BEFORE YOU BEGIN / FAQ
Good questions.
Straight answers.
Practical guidance for getting started, choosing a host, and understanding how to run NFI.
Reviewed . Sources are linked in every answer.
01 / THE BASICS
Getting started
Know what you are running before you set it up.
What is NFI, and how does it relate to Freqtrade?
NostalgiaForInfinity is a trading strategy for Freqtrade. Freqtrade provides the bot engine and exchange connection; NFI supplies strategy logic. You install, configure and operate that setup on your own hardware or server. This website introduces the project; it does not run a bot for you.
What should I know before starting?
Be comfortable using a terminal, editing configuration files, reading logs and managing exchange API permissions. Freqtrade also recommends basic coding and Python knowledge. Learn the setup and trading risks before using real funds, and start with a dry-run rather than treating installation as the final step.
Which setup guide and strategy version should I follow?
Start with the current NFI README and setup guide, then use the matching Freqtrade installation instructions. Check the chosen strategy, exchange, trading mode and required configuration together. An old configuration copied from a chat may override settings the current strategy expects; do not mix versions without checking compatibility.
Current NFI guidanceInstallation and setupNFI + Freqtrade checklist
02 / YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE
Hardware & hosting
Separate the engine's minimum requirements from the workload you plan to run.
What are the minimum and recommended hardware specs?
Freqtrade documents a Linux baseline of 2 vCPUs, 2GB RAM and 1GB disk space. That is an engine baseline, not a measured NFI minimum.
For one NFI live or dry-run bot, a Linux VPS with 2 vCPUs and 4GB RAM is this site's practical starting suggestion. Allow extra storage for data and logs, and monitor resource use with your own pairlist and configuration.
Can I run NFI on a Raspberry Pi?
A Raspberry Pi 4 with 4GB RAM is a practical starting option for one bot, not a universal capacity guarantee. Use a 64-bit OS, reliable storage, power and internet. Freqtrade recommends Docker for ARM64 installations. Keep resource-heavy research separate from a small machine running your bot.
Does backtesting need more hardware than running a bot?
Large datasets, many pairs and parallel optimization can demand much more CPU and memory than one running bot. Freqtrade explicitly advises against Hyperopt on a Raspberry Pi. Size research workloads separately, and avoid letting them compete with a live bot for limited resources. Multiple bots also share the same host capacity.
03 / DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION
Running & maintaining
Test first, keep credentials private, and understand what your bot is doing.
What is dry-run, and why start there?
Dry-run follows current market data with a simulated wallet and trades; it does not submit real trading orders. It lets you inspect signals, configuration and operational behavior before using funds. Confirm that dry-run is enabled in the configuration actually loaded by the bot. Simulated execution is not proof of future live results.
How should I handle exchange API keys?
Grant only the permissions the bot needs for the selected trading mode. Do not enable withdrawals for a trading-bot key. Keep secrets out of Git repositories, screenshots, logs and Discord messages. Check any exchange IP restrictions against your bot host. This website never needs your API keys.
Why is my bot running without opening trades?
No trades does not automatically mean a fault: the strategy may simply have no entry signal. Start with the logs to distinguish normal waiting from errors. Then check the loaded strategy, pairlist, available balance and open-trade limits against your intended configuration. Avoid changing strategy rules just to force activity.
How should I update NFI and Freqtrade?
The NFI strategy and Freqtrade engine are separate updates. Read their changes and follow the procedure for your installation. Keep backups of configuration and trade data, preserve the live database, and check startup logs afterward. Use a separate dry-run setup to evaluate changes before applying them to live trading.
Does my computer need to stay on?
The machine running Freqtrade must remain powered, connected and able to keep the bot process running. If the bot runs on a VPS, your personal computer does not need to stay on. If it runs on your laptop, sleep or shutdown interrupts it. Keeping this website open does not keep a bot running.
04 / READING THE RESULTS
Results & risk
Understand the evidence, the assumptions, and what a result cannot promise.
Where can I find actual performance or backtest results?
The NFI README directs readers to individual commit discussions for backtesting results. Check the strategy version, period, exchange, fees and configuration behind any report. Backtests, dry-runs and live accounts are different kinds of evidence. This site's market explorer contains illustrative examples, not reported NFI performance.
Why can backtest and live results differ?
Backtests simulate historical candles using assumptions about price movement and order execution. Live trading adds actual fills, liquidity, timing and connectivity. Compare like-for-like versions, dates, pairlists, fees and settings, and use dry-run as a further check. A historical simulation cannot establish what future trading will return.
Does NFI guarantee profits or prevent losses?
No. Trading can result in substantial loss, including total loss of capital. Outcomes depend on market conditions, configuration and execution. Neither past results nor a successful dry-run guarantees future returns. These answers are educational information, not personalized financial advice.