Articles on manual and algorithmic trading in MetaTrader 5

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This category features articles on all aspects of trading - from manual to fully automatic trading, from Expert Advisor ideas to trading robot creation using the MQL5 Wizard. Position management, processing of trade events and money management - these integral parts of trading are covered in theses articles.

Learn how to copy trading signals and how to provide around-the-clock operation of Expert Advisors, how to create a trading robot and how to run MetaTrader on Linux and MacOS, what social trading is and how to order a trading robot.

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Bonobo Optimizer (BO)

Bonobo Optimizer (BO)

The article presents the implementation and analysis of the Bonobo Optimizer algorithm, which is based on the unique behavioral characteristics of bonobos — their dynamic fission-fusion social structure and three mating strategies. What interesting features does this method have?
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Trading Options Without Options (Part 4): More Complex Option Strategies

Trading Options Without Options (Part 4): More Complex Option Strategies

In this article, we will examine how to reduce risk (and whether it is even possible to do so) in option strategies where risk is initially unlimited. This applies to strategies based on writing options, i.e., range-bound strategies. We will also consider ways to lock in profits for option strategies based on purchasing options, i.e., trend-following strategies. As always, we will add new useful features to our Expert Advisor (EA) and improve the existing ones.
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A Trailing Stop Engine in MQL5 Supporting Five Trail Methods Simultaneously

A Trailing Stop Engine in MQL5 Supporting Five Trail Methods Simultaneously

We implement CTrailingEngine, an interface-driven MQL5 engine that evaluates each registered position on every tick and applies one of five trailing methods: fixed-pip, ATR multiplier, Parabolic SAR, percentage-of-profit, or swing high/low. All methods share the ITrailMethod contract, so new trails plug in without engine edits. Strict improvement and a one-point guard block backward moves and no-change SLTP modifications.
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Elite Crystal Evolution Algorithm (CEO-inspired): Practical Implementation

Elite Crystal Evolution Algorithm (CEO-inspired): Practical Implementation

Experimental evaluation on standard benchmark functions reveals the advantages and limitations of directly adapting combinatorial algorithms. The article provides a detailed description of the ECEA algorithm's mechanisms and test results.
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Interactive Supply and Demand Zone Manager in MQL5 (Part IV): Trading Supply and Demand Zones

Interactive Supply and Demand Zone Manager in MQL5 (Part IV): Trading Supply and Demand Zones

We extend the supply and demand framework with a strategy layer that converts zone interactions into decisions. Qualified zones pass sequential checks for interaction proximity, approach behavior, higher‑timeframe alignment, and price action before execution is handed to a dedicated trade manager. This architecture improves control, maintainability, and future extensibility without changing the underlying zone engine.
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Unified Multi-Timeframe Renko: Synthesizing the Market's Temporal Dimensions

Unified Multi-Timeframe Renko: Synthesizing the Market's Temporal Dimensions

The article presents an innovative concept for a multi-timeframe Renko chart that combines signals from four timeframes (M5, M15, H1, H4) into a unified synthetic instrument. The system creates a virtual symbol in MetaTrader 5 by using the EMA of each timeframe to generate a composite signal through three methods: simple average, weighted average, and consensus. The implementation includes ATR-based adaptive brick sizing, real-time operation, and full integration with MetaTrader 5.
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Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 52): The tCISD Model with SSMT and Quarterly Theory

Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 52): The tCISD Model with SSMT and Quarterly Theory

We build a tCISD program in MQL5 that pairs Quarterly Theory cycles anchored to New York time with a correlated-symbol SSMT divergence to time reversals. The article shows how to map cycles and quarters, detect the cross-symbol sweep disagreement, and derive the tCISD level whose break confirms the change in delivery. You will get a working entry logic that arms on divergence and executes on a confirmation close or a retest.
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Quick Integration of a Large Language Model into MetaTrader 5 (Part I): Building the Model

