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Version: 3.9.x

Get started

Get Started in 4 Steps​

1. Download and Install JATOS​

Start by downloading JATOS and installing a local instance on your computer.

2. Access the JATOS GUI​

Once installed, open JATOS' graphical user interface (GUI) by navigating to http://localhost:9000/ in your web browser.

3. Download and Import an Example Study​

To quickly see JATOS in action:

  1. Download one of the Example Studies, for instance, the 'Go- / No-Go Task' with jsPsych. Do not unzip the downloaded file.
  2. Import the study into JATOS: In the JATOS GUI, open the study sidebar by clicking on Studies in the header and then on + and finally Import Study. Select the .jzip you just downloaded. The imported study should now appear in the sidebar on the left.

4. Explore the GUI​

Now that you have a study imported, it's time to explore:

  • In the sidebar, click on the study's name to open its dedicated page.
  • To perform a test run of the entire study, click on Run in the toolbar at the top of the page.
  • After running the study, you can review the results:
    • For whole-study results, click the Results button at the top of the page.
    • For results from individual components, click the Results buttons located in each component's row.
    • You can view detailed information for each result by clicking the ▼ to the left of its row (find more information on managing results here).

Here's a screenshot of a study's results view: Results View screenshot

Beyond the Basics​

Once you're familiar with the basics, explore what else you can change about your study from the JATOS GUI:

  • Rearrange Components: Easily reorder components within your study by clicking and dragging any component's position button in the GUI to a new location.
  • Component and Study Properties:
    • Each component has a Properties button. The component's code can read data from the Component input field within these properties. This offers a convenient way to modify details like instructions, stimuli, timing, or the number of trials without directly altering the JavaScript code.
    • Similarly, the Study Properties include a Study input field, which can be accessed by all components within that study.
  • Locate Study Assets: Understand where your study's essential HTML, JavaScript, and CSS files are stored. These files, along with any images, sound files, and other resources, are referred to as "study assets". The path to your study assets directory is displayed on the JATOS home page (for local installations only). By default, it's located within your JATOS installation directory at /study_assets_root/name_of_my_study/.