MQL5 Programming Articles

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Study the MQL5 language for programming trading strategies in numerous published articles mostly written by you - the community members. The articles are grouped into categories to help you quicker find answers to any questions related to programming: Integration, Tester, Trading Strategies, etc.

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Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 7): Signal Pulse EA

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 7): Signal Pulse EA

Unlock the potential of multi-timeframe analysis with 'Signal Pulse,' an MQL5 Expert Advisor that integrates Bollinger Bands and the Stochastic Oscillator to deliver accurate, high-probability trading signals. Discover how to implement this strategy and effectively visualize buy and sell opportunities using custom arrows. Ideal for traders seeking to enhance their judgment through automated analysis across multiple timeframes.
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Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 61): Structural Slanted Trendline Breakouts with 3-Swing Validation

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 61): Structural Slanted Trendline Breakouts with 3-Swing Validation

We present a slanted trendline breakout tool that relies on three‑swing validation to generate objective, price‑action signals. The system automates swing detection, trendline construction, and breakout confirmation using crossing logic to reduce noise and standardize execution. The article explains the strategy rules, shows the MQL5 implementation, and reviews testing results; the tool is intended for analysis and signal confirmation, not automated trading.
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Reimagining Classic Strategies (Part XI): Moving Average Cross Over (II)

Reimagining Classic Strategies (Part XI): Moving Average Cross Over (II)

The moving averages and the stochastic oscillator could be used to generate trend following trading signals. However, these signals will only be observed after the price action has occurred. We can effectively overcome this inherent lag in technical indicators using AI. This article will teach you how to create a fully autonomous AI-powered Expert Advisor in a manner that can improve any of your existing trading strategies. Even the oldest trading strategy possible can be improved.
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MQL5 Cookbook — Macroeconomic events database

MQL5 Cookbook — Macroeconomic events database

The article discusses the possibilities of handling databases based on the SQLite engine. The CDatabase class has been formed for convenience and efficient use of OOP principles. It is subsequently involved in the creation and management of the database of macroeconomic events. The article provides the examples of using multiple methods of the CDatabase class.
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Tips from a professional programmer (Part III): Logging. Connecting to the Seq log collection and analysis system

Tips from a professional programmer (Part III): Logging. Connecting to the Seq log collection and analysis system

Implementation of the Logger class for unifying and structuring messages which are printed to the Experts log. Connection to the Seq log collection and analysis system. Monitoring log messages online.
New Opportunities with MetaTrader 5
New Opportunities with MetaTrader 5

New Opportunities with MetaTrader 5

MetaTrader 4 gained its popularity with traders from all over the world, and it seemed like nothing more could be wished for. With its high processing speed, stability, wide array of possibilities for writing indicators, Expert Advisors, and informatory-trading systems, and the ability to chose from over a hundred different brokers, - the terminal greatly distinguished itself from the rest. But time doesn’t stand still, and we find ourselves facing a choice of MetaTrade 4 or MetaTrade 5. In this article, we will describe the main differences of the 5th generation terminal from our current favor.
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Moral expectation in trading

Moral expectation in trading

This article is about moral expectation. We will look at several examples of its use in trading, as well as the results that can be achieved with its help.
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Risk manager for algorithmic trading

Risk manager for algorithmic trading

The objectives of this article are to prove the necessity of using a risk manager and to implement the principles of controlled risk in algorithmic trading in a separate class, so that everyone can verify the effectiveness of the risk standardization approach in intraday trading and investing in financial markets. In this article, we will create a risk manager class for algorithmic trading. This is a logical continuation of the previous article in which we discussed the creation of a risk manager for manual trading.
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Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 35): Training and Deploying Predictive Models

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 35): Training and Deploying Predictive Models

Historical data is far from “trash”—it’s the foundation of any robust market analysis. In this article, we’ll take you step‑by‑step from collecting that history to using it to train a predictive model, and finally deploying that model for live price forecasts. Read on to learn how!
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Introduction to MQL5 (Part 6): A Beginner's Guide to Array Functions in MQL5 (II)

Introduction to MQL5 (Part 6): A Beginner's Guide to Array Functions in MQL5 (II)

