Understanding the Dashboard

Master the Stratify dashboard and learn how to navigate the platform efficiently. This guide covers every section and feature available in the main interface.

Tip: Take a moment to open the app in another tab (localhost:3000) so you can follow along as you read this guide.

Dashboard Overview

The Stratify dashboard is your command center for all trading activities. It's designed with a clean, modern layout that prioritizes the information you need most.

Main Layout Sections

Top NavigationGlobal actions, notifications, user menu
Sidebar MenuPrimary navigation to all features
Main ContentPrimary workspace (changes based on selected feature)
Right PanelQuick actions, recent activity, context info (collapsible)

Top Navigation Bar

The top bar provides quick access to global features and account management:

🏠

Stratify Logo

Click the logo from anywhere to return to the main dashboard. It's your "home" button.

🔍

Global Search

Quick search bar for finding stocks, strategies, backtests, or features:

  • Type a symbol (e.g., "AAPL") to search stocks
  • Type a company name (e.g., "Apple") for fuzzy search
  • Use keyboard shortcut: Cmd/Ctrl + K
🔔

Notifications

Bell icon shows unread notifications with a badge count. Click to see:

  • Alert triggers (price/volume alerts that fired)
  • Backtest completions
  • Paper trading order fills
  • System announcements
  • AI assistant responses (for background queries)
👤

User Profile Menu

Click your avatar/name to access:

  • Profile - View and edit profile
  • Settings - Preferences, API keys, notifications
  • Billing - Subscription and payment info
  • Help & Support - Documentation and contact
  • Log Out - Sign out of your account

Sidebar Navigation

The left sidebar is your primary navigation menu. Each section represents a major feature:

📊

Dashboard

Overview of your activity: watchlists snapshot, recent backtests, market overview, and quick stats. Your starting point each session.

Watchlists

Track and organize stocks you're interested in. Features:

  • Create unlimited watchlists
  • Real-time price updates
  • Quick actions (add alert, run backtest, view chart)
  • Sortable columns (price, % change, volume, market cap)
  • Bulk operations
🔬

Backtesting

Test trading strategies on historical data. Three sub-tabs:

  • Strategies - Create and manage strategy templates
  • Backtests - View all backtest runs and status
  • Results - Compare multiple backtests side-by-side
📝

Paper Trading

Practice trading with simulated money. Features:

  • Real-time paper portfolios
  • Place market, limit, stop, and stop-limit orders
  • Track positions and P&L
  • Deploy automated strategies
  • Performance analytics
🔔

Alerts

Set up price, volume, and technical indicator alerts. Types:

  • Price alerts (above/below threshold)
  • Percentage change alerts
  • Volume spike alerts
  • Technical indicator alerts (RSI, MA crossovers)
  • Sentiment alerts
🤖

AI Assistant

Chat with AI for market analysis and strategy help. Can:

  • Analyze stock performance and fundamentals
  • Explain complex trading concepts
  • Suggest strategy improvements
  • Answer questions about your backtests
  • Provide market insights and news summaries
📈

Analytics

Portfolio and performance analytics dashboard. View aggregate stats across all your strategies, paper trading portfolios, and watchlists.

Pro Tip: You can collapse the sidebar to gain more screen space by clicking the hamburger menu icon. The collapsed state shows icons only with tooltips on hover.

Main Content Area

The central workspace adapts based on which section you're viewing. Here's what you'll see in each:

Dashboard Home View

The main dashboard shows:

Market Overview

Major indices (S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones) with current values and daily changes

Watchlist Snapshot

Top movers from your watchlists (biggest gainers and losers today)

Recent Backtests

Your 5 most recent backtest runs with quick access to results

Active Alerts

Currently active alerts and recent triggers

Quick Stats

Total watchlist stocks, backtests run, active strategies, paper trading P&L

Watchlists View

Watchlist interface includes:

  • Tabs - Switch between multiple watchlists
  • Add Symbol Button - Quick add via search
  • Table View - Sortable columns with real-time data
  • Actions Menu - Per-symbol actions (alert, backtest, chart, remove)
  • Bulk Actions - Select multiple symbols for batch operations
  • View Options - Compact, detailed, or chart view modes

Backtesting View

Three-tab interface:

Strategies Tab

Cards showing all strategies (templates + custom). Each card displays: name, description, parameters, last run date, and "Run Backtest" button.

Backtests Tab

Table of all backtest runs with: symbol, strategy, date range, status, total return, and actions (view results, delete).

Results Tab

Comparison view: select up to 5 backtests and see metrics side-by-side with visualizations (equity curves overlaid, metric comparison table, trade analysis).

Right Panel (Quick Actions)

The collapsible right panel provides context-aware information and quick actions:

Quick Actions Panel

Floating action buttons for common tasks:

  • + Add to Watchlist - Quick symbol search and add
  • 🔬 Run Backtest - Launch backtest wizard
  • 🔔 Set Alert - Create new alert
  • 🤖 Ask AI - Open AI assistant chat

Recent Activity Feed

Chronological feed of your recent actions: backtests run, alerts created, watchlist changes, AI queries, and paper trades.

Context Information

Shows relevant info based on current view. For example, when viewing a backtest result, displays strategy parameters and risk metrics.

Toggle the panel: Click the arrow icon on the right edge to collapse/expand the panel. Your preference is saved automatically.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Power users can navigate faster with keyboard shortcuts:

Navigation

G then DGo to Dashboard
G then WGo to Watchlists
G then BGo to Backtesting
G then AGo to AI Assistant

Actions

Cmd/Ctrl + KGlobal search
Cmd/Ctrl + NNew item (context)
Cmd/Ctrl + /Show shortcuts
EscClose modal/panel

Dashboard Customization

Personalize your dashboard experience:

Default View

In Settings → Preferences, choose which page loads when you log in (Dashboard, Watchlists, or last visited page).

Widget Arrangement (Coming Soon)

Future update will allow drag-and-drop customization of dashboard widgets and card ordering.

Data Refresh Rate

Control how often real-time data refreshes (1s, 5s, 15s, or manual). Find in Settings → Preferences → Data.

Compact Mode

Toggle compact mode for denser information display (smaller fonts, reduced padding). Great for smaller screens or fitting more data.

Tips & Best Practices

💡 Organize Your Watchlists

Create separate watchlists for different strategies: "Long-term Growth", "Day Trading Candidates", "High Dividend", "Tech Stocks", etc.

💡 Pin Frequently Used Features

Click the star icon next to any watchlist, strategy, or view to pin it to the top for quick access.

💡 Use Global Search

Press Cmd/Ctrl + K from anywhere to quickly jump to stocks, strategies, or features without clicking through menus.

💡 Check Notifications Regularly

The notification bell updates in real-time. Keep an eye on it for important alerts, especially if you have active price alerts set.

💡 Mobile Responsive

The dashboard works on mobile devices. The sidebar automatically collapses on small screens, and tables switch to card views for better mobile UX.

What's Next?

Now that you understand the dashboard, dive into specific features: