Articles with examples of trading robots developed in MQL5

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An Expert Advisor is the 'pinnacle' of programming and the desired goal of every automated trading developer. Read the articles in this section to create your own trading robot. By following the described steps you will learn how to create, debug and test automated trading systems.

The articles not only teach MQL5 programming, but also show how to implement trading ideas and techniques. You will learn how to program a trailing stop, how to apply money management, how to get the indicator values, and much more.

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Neural networks made easy (Part 58): Decision Transformer (DT)

Neural networks made easy (Part 58): Decision Transformer (DT)

We continue to explore reinforcement learning methods. In this article, I will focus on a slightly different algorithm that considers the Agent’s policy in the paradigm of constructing a sequence of actions.
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Implementing the Generalized Hurst Exponent and the Variance Ratio test in MQL5

Implementing the Generalized Hurst Exponent and the Variance Ratio test in MQL5

In this article, we investigate how the Generalized Hurst Exponent and the Variance Ratio test can be utilized to analyze the behaviour of price series in MQL5.
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Ready-made templates for including indicators to Expert Advisors (Part 3): Trend indicators

Ready-made templates for including indicators to Expert Advisors (Part 3): Trend indicators

In this reference article, we will look at standard indicators from the Trend Indicators category. We will create ready-to-use templates for indicator use in EAs - declaring and setting parameters, indicator initialization and deinitialization, as well as receiving data and signals from indicator buffers in EAs.
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Ready-made templates for including indicators to Expert Advisors (Part 2): Volume and Bill Williams indicators

Ready-made templates for including indicators to Expert Advisors (Part 2): Volume and Bill Williams indicators

In this article, we will look at standard indicators of the Volume and Bill Williams' indicators category. We will create ready-to-use templates for indicator use in EAs - declaring and setting parameters, indicator initialization and deinitialization, as well as receiving data and signals from indicator buffers in EAs.
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Introduction to MQL5 (Part 3): Mastering the Core Elements of MQL5

Introduction to MQL5 (Part 3): Mastering the Core Elements of MQL5

Explore the fundamentals of MQL5 programming in this beginner-friendly article, where we demystify arrays, custom functions, preprocessors, and event handling, all explained with clarity making every line of code accessible. Join us in unlocking the power of MQL5 with a unique approach that ensures understanding at every step. This article sets the foundation for mastering MQL5, emphasizing the explanation of each line of code, and providing a distinct and enriching learning experience.
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ALGLIB numerical analysis library in MQL5

ALGLIB numerical analysis library in MQL5

The article takes a quick look at the ALGLIB 3.19 numerical analysis library, its applications and new algorithms that can improve the efficiency of financial data analysis.
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How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 6): Two RSI indicators cross each other's lines

How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 6): Two RSI indicators cross each other's lines

The multi-currency expert advisor in this article is an expert advisor or trading robot that uses two RSI indicators with crossing lines, the Fast RSI which crosses with the Slow RSI.
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Deep Learning Forecast and ordering with Python and MetaTrader5 python package and ONNX model file

Deep Learning Forecast and ordering with Python and MetaTrader5 python package and ONNX model file

The project involves using Python for deep learning-based forecasting in financial markets. We will explore the intricacies of testing the model's performance using key metrics such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), and R-squared (R2) and we will learn how to wrap everything into an executable. We will also make a ONNX model file with its EA.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 57): Stochastic Marginal Actor-Critic (SMAC)

Neural networks made easy (Part 57): Stochastic Marginal Actor-Critic (SMAC)

Here I will consider the fairly new Stochastic Marginal Actor-Critic (SMAC) algorithm, which allows building latent variable policies within the framework of entropy maximization.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 56): Using nuclear norm to drive research

Neural networks made easy (Part 56): Using nuclear norm to drive research

The study of the environment in reinforcement learning is a pressing problem. We have already looked at some approaches previously. In this article, we will have a look at yet another method based on maximizing the nuclear norm. It allows agents to identify environmental states with a high degree of novelty and diversity.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 55): Contrastive intrinsic control (CIC)

Neural networks made easy (Part 55): Contrastive intrinsic control (CIC)

Contrastive training is an unsupervised method of training representation. Its goal is to train a model to highlight similarities and differences in data sets. In this article, we will talk about using contrastive training approaches to explore different Actor skills.
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Understanding Programming Paradigms (Part 1): A Procedural Approach to Developing a Price Action Expert Advisor

Understanding Programming Paradigms (Part 1): A Procedural Approach to Developing a Price Action Expert Advisor

Learn about programming paradigms and their application in MQL5 code. This article explores the specifics of procedural programming, offering hands-on experience through a practical example. You'll learn how to develop a price action expert advisor using the EMA indicator and candlestick price data. Additionally, the article introduces you to the functional programming paradigm.
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Brute force approach to patterns search (Part VI): Cyclic optimization

