--- title: "Deploy NOFX | Self-Hosted AI Crypto Trading System" description: "Self Host NOFX: Autonomous AI trader: multi-model, multi-exchange." category: "Automation" url: https://railway.com/deploy/nofx-ai-trading --- # Deploy NOFX | Self-Hosted AI Crypto Trading System Self Host NOFX: Autonomous AI trader: multi-model, multi-exchange. **[Deploy NOFX | Self-Hosted AI Crypto Trading System on Railway](https://railway.com/template/nofx-ai-trading)** - **Creator:** Heimdall - **Category:** Automation - **Total deploys:** 14 ## Template content ### nofx https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NoFxAiOS/nofx/d5fbe445e1fbcffc869861ed8ee8319e60605881/web/public/icons/nofx.svg - **Image:** ghcr.io/nofxaios/nofx/nofx-backend:stable ### Nofx UI https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NoFxAiOS/nofx/d5fbe445e1fbcffc869861ed8ee8319e60605881/web/public/icons/nofx.svg - **Image:** ghcr.io/nofxaios/nofx/nofx-frontend:stable - **Public domain:** Yes ## Documentation ![NOFX logo](https://opengraph.githubassets.com/1/NoFxAiOS/nofx) # Deploy and Host NOFX — AI-Powered Trading OS NOFX is an open-source autonomous AI trading system that connects to crypto exchanges, selects AI models automatically, and executes trades — all without manual configuration. Unlike traditional bots where you write Python strategies or wrangle API keys, NOFX's AI perceives the market, picks the model, and decides when to trade. Self-host NOFX on Railway with this two-service template: a Go backend (API server + SQLite) and an nginx frontend (React dashboard) — pre-wired with private networking, persistent storage, and encrypted credential handling out of the box. ![NOFX Railway architecture](https://res.cloudinary.com/asset-cloudinary/image/upload/v1773775386/nofx_railway_arch_fvbxcw.png) --- ## ⚠️ Before You Deploy: Generate Your RSA Private Key NOFX requires an RSA private key to encrypt exchange API keys stored in the database. **The backend will crash on startup without it.** Generate it once and save it — changing it later will corrupt stored credentials. **Linux / Mac:** ``` openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_bits:2048 | openssl pkcs8 -topk8 -nocrypt -outform PEM | awk 'NF {printf "%s\\n", $0}' | sed 's/\\n$//' ``` **Windows PowerShell:** ``` (openssl genpkey -algorithm RSA -pkeyopt rsa_keygen_bits:2048 | openssl pkcs8 -topk8 -nocrypt -outform PEM) -join '\n' ``` Copy the single-line output and paste it as the `RSA_PRIVATE_KEY` variable value. --- ## Getting Started with NOFX on Railway Once deployed, open the public URL assigned to the `nofx-frontend` service. The UI will load and prompt you to log in/sign up. After signing up you will land on the dashboard. ![NOFX Dashboard]](https://res.cloudinary.com/asset-cloudinary/image/upload/v1773775388/nofx_dashboard_ybqxcj.png) From the dashboard, navigate to **AI** to configure your AI provider (DeepSeek is recommended for cost), then **Exchange** to connect your exchange API credentials. Finally, go to **Strategy** to build your first trading strategy in the visual Studio. Hit **Trader** to combine AI + exchange + strategy and start a live or paper trading session. ![NOFX Trading strategies](https://res.cloudinary.com/asset-cloudinary/image/upload/v1773775387/backtest_nofx_molwyl.png) --- ## About Hosting NOFX NOFX is a full-stack AI trading OS built with Go (backend) and React/TypeScript (frontend). It routes market data through an MCP AI client layer that supports 41+ models — DeepSeek, GPT, Claude, Qwen — and connects to 8 exchanges via unified adapters. Key features: - **Multi-exchange support**: Binance, Bybit, OKX, Bitget, KuCoin, Gate, Hyperliquid, Aster DEX - **AI Debate Arena**: Multiple models argue Bull/Bear/Analyst roles before a trade is placed - **AI Competition Mode**: Two AI traders run in parallel with separate accounts — compare ROI live - **Strategy Studio**: Visual builder for coin sources, indicators, and risk controls — no JSON editing - **Backtest Lab**: Replay strategies against historical data with full equity curve reporting - **x402 micropayments**: Pay per AI request with a USDC wallet — no API key management needed - **Chain-of-Thought logs**: Full AI reasoning visible in the dashboard, updated every 10 seconds - **SQLite persistence**: All data (users, trades, strategies, backtest history) stored on a mounted volume --- ## Why Deploy NOFX on Railway One-click deploy gets you a production NOFX instance with no Docker config or volume management: - Persistent SQLite volume mounted automatically — no data loss on redeploys - Private networking between backend and frontend — backend port never exposed publicly - Managed TLS and public HTTPS URL on the frontend out of the box - Auto-generated secrets for `JWT_SECRET` and `DATA_ENCRYPTION_KEY` on first deploy - Redeploy with one click to pull the latest `stable` image --- ## Common Use Cases - **AI model benchmarking**: Run DeepSeek vs Qwen in Competition Mode on a paper account to compare decision quality before risking real capital - **Strategy research**: Use the Backtest Lab to validate a coin selection + indicator combination on historical data across multiple exchanges - **Automated crypto futures trading**: Set a strategy, connect