Embark on the next phase of our MQL5 journey. In this insightful and beginner-friendly article, we'll look into the remaining array functions, demystifying complex concepts to empower you to craft efficient trading strategies. We’ll be discussing ArrayPrint, ArrayInsert, ArraySize, ArrayRange, ArrarRemove, ArraySwap, ArrayReverse, and ArraySort. Elevate your algorithmic trading expertise with these essential array functions. Join us on the path to MQL5 mastery!
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Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 30): Commodity Channel Index (CCI), Zero Line EA

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 30): Commodity Channel Index (CCI), Zero Line EA

Automating price action analysis is the way forward. In this article, we utilize the Dual CCI indicator, the Zero Line Crossover strategy, EMA, and price action to develop a tool that generates trade signals and sets stop-loss (SL) and take-profit (TP) levels using ATR. Please read this article to learn how we approach the development of the CCI Zero Line EA.
How we developed the MetaTrader Signals service and Social Trading
How we developed the MetaTrader Signals service and Social Trading

How we developed the MetaTrader Signals service and Social Trading

We continue to enhance the Signals service, improve the mechanisms, add new functions and fix flaws. The MetaTrader Signals Service of 2012 and the current MetaTrader Signals Service are like two completely different services. Currently, we are implementing A Virtual Hosting Cloud service which consists of a network of servers to support specific versions of the MetaTrader client terminal.
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Continuous walk-forward optimization (Part 8): Program improvements and fixes

Continuous walk-forward optimization (Part 8): Program improvements and fixes

The program has been modified based on comments and requests from users and readers of this article series. This article contains a new version of the auto optimizer. This version implements requested features and provides other improvements, which I found when working with the program.
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Creating an MQL5-Telegram Integrated Expert Advisor (Part 2): Sending Signals from MQL5 to Telegram

Creating an MQL5-Telegram Integrated Expert Advisor (Part 2): Sending Signals from MQL5 to Telegram

In this article, we create an MQL5-Telegram integrated Expert Advisor that sends moving average crossover signals to Telegram. We detail the process of generating trading signals from moving average crossovers, implementing the necessary code in MQL5, and ensuring the integration works seamlessly. The result is a system that provides real-time trading alerts directly to your Telegram group chat.
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Building a Trading System (Part 4): How Random Exits Influence Trading Expectancy

Building a Trading System (Part 4): How Random Exits Influence Trading Expectancy

Many traders have experienced this situation, often stick to their entry criteria but struggle with trade management. Even with the right setups, emotional decision-making—such as panic exits before trades reach their take-profit or stop-loss levels—can lead to a declining equity curve. How can traders overcome this issue and improve their results? This article will address these questions by examining random win-rates and demonstrating, through Monte Carlo simulation, how traders can refine their strategies by taking profits at reasonable levels before the original target is reached.
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Currency pair strength indicator in pure MQL5

Currency pair strength indicator in pure MQL5

We are going to develop a professional indicator for currency strength analysis in MQL5. This step-by-step guide will show you how to develop a powerful trading tool with a visual dashboard for MetaTrader 5. You will learn how to calculate the strength of currency pairs across multiple timeframes (H1, H4, D1), implement dynamic data updates, and create a user-friendly interface.
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Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 28): Towards the future (III)

Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 28): Towards the future (III)

There is still one task which our order system is not up to, but we will FINALLY figure it out. The MetaTrader 5 provides a system of tickets which allows creating and correcting order values. The idea is to have an Expert Advisor that would make the same ticket system faster and more efficient.
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From Novice to Expert: Auto-Geometric Analysis System

From Novice to Expert: Auto-Geometric Analysis System

Geometric patterns offer traders a concise way to interpret price action. Many analysts draw trend lines, rectangles, and other shapes by hand, and then base trading decisions on the formations they see. In this article, we explore an automated alternative: harnessing MQL5 to detect and analyze the most popular geometric patterns. We’ll break down the methodology, discuss implementation details, and highlight how automated pattern recognition can sharpen a trader's market insights.
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Data Science and ML (Part 40): Using Fibonacci Retracements in Machine Learning data

Data Science and ML (Part 40): Using Fibonacci Retracements in Machine Learning data

Fibonacci retracements are a popular tool in technical analysis, helping traders identify potential reversal zones. In this article, we’ll explore how these retracement levels can be transformed into target variables for machine learning models to help them understand the market better using this powerful tool.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 25): Practicing Transfer Learning