Brute force approach to patterns search (Part VI): Cyclic optimization

In this article I will show the first part of the improvements that allowed me not only to close the entire automation chain for MetaTrader 4 and 5 trading, but also to do something much more interesting. From now on, this solution allows me to fully automate both creating EAs and optimization, as well as to minimize labor costs for finding effective trading configurations.
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Filtering and feature extraction in the frequency domain

Filtering and feature extraction in the frequency domain

In this article we explore the application of digital filters on time series represented in the frequency domain so as to extract unique features that may be useful to prediction models.
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How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 5):  Bollinger Bands On Keltner Channel — Indicators Signal

How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 5): Bollinger Bands On Keltner Channel — Indicators Signal

The Multi-Currency Expert Advisor in this article is an Expert Advisor or Trading Robot that can trade (open orders, close orders and manage orders for example: Trailing Stop Loss and Trailing Profit) for more than one symbol pair from only one symbol chart. In this article we will use signals from two indicators, in this case Bollinger Bands® on Keltner Channel.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 54): Using random encoder for efficient research (RE3)

Neural networks made easy (Part 54): Using random encoder for efficient research (RE3)

Whenever we consider reinforcement learning methods, we are faced with the issue of efficiently exploring the environment. Solving this issue often leads to complication of the algorithm and training of additional models. In this article, we will look at an alternative approach to solving this problem.
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Modified Grid-Hedge EA in MQL5 (Part I): Making a Simple Hedge EA

Modified Grid-Hedge EA in MQL5 (Part I): Making a Simple Hedge EA

We will be creating a simple hedge EA as a base for our more advanced Grid-Hedge EA, which will be a mixture of classic grid and classic hedge strategies. By the end of this article, you will know how to create a simple hedge strategy, and you will also get to know what people say about whether this strategy is truly 100% profitable.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 53): Reward decomposition

Neural networks made easy (Part 53): Reward decomposition

We have already talked more than once about the importance of correctly selecting the reward function, which we use to stimulate the desired behavior of the Agent by adding rewards or penalties for individual actions. But the question remains open about the decryption of our signals by the Agent. In this article, we will talk about reward decomposition in terms of transmitting individual signals to the trained Agent.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 52): Research with optimism and distribution correction

Neural networks made easy (Part 52): Research with optimism and distribution correction

As the model is trained based on the experience reproduction buffer, the current Actor policy moves further and further away from the stored examples, which reduces the efficiency of training the model as a whole. In this article, we will look at the algorithm of improving the efficiency of using samples in reinforcement learning algorithms.
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How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 4): Triangular moving average — Indicator Signals

How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 4): Triangular moving average — Indicator Signals

The Multi-Currency Expert Advisor in this article is Expert Advisor or trading robot that can trade (open orders, close orders and manage orders for example: Trailing Stop Loss and Trailing Profit) for more than one symbol pair only from one symbol chart. This time we will use only 1 indicator, namely Triangular moving average in multi-timeframes or single timeframe.
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Developing a quality factor for Expert Advisors

Developing a quality factor for Expert Advisors

In this article, we will see how to develop a quality score that your Expert Advisor can display in the strategy tester. We will look at two well-known calculation methods – Van Tharp and Sunny Harris.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 51): Behavior-Guided Actor-Critic (BAC)

Neural networks made easy (Part 51): Behavior-Guided Actor-Critic (BAC)

The last two articles considered the Soft Actor-Critic algorithm, which incorporates entropy regularization into the reward function. This approach balances environmental exploration and model exploitation, but it is only applicable to stochastic models. The current article proposes an alternative approach that is applicable to both stochastic and deterministic models.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 50): Soft Actor-Critic (model optimization)

Neural networks made easy (Part 50): Soft Actor-Critic (model optimization)

In the previous article, we implemented the Soft Actor-Critic algorithm, but were unable to train a profitable model. Here we will optimize the previously created model to obtain the desired results.
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How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 3): Added symbols prefixes and/or suffixes and Trading Time Session

How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 3): Added symbols prefixes and/or suffixes and Trading Time Session

Several fellow traders sent emails or commented about how to use this Multi-Currency EA on brokers with symbol names that have prefixes and/or suffixes, and also how to implement trading time zones or trading time sessions on this Multi-Currency EA.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 49): Soft Actor-Critic

Neural networks made easy (Part 49): Soft Actor-Critic

We continue our discussion of reinforcement learning algorithms for solving continuous action space problems. In this article, I will present the Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) algorithm. The main advantage of SAC is the ability to find optimal policies that not only maximize the expected reward, but also have maximum entropy (diversity) of actions.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 48): Methods for reducing overestimation of Q-function values

