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alpha-visualizer v1.3.0 — the UX-audit wave

Released: August 1, 2026 / Version: v1.3.0 (this note also covers the v1.3.1–v1.3.5 patches) / Distribution: PyPI · GitHub Release

alpha-visualizer is a standalone OSS package that visualizes AlphaForge backtest results in a web browser. v1.3.0 is a single-release response to 57 findings from a full UX audit — the largest release to date, spanning new screens, richer metrics, plainer wording, and accessibility.

Highlights

1. New screens and views

  • Runs page: search, filter (symbol, period, minimum Sharpe), and sort backtest runs across all strategies
  • Full report: a print-friendly view reachable from Detail (save as PDF via the browser's print dialog)
  • Portfolio blending: assign weights in Compare to draw a weighted composite equity curve and check diversification effects
  • Run History comparison: pick two runs to compare metric deltas with overlaid equity curves

2. Richer metrics and analysis

  • Metrics forge already computed but the UI never showed (realized costs, Kelly criterion, expectancy, win-rate confidence intervals, and more)
  • Holding-period histogram (win/loss colored), yearly summary table, sub-period recalculation presets (YTD/1Y/3Y/5Y)
  • Arbitrary benchmark overlay with benchmark-relative metrics (β / α / IR / excess return)
  • Log-scale toggle for equity charts, rolling annualized volatility, parameter importance (Spearman rank correlation) in Optimize
  • Strategy favorites (star + Starred lens)
  • IS/OOS metrics switched from prorated pseudo-values to exact equity splitting (more accurate displayed values)

3. Clarity and accessibility

  • Metric tooltips extended to every metric (with guideline values, touch/keyboard support), in-app help links (IS/OOS and WFO concepts)
  • Plainer, consistent UI wording (no internal jargon or CLI-centric phrasing), bilingual CLI help and startup messages
  • Dialog focus traps, keyboard-operable scroll regions, and mobile-width layout fixes

4. Robustness and performance

  • 404 pages for unknown strategy ids, a shared error screen for render exceptions, no more infinite polling on job 404s
  • GZip compression, lighter list APIs, a lightweight sparkline API
  • An explicit warning plus TrustedHostMiddleware for non-loopback binds
  • Coverage thresholds and mypy introduced in CI (existing type errors driven to zero)

5. Patches (v1.3.1–v1.3.5)

  • v1.3.1: fixed the forge CLI executable name to alpha-forge, restoring GUI execution features (use v1.3.1+ if you run the v1.3 line)
  • v1.3.2: when forge aborts due to an unaccepted EULA, the UI now explains how to accept it
  • v1.3.3–v1.3.5: chart series legend, better Live series colors, and a chart-wheel scrolling fix

How to upgrade

# pip
pip install -U alpha-visualizer

# uv
uv tool upgrade alpha-visualizer

Paired with alpha-forge v1.3.0, run-time parameters are shown on the Detail screen (params_json integration).

Bug reports and feature requests are welcome on GitHub Issues.