A demo account works exactly like a real one for learning the platform, except no real money is ever at risk. You place orders, watch them fill, and see your profit and loss move, all against live market prices.
It is the right place to start whether or not you have bought an evaluation. Nothing you do on it can cost you anything.
Why start here
You cannot break anything. Place a bad order, size too big, hit a limit. It costs nothing.
It satisfies the market-data requirement. Live CME prices need an active account, and a demo account counts.
The platform behaves identically. The same order types, the same chart, the same rules display, so what you learn transfers.
Ready to trade right away
Once your demo account finishes setting up it is ready immediately. You do not need to refresh the page before your first order.
The account status is shown in plain language, for example In Progress, rather than raw system text.
If it will not take an order
Refresh the page once and try again. If it still will not work, report it in the Discord bug-reports channel with your account details so the team can look into it.
If the order is rejected with a message rather than doing nothing at all, that is different, and Why an order was rejected covers the likely causes.
Demo versus a real evaluation
A demo account has no profit target to pass and nothing to fail. An evaluation from a prop firm does, and its rules are set by that firm. When you move onto one, read How drawdown and risk limits work before your first trade on it.
Next
With an account ready, head to the terminal. See Finding your way around the terminal.