Articles on strategy testing in MQL5

Artificial Cooperative Search (ACS) is an innovative method using a binary matrix and multiple dynamic populations based on mutualistic relationships and cooperation to find optimal solutions quickly and accurately. ACS unique approach to predators and prey enables it to achieve excellent results in numerical optimization problems.

If there is a need to display text on a chart, we can use the Comment() function. But its capabilities are quite limited. Therefore, in this article, we will create our own component - a full-screen dialog window capable of displaying multi-line text with flexible font settings and scrolling support.

Previously, we evaluated the selection of a group of trading strategy instances, with the aim of improving the results of their joint operation, only on the same time period, in which the optimization of individual instances was carried out. Let's see what happens in the forward period.

This article presents a multi-symbol execution filter that scores real-time market quality before any trade is allowed. It measures spread behavior, tick velocity, quote gaps, micro-volatility, and a slippage estimate, then classifies the state to block degraded conditions. Once noise settles, a liquidity sweep continuation model evaluates structure shifts so entries occur only when execution is mechanically stable.

We aim to create a system for automatic periodic optimization of trading strategies used in one final EA. As the system evolves, it becomes increasingly complex, so it is necessary to look at it as a whole from time to time in order to identify bottlenecks and suboptimal solutions.

In this article, we will implement the first solution that will allow us to determine when a new bar may appear on the chart. This solution is applicable in a wide variety of situations. Understanding its development will help you grasp several important aspects. The content presented here is intended solely for educational purposes. Under no circumstances should the application be viewed for any purpose other than to learn and master the concepts presented.

In this article, we will get acquainted with the ALGLIB library optimization methods for MQL5. The article includes simple and clear examples of using ALGLIB to solve optimization problems, which will make mastering the methods as accessible as possible. We will take a detailed look at the connection of such algorithms as BLEIC, L-BFGS and NS, and use them to solve a simple test problem.

The first part was devoted to the well-known and popular algorithm - simulated annealing. We have thoroughly considered its pros and cons. The second part of the article is devoted to the radical transformation of the algorithm, which turns it into a new optimization algorithm - Simulated Isotropic Annealing (SIA).

In this article we present an algorithm for permuting price bars and detail how permutation tests can be used to recognize instances where strategy performance has been fabricated to deceive potential buyers of Expert Advisors.

In the previous article I explained how you can manipulate template data for use in OBJ_CHART. In that article, I only outlined the topic without going into details, since in that version the work was done in a very simplified way. This was done to make it easier to explain the content, because despite the apparent simplicity of many things, some of them were not so obvious, and without understanding the simplest and most basic part, you would not be able to truly understand the entire picture.

We commence a new article series that builds upon our earlier efforts laid out in the MQL5 Wizard series, by taking them further as we step up our approach to systematic trading and strategy testing. Within these new series, we’ll concentrate our focus on Expert Advisors that are coded to hold only a single type of position - primarily longs. Focusing on just one market trend can simplify analysis, lessen strategy complexity and expose some key insights, especially when dealing in assets beyond forex. Our series, therefore, will investigate if this is effective in equities and other non-forex assets, where long only systems usually correlate well with smart money or institution strategies.

We are close to completing this challenge. However, before we begin, I want you to try to understand these two articles—this one and the previous one. That way, you will truly understand the next article, in which I will cover exclusively the part related to MQL5 programming. But I will also try to make it understandable. If you do not understand these last two articles, it will be difficult for you to understand the next one, because the material accumulates. The more things there are to do, the more you need to create and understand in order to achieve the goal.

In this article, we'll complicate things a little. Using what was shown in the previous articles, we will start to open up the template file so that the user can use their own template. However, I will be making changes gradually, as I will also be refining the indicator to reduce the load on MetaTrader 5.

In the previous article, we made some fixes and added tests to our replication system to ensure the best possible stability. We also started creating and using a configuration file for this system.

We continue our experiment that aims to examine the behavior of population optimization algorithms in the context of their ability to efficiently escape local minima when population diversity is low and reach global maxima. Research results are provided.

What we create today will be difficult to understand. Therefore, in this article I will only talk about the initial stage. Please read this article carefully, it is an important prerequisite before we proceed to the next step. The purpose of this material is purely didactic as we will only study and master the presented concepts, without practical application.

Finally, our Chart Trade indicator starts interacting with the EA, allowing information to be transferred interactively. Therefore, in this article, we will improve the indicator, making it functional enough to be used together with any EA. This will allow us to access the Chart Trade indicator and work with it as if it were actually connected with an EA. But we will do it in a much more interesting way than before.

