusBadge, etc.
│   │   │   ├── charts/             ← ChartFactory (Qt6 Charts)
│   │   │   ├── tables/             ← DataTable
│   │   │   └── navigation/         ← NavigationBar, StatusBar, FKeyBar
│   │   ├── network/                ← HTTP client, WebSocket client
│   │   ├── storage/                ← SQLite databases + repositories
│   │   ├── auth/                   ← Authentication (JWT, guest mode)
│   │   ├── python/                 ← Python runtime bridge
│   │   ├── trading/                ← Trading engine + broker integrations
│   │   ├── services/               ← Market data, news services
│   │   └── screens/                ← Terminal screens (50+)
│   │
│   ├── scripts/                    ← Python analytics scripts
│   ├── CMakeLists.txt              ← Build configuration
│   ├── CMakePresets.json           ← Build presets (portable, no local paths)
│   └── CMakeUserPresets.json.example  ← Template for local Qt path config
│
└── docs/                           ← Documentation

How Data Flows

User clicks "Get AAPL quote"
        │
        ▼
Screen (MarketsScreen.cpp)          ← UI rendering only
        │
        ▼
Data Service (MarketDataService)    ← Fetching + caching
        │
        ├─── HTTP API call (QNetworkAccessManager)
        │         │
        │         ▼
        │    Parse JSON (QJsonDocument)
        │
        └─── Python Script (optional)
                  │
                  ▼
             PythonRunner executes script
                  │
                  ▼
             Returns JSON to C++
        │
        ▼
UI updates with data

Key Patterns

If you want to...	Look at this
Add a new screen	`src/screens/dashboard/` (as template)
Add a data fetcher	`scripts/yfinance_data.py` (as template)
Use UI widgets	`src/ui/widgets/`
Make HTTP calls	`src/network/http/HttpClient.cpp`
Store data locally	`src/storage/sqlite/Database.cpp`
Add a Python analytics module	`scripts/Analytics/`
Add a broker	`src/trading/brokers/`
Style a screen	`src/ui/theme/StyleSheets.cpp` + `DESIGN_SYSTEM.md`

Your First Contribution

Path A: Easy (15 minutes)

Improve Documentation — Fix a typo or unclear explanation in any .md file.

Path B: Easy (30 minutes)

Add a Python Data Fetcher — Follow the pattern in scripts/yfinance_data.py to create a wrapper for a new free API.

Path C: Medium (1-2 hours)

Add a New Screen — Follow the patterns in src/screens/ to add a new Qt6 screen.

Path D: Advanced (2-4 hours)

Add a Broker Integration — Follow the BrokerInterface pattern in src/trading/brokers/.

Common Development Workflows

Workflow 1: Add a New Python Script

cd fincept-qt/scripts

# Create the script
# Follow yfinance_data.py pattern: CLI args → JSON stdout

# Test standalone
python my_script.py command arg1 arg2

# Rebuild to include in resources
cd ..
cmake --build build --config Release

Workflow 2: Add a New Screen

Create folder: src/screens/your_feature/
Create files: YourScreen.h/.cpp (subclass QWidget)
Add .cpp file to CMakeLists.txt SCREEN_SOURCES list
Register screen in src/app/MainWindow.cpp via ScreenRouter
Add navigation entry in NavigationBar
Build and test

Workflow 3: Fix a Bug

git checkout -b fix/issue-123-description
# Fix the issue
cmake --build build --config Release
# Test the fix
git add <files>
git commit -m "fix: resolve market data loading crash"
git push origin fix/issue-123-description

Code Style

4-space indentation, 120 column limit
snake_case for functions/variables, PascalCase for types/classes
Trailing underscore for member variables: data_, loading_
No using namespace std; — use explicit std:: prefix
Use Q_OBJECT macro in all QObject subclasses
Connect signals/slots with the new pointer-to-member syntax

Troubleshooting

CMake can't find Qt6

Set the QT_DIR environment variable or pass -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH:

cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="/path/to/Qt/6.8.3/platform"

Windows: "Cannot open include file: 'stddef.h'"

You're not running from a VS Developer Command Prompt. Either:

