Introduction
Welcome to the course on MQL5 and coding trading algorithms. This course is designed to give you the core skills and knowledge to be able to construct trading algorithms that will do the heavy lifting for you.
The benefits of coding an algorithm includes the ability to test your ideas quickly over reasonable time periods, and also the ability to set up automated trading so that you don’t have to be at your computer to trade.
Sections and Outcomes of the Course
Writing a Basic Auto Trader
We knock over the most exciting part of getting to learn coding for trading. That is, showing you how to piece together all the basic components to make your code work, and place orders automatically.
Test and Run the Auto Trader
Once you code an algorithm, you can test it on historic data in MetaTrader. We show you how you can test and run your auto trader in this section.
Optimisation
When you test an algorithm, you will sometimes see ways you might be able to improve the performance of it. This section shows you how optimise your algorithm and also covers some pitfalls to avoid when improving test results.
Live Testing and Running the Program
Live testing and running the program is the section where we cover some additional steps to ensure your trader works in both tests and real situations.
Monitor the Program
While most of the work is done by this stage, it is important to monitor the program to ensure it is doing what it is meant to. Sometimes things change and can create problems with the code so this stage is vital to the long term success of any algorithm.
Functions and Library
MQL5 Possibilities
Sometimes it is hard to think about what can and can’t be done with trading algorithms. This area covers some ideas and concepts that can be done in MQL5 to help with your creative concepts.
Library of Code
Fast tracking some of the main features of code you will use will help you to bring your strategies to life efficiently.
The code library contains MQL5 functions to allow for features such as:
- Custom Trailing Stop Loss
- Closing Orders
- Date and Time functions
- Using Indicators
- For loops and Arrays
- Statistical methods
Data Testers
Time based testers to help you identify direction of months, days, seasons etc.
This type of data gathering can help to improve decisions and filtering of algorithm conditions.