Quick Integration of a Large Language Model into MetaTrader 5 (Part I): Building the Model

The article explores the revolutionary integration of large language models (LLMs) with the MetaTrader 5 trading platform, where AI does not simply predict prices but makes autonomous trading decisions by analyzing market context much like an experienced trader. The author highlights a fundamental difference between LLMs and classical machine learning models such as CatBoost — the ability to engage in metacognition and self-reflection, which allows the system to learn from its own mistakes and improve its strategy.
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Building a Divergence System (Part III): The Adaptive SuperTrend EA

Building a Divergence System (Part III): The Adaptive SuperTrend EA

The article implements a self-sufficient Adaptive SuperTrend EA with internal calculations on a selectable timeframe, avoiding external buffers and indicator files. It includes risk-based lot sizing, ATR stops, stepwise RR trailing, optional anti-repainting confirmation, and session control. Practitioners can reuse the structure for consistent new‑bar signal handling and broker‑compliant order validation.
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Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 51): The Bread and Butter Judas Swing Model with Premium and Discount

Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 51): The Bread and Butter Judas Swing Model with Premium and Discount

We build a session-based reversal program in MQL5 using the Bread and Butter Judas Swing model. It derives a higher-timeframe daily bias, defines New York kill zones, maps each session's premium and discount from the live range, and requires a sweep before a market structure shift confirms entry. Readers get a ready approach to arm setups only during active sessions and execute in the bias direction with clear, testable rules.
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Porting the Canonical Catch22 Time-Series Feature Set and Testing It on Volatility Regimes

Porting the Canonical Catch22 Time-Series Feature Set and Testing It on Volatility Regimes

We present a native MQL5 implementation of the catch22 feature set: all 22 canonical time-series characteristics in a reusable class validated against pycatch22. Using a leak-free pipeline (chronological split, purging, embargo), we run a three-arm ablation—classic indicators, catch22, and combined—for volatility-regime classification. Finally, we deploy the combined model as a Strategy Tester regime filter to quantify its impact on a simple baseline strategy.
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From One Price to Four: Range-Based Volatility Estimators for MetaTrader 5

From One Price to Four: Range-Based Volatility Estimators for MetaTrader 5

Close-to-close volatility ignores the high, the low, and overnight gaps. We build a reusable MQL5 library implementing four range-based estimators from Parkinson to the gap-robust Yang-Zhang, and put it to work in a comparison indicator and a set of adaptive volatility bands.
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Developing a Terminal Manager (Part 2): Running Multiple Terminal Instances

Developing a Terminal Manager (Part 2): Running Multiple Terminal Instances

Let's move on to using multiple terminal instances on the server by setting up a simple control panel for starting and stopping them. Now it is time to expand the functionality and move on to the next stages — implementing more complex features, such as managing multiple terminal instances, state persistence, integration with the MetaTrader 5 API, and a web interface with comprehensive information about the terminals.
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Developing a Terminal Manager (Part 1): Problem Statement

Developing a Terminal Manager (Part 1): Problem Statement

How can we conveniently monitor multiple terminals running Expert Advisors, especially when they are on different computers? Let's try to create a web interface for managing the launch of MetaTrader 5 trading terminals and viewing detailed information about the operation of each instance.
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The Blue Monkey (BM) Algorithm

The Blue Monkey (BM) Algorithm

The article presents an implementation of the Blue Monkey metaheuristic algorithm, which is based on a model of the social behavior of blue monkeys. The article examines the key mechanisms of the algorithm — the group structure of the population, following local leaders, and generational renewal through the replacement of the worst adults with the best offspring — and analyzes the test results.
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Building Your Personal Expert Advisor (Part 1): From Fragile Script to Working EA

Building Your Personal Expert Advisor (Part 1): From Fragile Script to Working EA

