
HLEDGER-WEB(1)                hledger User Manuals                HLEDGER-WEB(1)

NAME
     hledger-web  -  web interface and API for hledger, a robust, friendly plain
     text accounting app.

SYNOPSIS
     hledger-web [OPTS] [QUERY]
     or
     hledger web [OPTS] [QUERY]

DESCRIPTION
     This manual is for hledger's web interface, version  1.52.   See  also  the
     hledger manual for common concepts and file formats.

     hledger  is  a  robust,  user-friendly,  cross-platform set of programs for
     tracking money, time, or any other commodity, using double-entry accounting
     and a simple, editable file format.  hledger is  inspired  by  and  largely
     compatible with ledger(1), and largely interconvertible with beancount(1).

     hledger-web  is  a  simple web application for browsing and adding transac-
     tions.  It provides a  more  user-friendly  UI  than  the  hledger  CLI  or
     hledger-ui  TUI, showing more at once (accounts, the current account regis-
     ter, balance charts) and allowing  history-aware  data  entry,  interactive
     searching, and bookmarking.

     hledger-web  also lets you share a journal with multiple users, or even the
     public web.  There is no access control, so if you need that you should put
     it behind a suitable web proxy.  As a small protection  against  data  loss
     when  running  an  unprotected instance, it writes a numbered backup of the
     main journal file (only) on every edit.

     Like hledger, it reads from (and appends to) a journal  file  specified  by
     the  LEDGER_FILE  environment  variable (defaulting to $HOME/.hledger.jour-
     nal); or you can specify files with -f options.  It can also read timeclock
     files, timedot files, or any CSV/SSV/TSV file  with  a  date  field.   (See
     hledger(1) -> Input for details.)

     hledger-web can be run in three modes:

     * --serve-browse  mode  (the  default):  the app serves the web UI and JSON
       API, and opens your default web browser to show the app if possible,  and
       exits automatically after two minutes of inactivity (with no requests re-
       ceived and no open browser windows viewing it).

     * --serve: the app just serves the web UI and JSON API.

     * --serve-api: the app just serves the JSON API.

     In  all cases hledger-web runs as a foreground process, logging requests to
     stdout.

OPTIONS
     hledger-web provides the following options:

            Flags:
                 --serve --server       serve and log requests, don't browse or auto-exit
                 --serve-api            like --serve, but serve only the JSON web API,
                                        not the web UI
                 --allow=view|add|edit  set the user's access level for changing data
                                        (default: `add`). It also accepts `sandstorm` for
                                        use on that platform (reads permissions from the
                                        `X-Sandstorm-Permissions` request header).
                 --cors=ORIGIN          allow cross-origin requests from the specified
                                        origin; setting ORIGIN to "*" allows requests from
                                        any origin
                 --host=IPADDR          listen on this IP address (default: 127.0.0.1)
                 --port=PORT            listen on this TCP port (default: 5000)
                 --socket=SOCKET        listen on the given unix socket instead of an IP
                                        address and port (unix only; implies --serve)
                 --base-url=BASEURL     set the base url (default: http://IPADDR:PORT)
                 --test                 run hledger-web's tests and exit. hspec test
                                        runner args may follow a --, eg: hledger-web --test
                                        --help

     By default hledger-web listens only on IP address 127.0.0.1, which  be  ac-
     cessed only from the local machine.

     To  allow access from elsewhere, use --host to specify an externally acces-
     sible address configured on  this  machine,  The  special  address  0.0.0.0
     causes it to listen on all of this machine's addresses.

     Similarly,  you  can  use  --port  to listen on a TCP port other than 5000.
     This is useful if you want to run multiple hledger-web instances on  a  ma-
     chine.

     When  --socket  is  used, hledger-web creates and communicates via a socket
     file instead of a TCP port.  This can be more secure,  respects  unix  file
     permissions,  and  makes certain use cases easier, such as running per-user
     instances   behind   an   nginx    reverse    proxy.     (Eg:    proxy_pass
     http://unix:/tmp/hledger/${remote_user}.socket;.)