Neural networks made easy (Part 25): Practicing Transfer Learning

In the last two articles, we developed a tool for creating and editing neural network models. Now it is time to evaluate the potential use of Transfer Learning technology using practical examples.
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Developing A Custom Account Performance Matrix Indicator

Developing A Custom Account Performance Matrix Indicator

This indicator acts as a discipline enforcer by tracking account equity, profit/loss, and drawdown in real-time while displaying a performance dashboard. It can help traders stay consistent, avoid overtrading, and comply with prop-firm challenge rules.
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Creating a ticker tape panel: Basic version

Creating a ticker tape panel: Basic version

Here I will show how to create screens with price tickers which are usually used to display quotes on the exchange. I will do it by only using MQL5, without using complex external programming.
Technical Analysis: What Do We Analyze?
Technical Analysis: What Do We Analyze?

Technical Analysis: What Do We Analyze?

This article tries to analyze several peculiarities of representation of quotes available in the MetaTrader client terminal. The article is general, it doesn't concern programming.
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DoEasy. Controls (Part 3): Creating bound controls

DoEasy. Controls (Part 3): Creating bound controls

In this article, I will create subordinate controls bound to the base element. The development will be performed using the base control functionality. In addition, I will tinker with the graphical element shadow object a bit since it still suffers from some logic errors when applied to any of the objects capable of having a shadow.
Nikolay Ivanov (Techno): "What is important for programs is the accuracy of their algorithms"
Nikolay Ivanov (Techno): "What is important for programs is the accuracy of their algorithms"

Nikolay Ivanov (Techno): "What is important for programs is the accuracy of their algorithms"

A programmer from Krasnoyarsk Nikolay Ivanov (Techno) is a leader among the developers in terms of the number of completed orders - he has implemented already more than 200 applications in the Jobs service. In this interview, he is talking about the Jobs service, its specific features and challengers faced by programmers.
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Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 27): Creating a Price Action Crab Harmonic Pattern with Visual Feedback

Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 27): Creating a Price Action Crab Harmonic Pattern with Visual Feedback

In this article, we develop a Crab Harmonic Pattern system in MQL5 that identifies bullish and bearish Crab harmonic patterns using pivot points and Fibonacci ratios, triggering trades with precise entry, stop loss, and take-profit levels. We incorporate visual feedback through chart objects like triangles and trendlines to display the XABCD pattern structure and trade levels.
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Population optimization algorithms: Harmony Search (HS)

Population optimization algorithms: Harmony Search (HS)

In the current article, I will study and test the most powerful optimization algorithm - harmonic search (HS) inspired by the process of finding the perfect sound harmony. So what algorithm is now the leader in our rating?
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Using the MQL5 Economic Calendar for News Filtering (Part 1): Implementing Pre- and Post-News Windows in MQL5

Using the MQL5 Economic Calendar for News Filtering (Part 1): Implementing Pre- and Post-News Windows in MQL5

We build a calendar‑driven news filter entirely in MQL5, avoiding web requests and external DLLs. Part 1 covers loading and caching events, mapping them to symbols by currency, filtering by impact level, defining pre/post windows, and blocking new trades during active news, with optional pre‑news position closure. The result is a configurable, prop‑firm‑friendly control that reduces false pauses and protects entries during volatility.
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Algorithmic Trading Without the Routine: Quick Trade Analysis in MetaTrader 5 with SQLite

Algorithmic Trading Without the Routine: Quick Trade Analysis in MetaTrader 5 with SQLite

The article presents a minimal working set for maintaining a trading journal in MQL5 using SQLite: a table structure for trades, signals, and events, indices, prepared statements and trades, as well as standard analytical SQL queries. Integration with the statistics dashboard in MetaTrader 5 and working with the database via MetaEditor are demonstrated. The approach allows automating the journal, accelerating calculations, and performing analysis without complicating the EA code.
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Neural networks made easy (Part 76): Exploring diverse interaction patterns with Multi-future Transformer

Neural networks made easy (Part 76): Exploring diverse interaction patterns with Multi-future Transformer

This article continues the topic of predicting the upcoming price movement. I invite you to get acquainted with the Multi-future Transformer architecture. Its main idea is to decompose the multimodal distribution of the future into several unimodal distributions, which allows you to effectively simulate various models of interaction between agents on the scene.
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Robustness Testing on Expert Advisors

