Use a release build
Download the packaged binary, unpack it, and run it locally.
helius --helpDownload
Install Helius with a release build, Cargo, or Docker.
Choose the setup that fits your machine. Each path uses the same SQLite database and the same workflow once the app is running.
Release buildFastest local setup
CargoBest for source builds
DockerMounted volume, isolated runtime
Install paths
Choose the setup that matches your environment.
Build with Cargo
Build from source when you want the latest code or a local development binary.
cargo build --release
target/release/helius --helpRun with Docker
Run Helius in a container while keeping the database on a mounted volume.
docker compose up -dQuick start
Create a database and add a few records.
Create the database
helius init --currency USDAdd one account and two categories
helius account add Checking --type checking --opening-balance 1000.00
helius category add Salary --kind income
helius category add Groceries --kind expenseRecord activity
helius tx add --type income --amount 2500.00 --date 2026-03-01 --account Checking --category Salary --payee Employer
helius tx add --type expense --amount 68.40 --date 2026-03-02 --account Checking --category Groceries --payee SupermarketOpen the terminal UI
helius