Neural networks made easy (Part 48): Methods for reducing overestimation of Q-function values

In the previous article, we introduced the DDPG method, which allows training models in a continuous action space. However, like other Q-learning methods, DDPG is prone to overestimating Q-function values. This problem often results in training an agent with a suboptimal strategy. In this article, we will look at some approaches to overcome the mentioned issue.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 47): Continuous action space

Neural networks made easy (Part 47): Continuous action space

In this article, we expand the range of tasks of our agent. The training process will include some aspects of money and risk management, which are an integral part of any trading strategy.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 46): Goal-conditioned reinforcement learning (GCRL)

Neural networks made easy (Part 46): Goal-conditioned reinforcement learning (GCRL)

In this article, we will have a look at yet another reinforcement learning approach. It is called goal-conditioned reinforcement learning (GCRL). In this approach, an agent is trained to achieve different goals in specific scenarios.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 45): Training state exploration skills

Neural networks made easy (Part 45): Training state exploration skills

Training useful skills without an explicit reward function is one of the main challenges in hierarchical reinforcement learning. Previously, we already got acquainted with two algorithms for solving this problem. But the question of the completeness of environmental research remains open. This article demonstrates a different approach to skill training, the use of which directly depends on the current state of the system.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 44): Learning skills with dynamics in mind

Neural networks made easy (Part 44): Learning skills with dynamics in mind

In the previous article, we introduced the DIAYN method, which offers the algorithm for learning a variety of skills. The acquired skills can be used for various tasks. But such skills can be quite unpredictable, which can make them difficult to use. In this article, we will look at an algorithm for learning predictable skills.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 43): Mastering skills without the reward function

Neural networks made easy (Part 43): Mastering skills without the reward function

The problem of reinforcement learning lies in the need to define a reward function. It can be complex or difficult to formalize. To address this problem, activity-based and environment-based approaches are being explored to learn skills without an explicit reward function.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 42): Model procrastination, reasons and solutions

Neural networks made easy (Part 42): Model procrastination, reasons and solutions

In the context of reinforcement learning, model procrastination can be caused by several reasons. The article considers some of the possible causes of model procrastination and methods for overcoming them.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 41): Hierarchical models

Neural networks made easy (Part 41): Hierarchical models

The article describes hierarchical training models that offer an effective approach to solving complex machine learning problems. Hierarchical models consist of several levels, each of which is responsible for different aspects of the task.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 40): Using Go-Explore on large amounts of data

Neural networks made easy (Part 40): Using Go-Explore on large amounts of data

This article discusses the use of the Go-Explore algorithm over a long training period, since the random action selection strategy may not lead to a profitable pass as training time increases.
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Alternative risk return metrics in MQL5

Alternative risk return metrics in MQL5

In this article we present the implementation of several risk return metrics billed as alternatives to the Sharpe ratio and examine hypothetical equity curves to analyze their characteristics.
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How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 2): Indicator Signals: Multi Timeframe Parabolic SAR Indicator

How to create a simple Multi-Currency Expert Advisor using MQL5 (Part 2): Indicator Signals: Multi Timeframe Parabolic SAR Indicator

The Multi-Currency Expert Advisor in this article is Expert Advisor or trading robot that can trade (open orders, close orders and manage orders for example: Trailing Stop Loss and Trailing Profit) for more than 1 symbol pair only from one symbol chart. This time we will use only 1 indicator, namely Parabolic SAR or iSAR in multi-timeframes starting from PERIOD_M15 to PERIOD_D1.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 39): Go-Explore, a different approach to exploration

Neural networks made easy (Part 39): Go-Explore, a different approach to exploration

We continue studying the environment in reinforcement learning models. And in this article we will look at another algorithm – Go-Explore, which allows you to effectively explore the environment at the model training stage.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 38): Self-Supervised Exploration via Disagreement

Neural networks made easy (Part 38): Self-Supervised Exploration via Disagreement

One of the key problems within reinforcement learning is environmental exploration. Previously, we have already seen the research method based on Intrinsic Curiosity. Today I propose to look at another algorithm: Exploration via Disagreement.
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Estimate future performance with confidence intervals

Estimate future performance with confidence intervals

In this article we delve into the application of boostrapping techniques as a means to estimate the future performance of an automated strategy.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 37): Sparse Attention

Neural networks made easy (Part 37): Sparse Attention

In the previous article, we discussed relational models which use attention mechanisms in their architecture. One of the specific features of these models is the intensive utilization of computing resources. In this article, we will consider one of the mechanisms for reducing the number of computational operations inside the Self-Attention block. This will increase the general performance of the model.