The article considers Boids algorithm based on unique examples of animal flocking behavior. In turn, the Boids algorithm serves as the basis for the creation of the whole class of algorithms united under the name "Swarm Intelligence".

In this article, we will begin to address the issue of tick excess that can impact application performance when using real data. This excess often interferes with the correct timing required to construct a one-minute bar in the appropriate window.

We will solve the chart ID problem and at the same time we will begin to provide the user with the ability to use a personal template for the analysis and simulation of the desired asset. The materials presented here are for didactic purposes only and should in no way be considered as an application for any purpose other than studying and mastering the concepts presented.

Successful Restaurateur Algorithm (SRA) is an innovative optimization method inspired by restaurant business management principles. Unlike traditional approaches, SRA does not discard weak solutions, but improves them by combining with elements of successful ones. The algorithm shows competitive results and offers a fresh perspective on balancing exploration and exploitation in optimization problems.

The article is devoted to the AMO algorithm, which models the seasonal migration of animals in search of optimal conditions for life and reproduction. The main features of AMO include the use of topological neighborhood and a probabilistic update mechanism, which makes it easy to implement and flexible for various optimization tasks.

Most people who want or dream of learning to program don't actually have a clue what they're doing. Their activity consists of trying to create things in a certain way. However, programming is not about tailoring suitable solutions. Doing it this way can create more problems than solutions. Here we will be doing something more advanced and therefore different.

Tired of wasting time searching for that very file that you application needs in order to work? How about including everything in the executable? This way you won't have to search for the things. I know that many people use this form of distribution and storage, but there is a much more suitable way. At least as far as the distribution of executable files and their storage is concerned. The method that will be presented here can be very useful, since you can use MetaTrader 5 itself as an excellent assistant, as well as MQL5. Furthermore, it is not that difficult to understand.

The article presents an optimization algorithm based on the patterns of constructing spiral trajectories in nature, such as mollusk shells - the spiral dynamics optimization (SDO) algorithm. I have thoroughly revised and modified the algorithm proposed by the authors. The article will consider the necessity of these changes.

This article presents a Time-of-Day capital rotation engine for MQL5 that allocates risk by trading session instead of using uniform exposure. We detail session budgets within a daily risk cap, dynamic lot sizing from remaining session risk, and automatic daily resets. Execution uses session-specific breakout and fade logic with ATR-based volatility confirmation. Readers gain a practical template to deploy capital where session conditions are statistically strongest while keeping exposure controlled throughout the day.

The article discusses the Tabu Search algorithm, one of the first and most well-known metaheuristic methods. We will go through the algorithm operation in detail, starting with choosing an initial solution and exploring neighboring options, with an emphasis on using a tabu list. The article covers the key aspects of the algorithm and its features.

After improving the C_Mouse class, we can focus on creating a class designed to create a completely new framework fr our analysis. We will not use inheritance or polymorphism to create this new class. Instead, we will change, or better said, add new objects to the price line. That's what we will do in this article. In the next one, we will look at how to change the analysis. All this will be done without changing the code of the C_Mouse class. Well, actually, it would be easier to achieve this using inheritance or polymorphism. However, there are other methods to achieve the same result.

Replace static drawings with automated, stateful zones controlled by a CZone wrapper. The system synchronizes user rectangles, sizes zones by ATR, validates breakouts using consecutive closes, applies ghost/deactivation rules, merges nearby structures by a 1.5×ATR threshold, and projects edges forward. Traders gain durable levels that update themselves and reduce repetitive chart management.

Many of you may have far more experience working with databases than I do, and therefore may have a different opinion. Since it was necessary to explain why databases are designed the way they are, and why SQL has the form it does—especially why primary and foreign keys emerged—some things had to remain somewhat abstract.

In the first part of this article, we will dive into the world of chemical reactions and discover a new approach to optimization! Chemical reaction optimization (CRO) uses principles derived from the laws of thermodynamics to achieve efficient results. We will reveal the secrets of decomposition, synthesis and other chemical processes that became the basis of this innovative method.

Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) is a metaheuristic algorithm inspired by the behavior and hunting strategies of humpback whales. The main idea of WOA is to mimic the so-called "bubble-net" feeding method, in which whales create bubbles around prey and then attack it in a spiral motion.

Here we will consider the evolution of the ACS algorithm: three modifications aimed at improving the convergence characteristics and the algorithm efficiency. Transformation of one of the leading optimization algorithms. From matrix modifications to revolutionary approaches regarding population formation.