     You can use --base-url to change the protocol, hostname, port and path that
     appear  in  hledger-web's  hyperlinks.   This is useful eg when integrating
     hledger-web within a larger website.  The default is http://HOST:PORT/  us-
     ing  the  server's  configured host address and TCP port (or http://HOST if
     PORT is 80).  Note this affects url generation but not route parsing.

     hledger-web also supports many of hledger's general options:

            General input/data transformation flags:
              -f --file=[FMT:]FILE      Read data from FILE, or from stdin if FILE is -,
                                        inferring format from extension or a FMT: prefix.
                                        Can be specified more than once. If not specified,
                                        reads from $LEDGER_FILE or $HOME/.hledger.journal.
                 --rules=RULESFILE      Use rules defined in this rules file for
                                        converting subsequent CSV/SSV/TSV files. If not
                                        specified, uses FILE.csv.rules for each FILE.csv.
                 --alias=A=B|/RGX/=RPL  transform account names from A to B, or by
                                        replacing regular expression matches
                 --auto                 generate extra postings by applying auto posting
                                        rules ("=") to all transactions
                 --forecast[=PERIOD]    Generate extra transactions from periodic rules
                                        ("~"), from after the latest ordinary transaction
                                        until 6 months from now. Or, during the specified
                                        PERIOD (the equals is required). Auto posting rules
                                        will also be applied to these transactions. In
                                        hledger-ui, also make future-dated transactions
                                        visible at startup.
              -I --ignore-assertions    don't check balance assertions by default
                 --txn-balancing=...    how to check that transactions are balanced:
                                        'old':   use global display precision
                                        'exact': use transaction precision (default)
                 --infer-costs          infer conversion equity postings from costs
                 --infer-equity         infer costs from conversion equity postings
                 --infer-market-prices  infer market prices from costs
                 --pivot=TAGNAME        use a different field or tag as account names
              -s --strict               do extra error checks (and override -I)
                 --verbose-tags         add tags indicating generated/modified data

            General output/reporting flags (supported by some commands):
              -b --begin=DATE           include postings/transactions on/after this date
              -e --end=DATE             include postings/transactions before this date
                                        (with a report interval, will be adjusted to
                                        following subperiod end)
              -D --daily                multiperiod report with 1 day interval
              -W --weekly               multiperiod report with 1 week interval
              -M --monthly              multiperiod report with 1 month interval
              -Q --quarterly            multiperiod report with 1 quarter interval
              -Y --yearly               multiperiod report with 1 year interval
              -p --period=PERIODEXP     set begin date, end date, and/or report interval,
                                        with more flexibility
                 --today=DATE           override today's date (affects relative dates)
                 --date2                match/use secondary dates instead (deprecated)
              -U --unmarked             include only unmarked postings/transactions
              -P --pending              include only pending postings/transactions
              -C --cleared              include only cleared postings/transactions
                                        (-U/-P/-C can be combined)
              -R --real                 include only non-virtual postings
              -E --empty                Show zero items, which are normally hidden.
                                        In hledger-ui & hledger-web, do the opposite.
                 --depth=DEPTHEXP       if a number (or -NUM): show only top NUM levels
                                        of accounts. If REGEXP=NUM, only apply limiting to
                                        accounts matching the regular expression.
              -B --cost                 show amounts converted to their cost/sale amount
              -V --market               Show amounts converted to their value at period
                                        end(s) in their default valuation commodity.
                                        Equivalent to --value=end.
              -X --exchange=COMM        Show amounts converted to their value at period
                                        end(s) in the specified commodity.
                                        Equivalent to --value=end,COMM.
                 --value=WHEN[,COMM]    show amounts converted to their value on the
                                        specified date(s) in their default valuation
                                        commodity or a specified commodity. WHEN can be:
                                        'then':     value on transaction dates
                                        'end':      value at period end(s)
                                        'now':      value today
                                        YYYY-MM-DD: value on given date
              -c --commodity-style=S    Override a commodity's display style.
                                        Eg: -c '.' or -c '1.000,00 EUR'
                 --pretty[=YN]          Use box-drawing characters in text output? Can be
                                        'y'/'yes' or 'n'/'no'.
                                        If YN is specified, the equals is required.

            General help flags:
              -h --help                 show command line help
                 --tldr                 show command examples with tldr
                 --info                 show the manual with info
                 --man                  show the manual with man
                 --version              show version information
                 --debug=[1-9]          show this much debug output (default: 1)
                 --pager=YN             use a pager when needed ? y/yes (default) or n/no
                 --color=YNA --colour   use ANSI color ? y/yes, n/no, or auto (default)

     hledger-web shows accounts with zero balances by default (like  hledger-ui,
     and  unlike  hledger).   Using the -E/--empty flag will reverse this behav-
     iour.  If you see accounts which appear to have a zero balance, but  cannot
     be hidden with -E, it's because they have a mixed-cost balance, which looks
     like zero when costs are hidden.  (hledger-web does not show costs.)