This article focuses on EA architecture rather than signal design. Starting with a flawed Moving Average crossover EA, we add new‑bar detection to prevent duplicate entries, Magic Number and position awareness, ATR‑based risk levels, and data and trade result validation, along with basic safeguards. You obtain a practical base to build and test advanced systems.
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Creating a Probabilistic Market-Neutral Trading Robot Based on a Return Distribution

Creating a Probabilistic Market-Neutral Trading Robot Based on a Return Distribution

A market-neutral trading strategy based on the empirical return distribution offers an alternative to traditional technical analysis methods, replacing price direction forecasting with the statistical placement of orders at levels the price is likely to reach. This article provides a detailed analysis of the mathematical framework for calculating percentiles, algorithms for weighting position sizes based on the probability of an order being triggered, and mechanisms for adapting to changing market conditions through grid expiration. A complete implementation in MQL5 is provided.
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Crow Search Algorithm (CSA)

Crow Search Algorithm (CSA)

The Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) is an elegant metaheuristic inspired by crows’ ability to hide food and find other crows' caches, solving optimization problems by balancing following successful solutions with random exploration of the search space. Let's find out how well the algorithm performs.
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Trading Options Without Options (Part 3): Complex Option Strategies

Trading Options Without Options (Part 3): Complex Option Strategies

The article discusses flat (non-directional) and trend-following (directional) option strategies and their implementation in MQL5. The EA described in the previous article is updated. The display of option levels has been added. Now it is time to examine the strategies used by options traders in practice and put them into action.
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Automating Classic Market Methods in MQL5 (Part 5): The Original Turtle Trading Rules

Automating Classic Market Methods in MQL5 (Part 5): The Original Turtle Trading Rules

This article builds a complete MQL5 Expert Advisor that implements the original Turtle Trading rules from Curtis Faith. It covers both systems: 20/55-day breakouts, the System 1 skip rule, N (Wilder ATR) for volatility-adjusted sizing, a four‑unit pyramid with N/2 adds, a unified 2N stop, and 10/20-day exits. You will get compilable code, implementation details, and a backtesting procedure on EURUSD.
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Automating Classic Market Methods in MQL5 (Part 4): Mark Minervini's Trend Template

Automating Classic Market Methods in MQL5 (Part 4): Mark Minervini's Trend Template

This article presents TrendTemplateEA, an Expert Advisor implementing Mark Minervini's eight-condition trend template for daily forex charts. It evaluates all conditions on every bar and enters only when they are simultaneously satisfied, using RSI above 50 in place of the stock market RS rating. The entry trigger is a 20-bar high breakout on expanding volume, with all rules coded and testable in MQL5.
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Developing a Multi-Currency Expert Advisor (Part 29): Improving the Conveyor

Developing a Multi-Currency Expert Advisor (Part 29): Improving the Conveyor

We are going to improve the usability of the automated optimization conveyor: we will explore the process from creating an optimization project to testing the final EA. For clarity, let us walk through the entire process step by step creating the final EA, while stopping to make any desired corrections.
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Where should your stop-loss really sit? An MAE/MFE excursion analyzer in MQL5

Where should your stop-loss really sit? An MAE/MFE excursion analyzer in MQL5

Stop-loss and take-profit placement is usually the least-measured decision in a trading system. This Expert Advisor reads your closed history, replays M1 price between each entry and exit to measure Maximum Adverse and Favorable Excursion per trade, and splits winners from losers. From the distributions and trade efficiency it derives data-driven stop and target levels - measured from your own account, not a rule of thumb. Analysis only; it does not trade.
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Bison Algorithm (BIA)

Bison Algorithm (BIA)

A new optimization method, the Bison Algorithm (BIA), uses two strategies, inspired by the behavior of bison, for solving continuous problems with a single objective function. The key features of BIA are two fundamental principles borrowed from the behavior of bison: the ability to move dynamically and a defensive strategy.
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Defining your Edge (Part 2): Using Divergence Mapping and a Temporal Fusion Transformer in a Trading Robot

