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Getting Started

This guide walks you through installing QualCoder v2 and creating your first project.

Installation

macOS / Linux

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/scope-impact/qualcoder-v2
cd qualcoder-v2

# Install dependencies
uv sync

# Run the application
uv run python src/main.py

Windows

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/scope-impact/qualcoder-v2
cd qualcoder-v2

# Install dependencies
uv sync

# Run the application
uv run python src/main.py

Tip: Using uv

We recommend using uv for Python package management. It's fast and handles virtual environments automatically.

Creating a Project

A project is a container for all your research data: sources, codes, and annotations.

Step 1: Launch QualCoder

uv run python src/main.py

Main Window

The QualCoder main window on startup.

Step 2: Create New Project

  1. Click File > New Project from the menu
  2. Enter a descriptive project name
  3. Choose a save location
  4. Click Create

Info: Project Files

QualCoder saves projects as .qda files (SQLite databases). All your data is stored in this single file, making it easy to backup and share.

Step 3: Open an Existing Project

  1. Click File > Open Project
  2. Navigate to your .qda file
  3. Click Open

Project Structure

Once your project is open, you'll see the main application shell with:

  • Navigation Bar - A unified horizontal bar with QUALCODER logo, Project, Files, Coding, Reports, and AI sections. Click any item to switch screens.
  • Toolbar - Context-specific actions for the current screen
  • Content Area - The main workspace for the current screen

The navigation bar provides quick access to all areas of the application. The currently active screen is highlighted.

Next Steps

Now that you have a project, you can:

  1. Import source documents to analyze
  2. Create codes for your coding scheme
  3. Start coding your data