Open "Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022" from the Start menu
Or run "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat" in your current shell

Python script not found

python --version         # Verify Python is in PATH
python scripts/yfinance_data.py quote AAPL   # Test directly

OpenGL errors on Linux

sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev

Build is extremely slow or hangs the whole computer

Almost always RAM exhaustion, not a broken toolchain:

The build auto-caps parallel compiles based on your RAM (a Ninja job pool in CMakeLists.txt). If you removed it or forced a large -j, restore it — 12 simultaneous MSVC/Qt compiles need 15–48 GB and will swap a 16 GB machine until the OS freezes. Tune per-machine with -DFINCEPT_MAX_COMPILE_JOBS=N.
Keep ≥5 GB RAM free while building. The final link (1000+ objects) needs ~3–4 GB; starved of memory it pages and a one-line rebuild balloons from ~5 s to minutes. Close browsers / IDEs / other heavy apps first.
Windows: add Microsoft Defender real-time exclusions for the repo + build/ tree and the cl.exe / link.exe / ninja.exe / cmake.exe binaries — scanning the 100 k+ build files is a big per-compile tax.
A normal one-line incremental rebuild should be ~5–6 s. If it's much slower, check free RAM first. Full rationale: Build performance & machine requirements in CLAUDE.md.

Getting Help

Channel	Link
GitHub Issues	https://github.com/Fincept-Corporation/FinceptTerminal/issues
GitHub Discussions	https://github.com/Fincept-Corporation/FinceptTerminal/discussions
Discord	https://discord.gg/ae87a8ygbN
Email	support@fincept.in

Ready to contribute?

Pick an issue: https://github.com/Fincept-Corporation/FinceptTerminal/issues
Read the C++ guide: fincept-qt/CONTRIBUTING.md
Read the Python guide: PYTHON_CONTRIBUTOR_GUIDE.md

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Getting Started with Fincept Terminal Development

Your Complete Onboarding Guide

What is Fincept Terminal?

The Big Picture

Technology Decisions (and Why)

Quick Setup

Prerequisites

Step 1 — Install a C++20 Compiler

Windows

Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+ / Debian 12+)

macOS

Step 2 — Install CMake

Step 3 — Install Qt 6.8.3

Step 4 — Install Python 3.11

Step 5 — Clone and Configure

Step 6 — Build and Run

Verify Everything Works

Understanding the Codebase

Project Structure

How Data Flows

Key Patterns

Your First Contribution

Path A: Easy (15 minutes)

Path B: Easy (30 minutes)

Path C: Medium (1-2 hours)

Path D: Advanced (2-4 hours)

Common Development Workflows

Workflow 1: Add a New Python Script

Workflow 2: Add a New Screen

Workflow 3: Fix a Bug

Code Style

Troubleshooting

CMake can't find Qt6

Windows: "Cannot open include file: 'stddef.h'"

Python script not found

OpenGL errors on Linux

Build is extremely slow or hangs the whole computer

Getting Help

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GETTING_STARTED.md

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GETTING_STARTED.md

File metadata and controls

Getting Started with Fincept Terminal Development

Your Complete Onboarding Guide

What is Fincept Terminal?

The Big Picture

Technology Decisions (and Why)

Quick Setup

Prerequisites

Step 1 — Install a C++20 Compiler

Windows

Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+ / Debian 12+)

macOS

Step 2 — Install CMake

Step 3 — Install Qt 6.8.3

Step 4 — Install Python 3.11

Step 5 — Clone and Configure

Step 6 — Build and Run

Verify Everything Works

Understanding the Codebase

Project Structure

How Data Flows

Key Patterns

Your First Contribution

Path A: Easy (15 minutes)

Path B: Easy (30 minutes)

Path C: Medium (1-2 hours)

Path D: Advanced (2-4 hours)

Common Development Workflows

Workflow 1: Add a New Python Script

Workflow 2: Add a New Screen

Workflow 3: Fix a Bug

Code Style

Troubleshooting

CMake can't find Qt6

Windows: "Cannot open include file: 'stddef.h'"

Python script not found

OpenGL errors on Linux

Build is extremely slow or hangs the whole computer

Getting Help