Robustness Testing on Expert Advisors

In strategy development, there are many intricate details to consider, many of which are not highlighted for beginner traders. As a result, many traders, myself included, have had to learn these lessons the hard way. This article is based on my observations of common pitfalls that most beginner traders encounter when developing strategies on MQL5. It will offer a range of tips, tricks, and examples to help identify the disqualification of an EA and test the robustness of our own EAs in an easy-to-implement way. The goal is to educate readers, helping them avoid future scams when purchasing EAs as well as preventing mistakes in their own strategy development.
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Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 56): Reading Session Acceptance and Rejection with CPI

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 56): Reading Session Acceptance and Rejection with CPI

This article presents a session-based analytical framework that combines time-defined market sessions with the Candle Pressure Index (CPI) to classify acceptance and rejection behavior at session boundaries using closed-candle data and clearly defined rules.
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Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 74): Building an MQL5 Expert Advisor from Indicator Buffers

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 74): Building an MQL5 Expert Advisor from Indicator Buffers

This article implements an MQL5 Expert Advisor that connects to a weekend gap indicator via iCustom and CopyBuffer, reading six buffers for buy/sell signals and SL/TP. It validates broker stop-distance rules, handles closed-bar confirmation and duplicate-signal control, and executes orders with a configurable magic number. The EA also includes midpoint stop-loss management and a backtesting procedure so you can verify behavior and adapt parameters to your setup.
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Developing a Calendar-Based News Event Breakout Expert Advisor in MQL5

Developing a Calendar-Based News Event Breakout Expert Advisor in MQL5

Volatility tends to peak around high-impact news events, creating significant breakout opportunities. In this article, we will outline the implementation process of a calendar-based breakout strategy. We'll cover everything from creating a class to interpret and store calendar data, developing realistic backtests using this data, and finally, implementing execution code for live trading.
Graphics in DoEasy library (Part 93): Preparing functionality for creating composite graphical objects
Graphics in DoEasy library (Part 93): Preparing functionality for creating composite graphical objects

Graphics in DoEasy library (Part 93): Preparing functionality for creating composite graphical objects

In this article, I will start developing the functionality for creating composite graphical objects. The library will support creating composite graphical objects allowing those objects have any hierarchy of connections. I will prepare all the necessary classes for subsequent implementation of such objects.
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MQL5 Trading Toolkit (Part 3): Developing a Pending Orders Management EX5 Library

MQL5 Trading Toolkit (Part 3): Developing a Pending Orders Management EX5 Library

Learn how to develop and implement a comprehensive pending orders EX5 library in your MQL5 code or projects. This article will show you how to create an extensive pending orders management EX5 library and guide you through importing and implementing it by building a trading panel or graphical user interface (GUI). The expert advisor orders panel will allow users to open, monitor, and delete pending orders associated with a specified magic number directly from the graphical interface on the chart window.
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MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 1): Building an Interactive Visual Pending Orders Trade Assistant Tool

MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 1): Building an Interactive Visual Pending Orders Trade Assistant Tool

In this article, we introduce the development of an interactive Trade Assistant Tool in MQL5, designed to simplify placing pending orders in Forex trading. We outline the conceptual design, focusing on a user-friendly GUI for setting entry, stop-loss, and take-profit levels visually on the chart. Additionally, we detail the MQL5 implementation and backtesting process to ensure the tool’s reliability, setting the stage for advanced features in the preceding parts.
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Cycles and Forex

Cycles and Forex

Cycles are of great importance in our lives. Day and night, seasons, days of the week and many other cycles of different nature are present in the life of any person. In this article, we will consider cycles in financial markets.
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Neural Networks in Trading: Parameter-Efficient Transformer with Segmented Attention (Final Part)

Neural Networks in Trading: Parameter-Efficient Transformer with Segmented Attention (Final Part)

In the previous work, we discussed the theoretical aspects of the PSformer framework, which includes two major innovations in the classical Transformer architecture: the Parameter Shared (PS) mechanism and attention to spatio-temporal segments (SegAtt). In this article, we continue the work we started on implementing the proposed approaches using MQL5.
Population optimization algorithms
Population optimization algorithms

Population optimization algorithms

This is an introductory article on optimization algorithm (OA) classification. The article attempts to create a test stand (a set of functions), which is to be used for comparing OAs and, perhaps, identifying the most universal algorithm out of all widely known ones.