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Cortiq Docs

First 30 minutes in Cortiq

This page takes you from a freshly activated Cortiq install to a running virtual session in roughly thirty minutes. By the end you’ll have a session that’s actually trading on a chart — without sending real orders.

What this is

Section titled “What this is”

The first thirty minutes are an integration test of your setup, not a strategy test. The walkthrough hits each external dependency once — MT5 bridge, AI provider, playbook, data package, session, journal — so any broken link surfaces fast and in isolation.

The strategy you build here is intentionally narrow: one symbol, one or two timeframes, one clear setup and invalidation rule. A simple playbook produces a readable journal, which is the only thing you actually need on day one.

How it fits into Cortiq

Section titled “How it fits into Cortiq”
You are hereComes beforeComes after
First 30 minutes (this page)Installation & activationIteration in Sessions and Playbooks & data packages

By the end of this walkthrough you’ll have:

  • Cortiq installed and activated.
  • MetaTrader 5 connected on the same machine.
  • One AI provider configured and responding.
  • One simple playbook and a focused data package.
  • One virtual session running and producing journal output.

How to use it

Section titled “How to use it”

Minute 0–5 — Install and activate

Section titled “Minute 0–5 — Install and activate”
  1. Download the current Cortiq release from GitHub Releases.
  2. Run Cortiq-win-Setup.exe on the machine that will run Cortiq. If Windows SmartScreen shows an “unknown publisher” notice, choose More info → Run anyway.
  3. Open the app and complete license activation in Settings → License.

If activation fails, stop and resolve it before moving on — see Installation & activation.

Minute 5–10 — Confirm MetaTrader 5 access

Section titled “Minute 5–10 — Confirm MetaTrader 5 access”
  1. Open MetaTrader 5 and confirm the correct terminal and account are running.
  2. Attach the ZmqFacade Expert Advisor to a chart with algorithmic trading allowed.
  3. In Cortiq, open Settings → MT5 Accounts and confirm the right account is configured.
  4. Watch the topbar MT5 health indicator turn green.

If the indicator stays red, see MetaTrader 5 integration before continuing.

Minute 10–15 — Configure one AI provider

Section titled “Minute 10–15 — Configure one AI provider”
  1. Pick one provider for the first run — ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, or a local model.
  2. Choose a transport: the API (a metered key, least setup), ACP or CLI (reuse a Claude or ChatGPT subscription you already pay for), or a local model on your own hardware.
  3. Confirm the provider’s auth badge is green in Settings → AI Providers — a session won’t start an unauthenticated provider.

Simplicity beats flexibility on day one. You can add a fallback provider later. See AI providers if the choice isn’t obvious.

Minute 15–20 — Create a narrow strategy setup

Section titled “Minute 15–20 — Create a narrow strategy setup”

Build the smallest playbook and data package that still expresses your idea:

  • One symbol — the single instrument this session will trade.
  • One or two important timeframes (not a stack of six).
  • One setup rule, one invalidation rule.

A narrow scope produces journals you can actually read. See Playbooks & data packages for a refresher.

Minute 20–25 — Create the first session

Section titled “Minute 20–25 — Create the first session”

Create one session with these defaults:

  • One symbol.
  • One MT5 account.
  • The provider you configured above.
  • Your simple playbook.
  • Your focused data package.
  • Virtual mode enabled.
  • Conservative risk settings — yes, even though the session is virtual.

Conservative risk settings on a virtual session matter because you’re rehearsing the live operating model. The first time you flip to live, the risk pause behavior must already feel familiar.

Minute 25–30 — Run and review

Section titled “Minute 25–30 — Run and review”
  1. Start the session.
  2. Let it complete one or more cycles.
  3. Open the journal and read the AI’s reasoning, the decision, and the simulated outcome.
  4. Look for clarity, not perfection.

The first question is did this workflow behave in a way I can understand and trust enough to improve? — not did it make money?

Reference

Section titled “Reference”

What good first-run success looks like

Section titled “What good first-run success looks like”
SignalWhat it tells you
Topbar MT5 indicator stays greenBridge is healthy.
Provider Health shows successful responsesAI provider is configured correctly.
Journal entries are readablePlaybook and data package are sensible.
Risk panel shows the configured limitsRisk validators are wired up.
Session moves through Running cleanlyOperating loop is intact.

What to avoid in the first 30 minutes

Section titled “What to avoid in the first 30 minutes”
  • Going live immediately.
  • Using multiple providers when one suffices.
  • Skipping risk settings because the first run is virtual.
  • Judging the platform from one isolated trade result.
Section titled “What to read next”
  1. Sessions — the next layer of session configuration once the basic loop is green.
  2. Playbook design guide — raises the quality of your second playbook.
  3. Journal & analytics — what to look for once you have several sessions to compare.
  4. Risk management — before any live execution.
Section titled “Related”