Defining your Edge (Part 2): Using Divergence Mapping and a Temporal Fusion Transformer in a Trading Robot

In this article we make the case for merging Divergence Mapping with a Temporal Fusion Proxy in a Trading Robot. Rather than depending on lagging price confirmations, the Divergence Mapping's thesis is that acting like a structural sensor can help identify hidden momentum shifts from price action and indicator anomalies. To establish how these anomalies are interpreted over time we use a Temporal Fusion Transformer proxy. This network incorporates historical context to weigh developing trends such that merging it with Divergence Mapping should set us up to spot shifts in accumulation and distribution before price breakouts.
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Ordinal Pattern Transition Networks in MQL5

Ordinal Pattern Transition Networks in MQL5

We implement ordinal pattern transition networks in MQL5: a Lehmer-code encoder, a directed network over ordinal price patterns, and three complexity metrics. Two indicators expose a trend-versus-range regime from time-irreversibility and an efficiency gauge from permutation entropy, with a transparent parameter sweep showing how to tune settings on FX data.
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Building a Correlation-Aware Portfolio Risk Monitor in MQL5

Building a Correlation-Aware Portfolio Risk Monitor in MQL5

The article quantifies correlation and portfolio risk in MetaTrader 5: from time-aligned returns to a covariance matrix, true portfolio variance against the independent-sum assumption, and position-level risk attribution. A MetaTrader 5 service runs in the background, shows the metrics on a small chart panel, and pushes alerts when risk thresholds are crossed. Source code is provided for an example script, a reusable risk engine class, and the service.
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Digital Signal Processing for Traders (Part 2): The Dominant Cycle, MAMA, and a Regime-Switching Expert Advisor

Digital Signal Processing for Traders (Part 2): The Dominant Cycle, MAMA, and a Regime-Switching Expert Advisor

In Part 2 we measure the market's dominant cycle using Ehlers' Hilbert-transform homodyne discriminator and wrap it as an indicator. We then build the MESA Adaptive Moving Average (MAMA) and its follower FAMA from that phase information. Finally, we combine MAMA/FAMA with the Even Better Sinewave to form a regime-switching Expert Advisor and test it on EURUSD in the Strategy Tester, giving you a complete, reproducible MQL5 implementation.
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Multi-Threaded Trading Robot with Machine Learning: From Concept to Implementation

Multi-Threaded Trading Robot with Machine Learning: From Concept to Implementation

The article presents a step-by-step development of a multi-threaded trading robot with machine learning in Python and MetaTrader 5. The system architecture is considered – from data collection and creation of technical indicators to training XGBoost models with portfolio risk management. The implementation of data augmentation, feature clustering via Gaussian Mixture Models, and flow coordination for parallel trading of multiple currency pairs is described in detail.
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Dingo Optimization Algorithm (DOA)

Dingo Optimization Algorithm (DOA)

The article presents a new metaheuristic method based on the hunting strategies of Australian dingoes: group attack, chase, and scavenging. Let's see how the Dingo Optimization Algorithm (DOA) performs algorithmically.
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From Option Chain to 3D Volatility Surface in MetaTrader 5

From Option Chain to 3D Volatility Surface in MetaTrader 5

This article walks through creating an MT5 indicator that ingests option chains from native symbols or CSV, inverts prices to implied volatility via a hybrid Newton–Raphson/bisection method, and assembles a clean strike–expiry grid. It then renders a shaded, rotatable 3D surface with the platform's DirectX layer, enabling clear, in-terminal analysis of skew and term structure using live or file-based data.
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Persistence Entropy as a Market Regime Indicator in MQL5