Binance or Hyperliquid, and let the AI manage position sizing and leverage within your defined risk limits - **Self-hosted alternative to 3Commas / Pionex**: Full control over your exchange credentials, no third-party custody, AGPL-licensed codebase you can audit --- ## NOFX vs Freqtrade vs Jesse | Feature | NOFX | Freqtrade | Jesse | |---|---|---|---| | Open source | ✅ AGPL-3.0 | ✅ MIT | ✅ MIT | | AI model integration | ✅ LLM-native (41+ models) | ⚠️ FreqAI (ML only) | ⚠️ JesseGPT (strategy assist) | | No-code strategy builder | ✅ Visual Studio | ❌ Python required | ❌ Python required | | Multi-AI competition mode | ✅ Built-in | ❌ | ❌ | | Language | Go + React | Python | Python | | Exchange count | 8 (CEX + DEX) | 100+ via CCXT | Binance, Bybit | | Self-hostable | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | NOFX's core differentiator is LLM-native decision making — the AI reads market data and reasons about trades in natural language, visible in full in the dashboard. Freqtrade and Jesse require developers to write strategy code; NOFX targets traders who want to configure, not code. --- ## Dependencies for NOFX - `ghcr.io/nofxaios/nofx/nofx-backend:stable` — Go API server, SQLite, trading engine - `ghcr.io/nofxaios/nofx/nofx-frontend:stable` — nginx + React SPA dashboard ### Deployment Dependencies - Backend image: `ghcr.io/nofxaios/nofx/nofx-backend:stable` - Frontend image: `ghcr.io/nofxaios/nofx/nofx-frontend:stable` - GitHub repo: https://github.com/NoFxAiOS/nofx - Backend service **must be named exactly `nofx`** in Railway — the frontend nginx config is hardcoded to this hostname --- ## Minimum Hardware Requirements for NOFX | | Minimum | Recommended | |---|---|---| | CPU | 0.5 vCPU | 1 vCPU | | RAM | 512 MB | 1 GB | | Storage (volume) | 1 GB | 5 GB | | Go runtime | 1.21+ | 1.21+ | | Node.js (build) | 18+ | 20+ | The Go backend is lightweight at idle. RAM usage grows with the number of concurrent AI traders and backtest runs in flight. --- ## Self-Hosting NOFX **Docker (recommended):** ``` curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NoFxAiOS/nofx/main/docker-compose.prod.yml # Copy and fill in .env (RSA_PRIVATE_KEY, DATA_ENCRYPTION_KEY, JWT_SECRET, NOFX_ADMIN_PASSWORD) docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml up -d # Access at http://localhost:3000 ``` **From source (Go 1.21+ and Node 18+ required):** ``` git clone https://github.com/NoFxAiOS/nofx.git && cd nofx # Install TA-Lib: brew install ta-lib (Mac) | apt install libta-lib0-dev (Ubuntu) go build -o nofx && ./nofx # backend on :8080 cd web && npm install && npm run dev # frontend on :3000 ``` --- ## Is NOFX Free? NOFX is fully open-source under AGPL-3.0 — free to self-host with no license fees. On Railway, you pay only for the compute and storage your two services consume (typically under $5/month on hobby plans for light use). There is no NOFX cloud-hosted SaaS tier. The optional x402 micropayment mode lets the AI pay for model API calls using USDC from a wallet you fund — this is an alternative to managing your own AI provider API keys, not a subscription fee. --- ## FAQ **What is NOFX?** NOFX is an open-source AI trading operating system. It connects to crypto exchanges, uses large language models (DeepSeek, GPT, Claude, Qwen, and 38+ others) to analyze market data and make trading decisions, and executes trades autonomously. You configure strategy parameters via a web UI — no coding required. **Why does the backend service need to be named exactly `nofx`?** The frontend nginx config has the backend hostname hardcoded as `nofx`. Railway resolves private service hostnames as `.railway.internal`, so naming the backend `nofx` ensures nginx can reach it. Naming it anything else will cause the frontend to crash with a DNS resolution error. **What AI providers does NOFX support?** Any OpenAI-compatible API endpoint — including DeepSeek, Qwen, GPT-4, Claude, and self-hosted models via Ollama or similar. You can also use the built-in x402 micropayment system to access 41+ models by funding a USDC wallet, with no API key management. **Is NOFX safe for live trading with real money?** NOFX is experimental software. The team recommends using it for research, paper trading, or small-scale capital testing only. Exchange credentials are encrypted at rest using RSA + AES encryption, and the backend port is never exposed publicly on this Railway template. That said, AI auto-trading carries significant financial risk regardless of the infrastructure security. **Can I run multiple AI traders simultaneously?** Yes. The Trader Manager supports multiple concurrent traders, each with independent configuration, decision logs, and P/L tracking. Competition Mode runs two traders head-to-head with live performance comparison in the dashboard. ## Similar templates - [N8N Main + Worker](https://railway.com/deploy/n8n-main-worker) — Deploy and Host N8N with Inactive worker. - [Evolution API with n8n](https://railway.com/deploy/evolution-api-with-n8n) — [Jul'26] WhatsApp automation platform using Evolution API, n8n & PostgreSQL - [Postgres Backup](https://railway.com/deploy/postgres-s3-backups) — Cron-based PostgreSQL backup to bucket storage Open this page in a browser: https://railway.com/deploy/nofx-ai-trading