Guide

How to install NinjaTrader 8

  1. Minimum PC requirements
    • Windows 8, or Windows 10;
    • Minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768;
    • Minimum P4 Processor or higher;
    • 2GB RAM;
    • Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 (pre-installed on most PC’s or can be downloaded below).
  2. Installation steps
    • If you do not have the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 installed on your PC please download and install it from here.
    • Download and install NinjaTrader.
    • Firewall Software – NinjaTrader contacts our license server on application start up for license key validation. If you have a firewall, spyware or other such software running on your PC, please ensure that you grant NinjaTrader permission to access the internet or you may receive an invalid or license expired message.
    • Platform Activation for Live Trading – If you registered to use the free simulation version you can skip this step.
      • A license key to activate live trading is sent via email within minutes from the time you complete your purchase (check your junk/spam folder if you have not received it)
      • Start NinjaTrader, select the menu Help > License Key within the Control Center and enter your license key.
    • Once the installation is complete, please review the appropriate Connection Guide to establish a connection to your broker or market data feed service provider.

Connect NinjaTrader to Market Data

After downloading NinjaTrader, you can see this video to learn how to launch NinjaTrader and connect to live market data in this 3-minutes video:

Launch NinjaTrader

The icon labeled just “NinjaTrader 8” is the 32-bit version and the one labeled “NinjaTrader 8 (64-bit)” is the 64-bit version. It is recommended to use the 64-bit version as it is optimized for your computer’s CPU architecture, but you can select either icon. In either version, you will have access to all the same settings and data.
If launching NinjaTrader for the first time, a Get Connected window will appear where you will have the opportunity to create an account connection. If you requested a futures data trial, this is where to enter the demo account credentials you received by email

Connect your account

You can also use the Connections menu to create a new account connection. From the Control Center, click Connections > configure to access the Connections menu.

Use NinjaTrader’s Connections menu to create, configure and remove market data & account connections.

Since many data providers support the NinjaTrader platform, step-by-step connection guides are available to help you create a connection to your broker or data provider.

Once your connection has been created, use the Connections drop-down menu from the Control Center to connect or disconnect to your account by simply clicking the name of the connection.

Connection status Indicator

In the bottom left-hand corner of the Control Center, there is a connection status indicator which displays whether NinjaTrader is connected to data or not. Below are the various connection states and their associated colors in the Control Center:

How can I install a product (strategy or indicator)

When you buy a product (strategy or indicator) you should install it as a 3rd party Add-Ons. It can be imported from the NinjaTrader Control Center following these steps.

  1. From the Control Center window select the menu Tools > Import> NinjaScript Add-On… to open the “Import” dialog window;
  2. Select the file you want to import;
  3. Press the “Import” button.

Learn how to install a 3rd party indicator or a:pp in this 1-minute video:

If a strategy uses NinjaTrader ATM, what should I do?

An ATM Strategy provides a semi-automated order management features to allow you to automate the management of a position. In trading, a position is defined as the total contracts/shares held long or short for a specific instrument in a specific account. An ATM Strategy can be thought of as:

“A collection of user defined rules/conditions that create and manage a set of Stop Loss and Profit Target orders that are used to govern a portion or an entire open position.”

Learn how to place Bracket orders to a strategy that uses ATM in this 2-minute video: