Getting Started¶

If you're new to Beancount-format files or double-entry accounting in general, we recommend Command-line Accounting in Context, a motivational document written by Martin Blais, the creator of the Beancount format.

To learn how to create your ledger file, refer to Getting Started with Beancount guide. There is extensive documentation for the Beancount file format at the Beancount Documentation page.

Installation¶

Option 1: Desktop App (Recommended)¶

Download the desktop app from GitHub Releases:

Platform	Download
macOS	`rustfava_x.x.x_aarch64.dmg`
Windows	`rustfava_x.x.x_x64-setup.exe`
Linux	`rustfava_x.x.x_amd64.AppImage`

Double-click to launch, then open your .beancount file. No Python or other dependencies required.

Option 2: Command Line (PyPI)¶

rustfava runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows. You will need Python 3.13+ and uv.

uv tool install rustfava

Or to install into a virtual environment:

uv pip install rustfava

rustfava uses rustledger, a Rust-based parser compiled to WebAssembly, to parse your Beancount files. No separate Beancount installation is required.

To export query results to Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc:

uv tool install rustfava[excel]

Option 3: Docker¶

docker run -p 5000:5000 -v /path/to/ledger:/data ghcr.io/rustledger/rustfava /data/main.beancount

See Docker deployment for advanced options.

Starting rustfava¶

Desktop App¶

Launch the app
Click "Open File" or use File → Open
Select your .beancount file

Command Line¶

rustfava ledger.beancount

Then visit http://localhost:5000.

Run rustfava --help for available options.

Using rustfava¶

For more information on rustfava's features, refer to the help pages available through rustfava's web interface. rustfava comes with Gmail-style keyboard shortcuts; press ? to show an overview.