     Reporting  options  and/or  query  arguments  can be used to set an initial
     query, which although not shown in the UI, will restrict the data shown (in
     addition to any search query entered in the UI).

     If you use the bash shell, you can auto-complete flags by pressing  TAB  in
     the command line.  If this is not working see Install > Shell completions.

PERMISSIONS
     By  default, hledger-web allows anyone who can reach it to view the journal
     and to add new transactions, but not to change existing data.

     You can restrict who can reach it, by

     * setting the IP address it listens on (see --host above).  By  default  it
       listens on 127.0.0.1, accessible to users on the local machine only.

     * putting it behind an authenticating proxy, such as caddy or apache

     * putting it behind a firewall

     And  you  can restrict what the users reaching it can do, by specifying the
     --allow=ACCESSLEVEL option at startup.  ACCESSLEVEL is one of:

     * view - allows viewing the journal file(s)

     * add - also allows adding new transactions to the main journal file

     * edit - also allows editing, uploading or downloading the journal file(s)

     * sandstorm - (for the hledger-web  Sandstorm  app:)  allows  whichever  of
       view,  add,  or  edit  are  specified in the X-Sandstorm-Permissions HTTP
       header

     The default access level is add.

EDITING, UPLOADING, DOWNLOADING
     If you enable the manage capability  mentioned  above,  you'll  see  a  new
     "spanner"  button  to the right of the search form.  Clicking this will let
     you edit, upload, or download the journal file or any files it includes.

     Note, unlike any other hledger command, in this mode you (or  any  visitor)
     can alter or wipe the data files.

     Normally  whenever  a file is changed in this way, hledger-web saves a num-
     bered backup (assuming file permissions allow it, the  disk  is  not  full,
     etc.)   hledger-web  is not aware of version control systems, currently; if
     you use one, you'll have to arrange to commit the changes yourself (eg with
     a cron job or a file watcher like entr).

     Changes which would leave the journal file(s) unparseable or non-valid  (eg
     with  failing  balance  assertions)  are prevented.  (Probably.  This needs
     re-testing.)

RELOADING
     hledger-web detects changes made to the files by other  means  (eg  if  you
     edit  it  directly,  outside of hledger-web), and it will show the new data
     when you reload the page or navigate to a new page.  If a  change  makes  a
     file  unparseable, hledger-web will display an error message until the file
     has been fixed.

     (Note: if you are viewing files mounted from  another  machine,  make  sure
     that both machine clocks are roughly in step.)

JSON API
     In  addition  to the web UI, hledger-web also serves a JSON API that can be
     used to get data or add new transactions.  If you want the JSON  API  only,
     you can use the --serve-api flag.  Eg:

            $ hledger-web -f examples/sample.journal --serve-api
            ...

     You can get JSON data from these routes:

            /version
            /accountnames
            /transactions
            /prices
            /commodities
            /accounts
            /accounttransactions/ACCOUNTNAME

     Eg,  all  account  names  in the journal (similar to the accounts command).
     (hledger-web's JSON does not include newlines, here we use python to  pret-
     tify it):

            $ curl -s http://127.0.0.1:5000/accountnames | python -m json.tool
            [
                "assets",
                "assets:bank",
                "assets:bank:checking",
                "assets:bank:saving",
                "assets:cash",
                "expenses",
                "expenses:food",
                "expenses:supplies",
                "income",
                "income:gifts",
                "income:salary",
                "liabilities",
                "liabilities:debts"
            ]

     Or all transactions:

            $ curl -s http://127.0.0.1:5000/transactions | python -m json.tool
            [
                {
                    "tcode": "",
                    "tcomment": "",
                    "tdate": "2008-01-01",
                    "tdate2": null,
                    "tdescription": "income",
                    "tindex": 1,
                    "tpostings": [
                        {
                            "paccount": "assets:bank:checking",
                            "pamount": [
                                {
                                    "acommodity": "$",
                                    "aismultiplier": false,
                                    "aprice": null,
            ...

     Most  of  the JSON corresponds to hledger's data types; for details of what
     the fields mean, see the Hledger.Data.Json haddock docs and  click  on  the
     various  data types, eg Transaction.  And for a higher level understanding,
     see the journal docs.  There is also a basic OpenAPI specification.

     In some cases there is outer JSON corresponding to a "Report" type.  To un-
     derstand that, go to the Hledger.Web.Handler.MiscR haddock and look at  the
     source  for  the  appropriate  handler to see what it returns.  Eg for /ac-
     counttransactions it's getAccounttransactionsR, returning a  "accountTrans-
     actionsReport  ...".   Looking up the haddock for that we can see that /ac-
     counttransactions returns an AccountTransactionsReport, which consists of a
     report title and a list of AccountTransactionsReportItem (etc).

