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User Guide

This guide covers the common workflows for MTG Companion.

1. Installation options

Option A: Prebuilt release

  1. Download the latest archive from GitHub releases.
  2. Unzip it.
  3. Open the bin/ folder and run:
    • mtg-desktop-companion.bat (Windows)
    • mtg-desktop-companion.sh (Linux/macOS)

Option B: Build from source

git clone https://github.com/nicho92/MtgDesktopCompanion.git
cd MtgDesktopCompanion
mvn -DskipTests clean install

Then run the generated script in target/executable/bin/.

Option C: Use WebServer with Docker Image

https://hub.docker.com/r/mtgcompanion/mtgcompanion

2. First launch checklist

  • Verify Java 25+ is installed and available in your PATH.
  • Start the app and open the preferences/configuration panel.
  • Configure your preferred providers (cards, prices, caches, notifications).
  • Save your configuration before importing data.

3. Core workflows

Manage your collection

  • Import cards into stock.
  • Update condition/foil/etched values.
  • Export inventory for reporting or marketplace sync.

Build decks

  • Create or import decklists.
  • Analyze mana curve and card distribution.
  • Export to your target format (CSV, deck sites, marketplace formats).

Analyze prices

  • Select one or more price providers.
  • Open dashboards to compare trends.
  • Configure alerting rules to detect opportunities.

Use embedded web services

Depending on your setup, the app can expose services for pricing, trading, shopping, and collection browsing through embedded servers.

4. Troubleshooting

Application does not start

  • Check Java version (java -version).
  • Re-run build with verbose Maven logs.
  • Confirm startup script has execute permission on Unix systems.

Provider data is missing

  • Ensure network connectivity.
  • Validate provider configuration and credentials (if required).
  • Try switching to an alternate provider for comparison.

Export/import issues

  • Validate file encoding (UTF-8 recommended).
  • Check separator/format compatibility (CSV vs deck format).

5. Learn more