> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nimbus.trade/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# First Bot Setup

> Step-by-step guide to creating and deploying your first automated trading bot

## Your First Trading Bot

Follow this comprehensive guide to set up, configure, and deploy your first automated trading bot safely and effectively.

## Choosing Your First Strategy

For beginners, we recommend starting with these low-risk strategies:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="DCA Bot" icon="chart-line-up">
    **Best for:** Long-term accumulation

    * Regular purchases regardless of price
    * Reduces average cost over time
    * Simple, set-and-forget approach
  </Card>

  <Card title="Smart Portfolio Rebalancer" icon="balance-scale">
    **Best for:** Portfolio maintenance

    * Maintains target asset allocation
    * Automatically rebalances on price movements
    * Diversification benefits
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  Both strategies are conservative and perfect for learning how Nimbus
  works before moving to more advanced strategies.
</Info>

## Setting Up a DCA Bot

Let's walk through creating a Dollar-Cost Averaging bot step by step.

### Step 1: Strategy Selection

1. Go to **Dashboard → Create New Bot**
2. Select **"DCA Bot"** from the strategy list
3. Choose your trading pair (recommended: **ETH/USDC** for beginners)

### Step 2: Basic Configuration

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="dollar-sign" title="Investment Parameters">
    Configure how much and how often to invest:

    * **Investment Amount**: \$25 per purchase (start small)
    * **Purchase Frequency**: Every 7 days (weekly)
    * **Total Budget**: \$500 (20 weeks of purchasing)
    * **Asset**: ETH (or your preferred asset)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion icon="calendar" title="Timing Settings">
    Set when your bot should trade:

    * **Start Date**: Tomorrow (gives you time to review)
    * **Purchase Time**: 12:00 PM UTC (during active trading)
    * **End Condition**: After 20 purchases or manual stop
    * **Weekend Trading**: Disabled (optional)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Step 3: Risk Management

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="shield" title="Safety Settings">
    Essential risk controls for your first bot:

    * **Maximum Single Purchase**: \$50 (prevents large accidental buys)
    * **Price Deviation Limit**: 5% (skip purchase if price moved >5% since last check)
    * **Slippage Tolerance**: 0.5% (maximum acceptable slippage)
    * **Emergency Stop**: Enabled (pause on 10% daily portfolio loss)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion icon="bell" title="Notifications">
    Stay informed about your bot's activity:

    * **Email Notifications**: Enabled for all purchases
    * **Discord Alerts**: Optional webhook integration
    * **Daily Summary**: Enabled
    * **Error Alerts**: Enabled (important for troubleshooting)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Step 4: Review and Deploy

Before launching, carefully review your configuration:

```javascript theme={null}
DCA Bot Configuration Summary:
├── Asset: ETH/USDC
├── Amount: $25 every 7 days
├── Total Budget: $500 (20 purchases)
├── Safety Features:
│   ├── Max single purchase: $50
│   ├── Price deviation limit: 5%
│   └── Emergency stop: Enabled
└── Start Date: Tomorrow 12:00 PM UTC
```

<CheckList>
  * ✅ Configuration reviewed and understood - ✅ Risk limits appropriate for
    your account size - ✅ Sufficient balance for initial purchases - ✅
    Notifications configured - ✅ Emergency stop procedures understood
</CheckList>

Click **"Deploy Bot"** to start automated trading!

## Alternative: Smart Portfolio Rebalancer

If you prefer portfolio rebalancing, here's a quick setup:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="chart-pie" title="Asset Allocation">
    Set your target portfolio composition:

    **Conservative Portfolio:**

    * 60% ETH
    * 30% BTC
    * 10% USDC

    **Moderate Portfolio:**

    * 40% ETH
    * 40% BTC
    * 20% Altcoins (SOL, ARB, etc.)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion icon="arrows-rotate" title="Rebalancing Rules">
    Configure when rebalancing occurs:

    * **Threshold**: 5% deviation from target
    * **Minimum Interval**: 24 hours between rebalances
    * **Transaction Size**: Minimum \$10 per trade
    * **Rebalancing Hours**: 9 AM - 5 PM UTC only
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Monitoring Your Bot

### Real-Time Dashboard

Monitor your bot's performance from the main dashboard:

* **Current Status**: Active/Paused/Error
* **Total Invested**: Running total of investments
* **Average Buy Price**: Your cost basis
* **Unrealized P\&L**: Current profit/loss
* **Next Action**: When the next purchase will occur

### Performance Metrics

Track key metrics to evaluate your bot:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="ROI" icon="percentage">
    Return on investment compared to lump-sum purchase
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sharpe Ratio" icon="chart-line">
    Risk-adjusted returns vs volatility
  </Card>

  <Card title="Max Drawdown" icon="arrow-down">
    Largest loss from peak performance
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Weekly Review Process

Every week, review your bot's performance:

1. **Check purchase history**: Verify all trades executed correctly
2. **Analyze average cost**: Compare to current market price
3. **Review risk metrics**: Ensure within acceptable limits
4. **Adjust if needed**: Modify frequency or amount based on results

## Common First Bot Mistakes

<Warning>
  **Avoid These Beginner Mistakes:**

  * **Starting too large**: Begin with amounts you're comfortable losing
  * **Ignoring fees**: Factor in transaction costs to your calculations
  * **No stop conditions**: Always set maximum loss limits
  * **Emotional interference**: Let the bot run according to plan
  * **Poor timing**: Don't start during extreme market conditions
</Warning>

## Troubleshooting Your First Bot

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion icon="exclamation-triangle" title="Bot Won't Start">
    **Common causes:**

    * Insufficient balance for minimum trade
    * API connection issues
    * Invalid configuration parameters

    **Solutions:**

    * Check account balance and deposit if needed
    * Test API connection in settings
    * Review all configuration values
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion icon="pause" title="Bot Paused Unexpectedly">
    **Common causes:**

    * Risk limits triggered
    * Market conditions outside parameters
    * Technical issues with exchange

    **Solutions:**

    * Check risk management logs
    * Review market volatility settings
    * Verify exchange status and connectivity
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps After Your First Bot

Once your bot is running successfully:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Advanced Strategies" icon="gear-complex" href="/trading-strategies/grid-trading">
    Explore grid trading and martingale strategies.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Portfolio Analytics" icon="chart-mixed" href="/portfolio/performance-analytics">
    Dive deeper into performance analysis.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Trading Wizard" icon="magic-wand" href="/trading-strategies/trading-wizard">
    Get AI-powered strategy recommendations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Strategy Marketplace" icon="store" href="/marketplace/strategy-marketplace">
    Discover community-created strategies.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Start small, learn from each bot, and gradually increase complexity as you
  gain experience with automated trading.
</Tip>

{" "}