Persistence Entropy as a Market Regime Indicator in MQL5

This article turns the verified TDA pipeline into a live MQL5 indicator. It reduces each price window to two persistence-entropy lines (H0 and H1), computes a normalized loop-strength metric with an adaptive percentile band, and places fade marks only when loop strength is high and price hits a window extreme. You can attach the indicator, read six buffers from an Expert Advisor, and tune key window, ranking, and performance parameters.
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Analyzing the Hourly Movement of Trading Symbols and Their Spreads in MetaTrader 5

Analyzing the Hourly Movement of Trading Symbols and Their Spreads in MetaTrader 5

The ProSpread seasonality index indicator with a Moving Average is a technical analysis tool that identifies seasonal patterns in price movements, analyzes price behavior during specific trading hours and is able to work with either a single instrument or a spread between two assets. It also visualizes the statistical probability of directional movements.
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Building a Divergence System (Part II): Adaptive SuperTrend Custom Indicator

Building a Divergence System (Part II): Adaptive SuperTrend Custom Indicator

The article upgrades SuperTrend by integrating a divergence engine (MPO4 or RSI) the dynamically reduces the ATR multiplier during weakening momentum. It covers the shrinking formula, non-repainting state propagation with dedicated buffers, and a step-by-step MQL5 implementation on the price chart. You will learn how to interpret arrows and line flips, adjust inputs, and apply the indicator for disciplined trailing and earlier confirmations.
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Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 50): Turtle Soup Liquidity Sweeps

Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 50): Turtle Soup Liquidity Sweeps

We build an automated MQL5 program that trades Turtle Soup by fading false breakouts of the N-bar high and low. The article implements liquidity-sweep detection, confirmation closes back inside the level, sweep-depth and extreme-age filters, and an optional reversal-candle body check. It adds configurable dynamic or static stops, two take-profit modes, points-based trailing, and clear chart visuals, providing a ready baseline for backtesting and further customization.
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MQL5 Bootstrap (II): Essential Validators for Robust Trading Systems

MQL5 Bootstrap (II): Essential Validators for Robust Trading Systems

The article builds a reusable validation layer for Expert Advisors in MQL5. It implements lot-size rules and normalization, SL/TP and freeze-level guards, price digit normalization, margin sufficiency checks, unchanged-level filtering on modifications, account order-limit control, new-bar detection, symbol tradability checks, economic-calendar news windows, and session detectors. The result is cleaner code and fewer terminal errors in live trading.
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Persistent Homology in MQL5: The Reduction Algorithm and the Persistence Diagram

Persistent Homology in MQL5: The Reduction Algorithm and the Persistence Diagram

We complete persistent homology for MQL5 by reducing the Vietoris–Rips boundary matrix to a persistence diagram. The article implements Z/2 column reduction (CTDAReduction), a diagram container with analytics (CTDADiagram), and a facade that runs the six-stage pipeline in one call (CTDA). Outputs are cross-checked against Ripser to numerical agreement, enabling reliable diagram-based metrics.
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Automating Classic Market Methods in MQL5 (Part 3): Stan Weinstein Stage Analysis

Automating Classic Market Methods in MQL5 (Part 3): Stan Weinstein Stage Analysis

This article presents a complete Expert Advisor built around Stan Weinstein's Stage Analysis method. The EA classifies the market into one of four stages using the 30-week moving average slope and position and volume behavior, then trades only Stage 2 breakouts long and Stage 4 breakdowns short. It explains each stage, how to detect it programmatically, and why the method's discipline—trading only in the correct stage—is what produces the edge.
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Dream Optimization Algorithm (DOA)

Dream Optimization Algorithm (DOA)

A population-based optimization algorithm inspired by a controversial and little-studied phenomenon - the mechanism of human dreams. Agent groups with different "memory", cosine-wave modulation of motion, and an unusual 99/1 phase distribution — learn how these features affect the optimization efficiency of your trading strategies.
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Duelist Algorithm

Duelist Algorithm

What if your trading strategies could learn from each other, like real fighters? Duelist Algorithm is a new optimization method where trading system parameters literally duel for the right to be called the best.