Running a backtest is the standard validation workflow in SteadyEdge. A backtest uses a saved bot configuration, a time range, and a fixed starting balance to produce a historical result you can inspect before live use.

What this is

This article explains the current backtest launch flow, status lifecycle, and where to read the result after submission.

When to use it

Use this article if:

you have a saved bot and want to validate it
you are not sure which period options are available on your plan
you want to understand what happens after you click Run Backtest

Before you start

The current product requires all of the following:

a verified email address
a saved bot or editable existing bot
enough daily backtest quota for your plan
a selected time range that your plan allows

Important current runtime rules:

Free users are limited to short periods
Free backtests are forced public
the standard run-for-bot flow currently uses initial_balance = 1000
the daily quota is counted from the current UTC day start
invalid custom dates are blocked when start is later than end

Step by step

Step 1: Launch the run from a bot context

You can start a backtest from:

the Run Backtest action on a bot row in the dashboard
the Run Backtest button in the editor for an existing saved bot

The run flow is bot-centered because the platform needs one concrete configuration to test.

Step 2: Choose the period

Depending on the flow, you can select:

preset periods such as 1, 3, 6, or 12 months
a custom start and end date

If a period is disabled or rejected, your current plan does not allow it.

Step 3: Decide whether the run should be public

In the current plan logic:

Free forces public backtests
paid plans can choose public or private visibility

Public visibility matters because public completed backtests can participate in ready-bot style sharing flows.

Step 4: Submit the run

Click Run Backtest to queue the job.

After submission, the system creates the run record and pushes the command into the backtest pipeline. You do not need to keep the modal open after the request is accepted.

Step 5: Watch the status and progress

A new run can appear in one of these states:

pending
running
completed
failed

While the job is running, the detail page can show progress stages such as:

syncing
preparing_data
loading_candles
validating_candles
running
computing_metrics
saving

Step 6: Open the result page

Use the run row to open the backtest detail page once the run is available. That page is the correct place to inspect metrics and trades, not the dashboard summary table.

What you should see

A successful workflow gives you:

a new run in the Backtests workspace
a visible time range
a visible status
a result page for completed runs

Common mistakes

trying to run a backtest before verifying your email
choosing a period that is outside your plan entitlement
forgetting that the daily quota resets by UTC day, not by local midnight
expecting a custom date range to work when start is later than end
interpreting a pending run as a permanent failure