     You can add a new transaction to the journal with a PUT request to /add, if
     hledger-web was started with the add capability (enabled by default).   The
     payload  must  be the full, exact JSON representation of a hledger transac-
     tion (partial data won't do).  You can get sample JSON  from  hledger-web's
     /transactions   or   /accounttransactions,   or  you  can  export  it  with
     hledger-lib, eg like so:

            .../hledger$ stack ghci hledger-lib
            >>> writeJsonFile "txn.json" (head $ jtxns samplejournal)
            >>> :q

     Here's how it looks as of hledger-1.17 (remember, this JSON corresponds  to
     hledger's Transaction and related data types):

            {
                "tcomment": "",
                "tpostings": [
                    {
                        "pbalanceassertion": null,
                        "pstatus": "Unmarked",
                        "pamount": [
                            {
                                "aprice": null,
                                "acommodity": "$",
                                "aquantity": {
                                    "floatingPoint": 1,
                                    "decimalPlaces": 10,
                                    "decimalMantissa": 10000000000
                                },
                                "aismultiplier": false,
                                "astyle": {
                                    "ascommodityside": "L",
                                    "asdigitgroups": null,
                                    "ascommodityspaced": false,
                                    "asprecision": 2,
                                    "asdecimalpoint": "."
                                }
                            }
                        ],
                        "ptransaction_": "1",
                        "paccount": "assets:bank:checking",
                        "pdate": null,
                        "ptype": "RegularPosting",
                        "pcomment": "",
                        "pdate2": null,
                        "ptags": [],
                        "poriginal": null
                    },
                    {
                        "pbalanceassertion": null,
                        "pstatus": "Unmarked",
                        "pamount": [
                            {
                                "aprice": null,
                                "acommodity": "$",
                                "aquantity": {
                                    "floatingPoint": -1,
                                    "decimalPlaces": 10,
                                    "decimalMantissa": -10000000000
                                },
                                "aismultiplier": false,
                                "astyle": {
                                    "ascommodityside": "L",
                                    "asdigitgroups": null,
                                    "ascommodityspaced": false,
                                    "asprecision": 2,
                                    "asdecimalpoint": "."
                                }
                            }
                        ],
                        "ptransaction_": "1",
                        "paccount": "income:salary",
                        "pdate": null,
                        "ptype": "RegularPosting",
                        "pcomment": "",
                        "pdate2": null,
                        "ptags": [],
                        "poriginal": null
                    }
                ],
                "ttags": [],
                "tsourcepos": {
                    "tag": "JournalSourcePos",
                    "contents": [
                        "",
                        [
                            1,
                            1
                        ]
                    ]
                },
                "tdate": "2008-01-01",
                "tcode": "",
                "tindex": 1,
                "tprecedingcomment": "",
                "tdate2": null,
                "tdescription": "income",
                "tstatus": "Unmarked"
            }

     And here's how to test adding it with curl.  This should add a new entry to
     your journal:

            $ curl http://127.0.0.1:5000/add -X PUT -H 'Content-Type: application/json' --data-binary @txn.json

DEBUG OUTPUT
   Debug output
     You  can add --debug[=N] to the command line to log debug output.  N ranges
     from 1 (least output, the default) to 9 (maximum  output).   Typically  you
     would  start with 1 and increase until you are seeing enough.  Debug output
     goes to stderr, interleaved with the requests logged on stdout.  To capture
     debug output in a log file instead, you can usually redirect stderr, eg:
     hledger-web --debug=3 2>hledger-web.log.

ENVIRONMENT
     LEDGER_FILE The main journal file to use when not specified with -f/--file.
     Default: $HOME/.hledger.journal.

BUGS
     We    welcome    bug    reports    in    the    hledger    issue    tracker
     (https://bugs.hledger.org),   or   on   the   hledger  chat  or  mail  list
     (https://hledger.org/support).

     Some known issues:

     Does not work well on small screens, or in text-mode browsers.



AUTHORS
     Simon Michael <simon@joyful.com> and contributors.
     See http://hledger.org/CREDITS.html


COPYRIGHT
     Copyright 2007-2023 Simon Michael and contributors.


LICENSE
     Released under GNU GPL v3 or later.


SEE ALSO
     hledger(1), hledger-ui(1), hledger-web(1), ledger(1)

hledger-web-1.52                   March 2026                     HLEDGER-WEB(1)
