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Installation

This guide covers how to install the Beancount Ledger plugin in your Obsidian vault.

[!NOTE] Before running the plugin, ensure you have set up Python and Beancount on your machine. See the Requirements guide for details.

📦 Installation Methods​

You can install the plugin using one of the three methods below.

Once the plugin is approved and listed in the official Obsidian store, this is the easiest method:

  1. Open Obsidian and go to Settings → Community Plugins.
  2. Turn off Restricted mode if it is enabled.
  3. Click Browse and search for "Beancount Ledger".
  4. Click Install, and then click Enable.

Method 2: BRAT (Beta Testing / Latest Features)​

If you want to test the absolute latest development versions or pre-releases, you can use the Obsidian42 - BRAT plugin:

  1. Install the BRAT plugin from Obsidian's Community Plugins directory.
  2. Enable BRAT in your settings.
  3. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd + P) and run BRAT: Add a beta plugin for testing.
  4. Enter the repository URL: mkshp-dev/obsidian-finance-plugin
  5. Click Add Plugin. BRAT will download and enable the plugin.
  6. Optional: In BRAT settings, you can choose to track the dev branch to test experimental changes before they are released.

Method 3: Manual Installation (GitHub Releases)​

If you need to install the plugin manually or without internet access:

  1. Go to the GitHub Releases page.
  2. Download the latest release zip or files: main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css.
  3. Navigate to your Obsidian vault folder.
  4. Go to the hidden plugins directory: <VaultFolder>/.obsidian/plugins/ (you may need to show hidden files in your OS file explorer).
  5. Create a new folder named beancount-finance.
  6. Place the downloaded main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css files into this folder.
  7. Reload Obsidian or restart the app.
  8. Go to Settings → Community Plugins and enable Beancount Ledger.

⚙️ Next Steps​

Once the plugin is installed and enabled, it will detect if you have a ledger configured. If you don't, it will automatically launch the onboarding setup wizard to guide you through connecting Python and creating your first Beancount files.

See the First-Time Setup guide to proceed.