--- title: "Getting Started" description: "The Algorithm lab enables you to create, store, and manage your cloud projects. Only you can access your projects unless you share them or add collaborators." canonical: https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started markdown: https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md language: python source: https://github.com/QuantConnect/Documentation/tree/master/01%20Cloud%20Platform/06%20Projects/01%20Getting%20Started modified: 2026-10-30 index: https://www.quantconnect.com/llms.txt --- # Getting Started [Documentation](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2.md) > [Cloud Platform](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform.md) > [Projects](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects.md) > Getting Started > Code examples are shown in Python. Append `?lang=csharp` to this URL for the C# version of this page. [Video](https://player.vimeo.com/video/696286105) ## Introduction Projects contain files to run backtests, launch research notebooks, perform parameter optimizations, and deploy live trading strategies. You need to create projects in order to create strategies and share your work with other members. Projects enable you to generate institutional-grade reports on the performance of your backtests. You can create your projects from scratch or you can utilize pre-built libraries and third-party packages to expedite your development process. The Algorithm lab enables you to create, store, and manage your projects in the cloud. You can only access your own projects unless you share them with others, or add collaborators. ## View All Projects The All Projects page displays all of your QuantConnect projects in the organization, including libraries and Boot Camp lessons. ![All projects](https://cdn.quantconnect.com/i/tu/view-all-projects.png) Click a project or directory on the page to open it. Follow these steps to view the page: 1. Log in to the Algorithm Lab. 2. In the left navigation bar, click **Projects**. 3. Click **Open Project**. ## Create Projects Follow these steps to create new projects: 1. Log in to the Algorithm Lab. 2. In the left navigation bar, click **Projects**. 3. On the Projects page, click **Create New Algorithm**. The web IDE displays an empty project. ## Close Projects In the Project panel, click **Close** to close projects. ## Clone Projects Clone a project to create a new copy of the project and save it within the same organization. When you clone a project, the project files are duplicated but the backtest results and live deployment history are not retained. Cloning enables you to test small changes in your projects before merging the changes back into the original project and start a new live deployment record. To clone a project, [open the project](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects) and then, in the Project panel, click **Clone**. ## Migrate Projects Migrating moves a project from one organization to another. You must be the organization administrator to migrate projects out of the organization. Migrate a project to run the project using resources from a different organization and to collaborate on the project with members from a different organization. When you migrate projects, the project files are copied but the content stored in the Object Store is not retained. To migrate a project, [open the project](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects) and then, in the Project panel, click **Migrate**. ## Rename Projects Follow these steps to rename a project: 1. [Open the project]({$openProjectLink}). 2. In the Project panel, hover over the project name and then click the **pencil** icon that appears. ![Rename a project](https://cdn.quantconnect.com/i/tu/rename-project-1.png) 3. In the **Name** field, enter the new project name and then click **Save Changes**. The project name must only contain `-`, `_`, letters, numbers, and spaces. The project name can't start with a space or be any of the following reserved names: CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, or LPT9. ## Create Project Directories Set the name of a project to `directoryName / projectName` to create a project directory. ## Set Descriptions Follow these steps to set the project description: 1. [Open the project]({$openProjectLink}). 2. In the Project panel, hover over the project name and then click the **pencil** icon that appears. ![Rename a project](https://cdn.quantconnect.com/i/tu/rename-project-1.png) 3. In the **Description** field, enter the new project description and then click **Save Changes**. ## Edit Parameters Algorithm parameters are hard-coded values for variables in your project that are set outside of the code files. Add parameters to your projects to remove hard-coded values from your code files and to perform parameter optimizations. You can add parameters, set default parameter values, and remove parameters from your projects. ### Add Parameters Follow these steps to add an algorithm parameter to a project: 1. [Open the project](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects). 2. In the Project panel, click **Add New Parameter**. 3. Enter the parameter name. The parameter name must be unique in the project. 4. Enter the default value. 5. Click **Create Parameter**. To get the parameter values into your algorithm, see [Get Parameters](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/writing-algorithms/optimization/parameters.md#03-Get-Parameters). ### Set Default Parameter Values Follow these steps to set the default value of an algorithm parameter in a project: 1. [Open the project](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects). 2. In the Project panel, hover over the algorithm parameter and then click the **pencil** icon that appears. ![Edit default parameter](https://cdn.quantconnect.com/i/tu/set-default-value.png) 3. Enter a default value for the parameter and then click **Save**. The Project panel displays the default parameter value next to the parameter name. ### Delete Parameters Follow these steps to delete an algorithm parameter in a project: 1. [Open the project](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects). 2. In the Project panel, hover over the algorithm parameter and then click the **trash can** icon that appears. ![Delete a parameter](https://cdn.quantconnect.com/i/tu/delete-parameters.png) 3. Remove the `get_parameter` calls that were associated with the parameter from your code files. ## Delete Projects You can delete a project when it is open or closed. Deleted projects are moved to the **Recycle Bin** directory on the [My Projects](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects) page, where you can recover them if you delete one by mistake. Projects in the **Recycle Bin** are permanently deleted after 30 days. ### Delete Open Projects In the Project panel, click **Delete**, and then click **Yes** to delete the project. ### Delete Closed Projects Follow these steps to delete the project: 1. Open the [My Projects](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects) page. 2. If the project is in a directory, click the directory files to navigate to the project file. 3. Hover over the project file and then click the **trash can** icon that appears. ![Delete a project in all projects view](https://cdn.quantconnect.com/i/tu/delete-projects-when-closed.png) "Project deleted" displays. ### Recover Deleted Projects When you delete a project, it moves to the **Recycle Bin** directory instead of being permanently removed. Projects in the **Recycle Bin** are permanently deleted after 30 days, so recover them within that window. Follow these steps to recover a project you deleted by mistake: 1. Open the [My Projects](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects) page. 2. Click the **Recycle Bin** directory. 3. Click the project to open it. 4. [Rename the project](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#07-Rename-Projects) to remove the `Recycle Bin/` prefix from its path (for example, rename `Recycle Bin/My Legacy Project` to `My Legacy Project`). ## Encrypt Projects When you save projects in QuantConnect Cloud, you can save encrypted versions of your project files instead of the raw, human readable, file content. Encrypting your projects gives you an additional layer of protection. To use the encryption system, you provide your own encryption key, which your local browser saves to memory. For more information about project encryption, see [Encryption](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/encryption.md). ## Get Project Id To get the project Id, [open the project](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/projects/getting-started.md#02-View-All-Projects) and check the URL. For example, the project Id of https://www.quantconnect.com/project/13946911 is 13946911.