Articles on trading system automation in MQL5

icon

Read articles on the trading systems with a wide variety of ideas at the core. Learn how to use statistical methods and patterns on candlestick charts, how to filter signals and where to use semaphore indicators.

The MQL5 Wizard will help you create robots without programming to quickly check your trading ideas. Use the Wizard to learn about genetic algorithms.

Add a new article
latest | best
preview
Implementing a Breakeven Mechanism in MQL5 (Part 2): ATR- and RRR-Based Breakeven

Implementing a Breakeven Mechanism in MQL5 (Part 2): ATR- and RRR-Based Breakeven

This article completes the implementation of ATR- and RRRR-based breakeven mechanisms in MQL5 and develops, from scratch, a class that makes it easy to switch breakeven modes without having to enter the parameters again. To evaluate the effectiveness of each breakeven type, several backtests are run, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages in the context of algorithmic trading.
preview
Developing a Replay System (Part 30): Expert Advisor project — C_Mouse class (IV)

Developing a Replay System (Part 30): Expert Advisor project — C_Mouse class (IV)

Today we will learn a technique that can help us a lot in different stages of our professional life as a programmer. Often it is not the platform itself that is limited, but the knowledge of the person who talks about the limitations. This article will tell you that with common sense and creativity you can make the MetaTrader 5 platform much more interesting and versatile without resorting to creating crazy programs or anything like that, and create simple yet safe and reliable code. We will use our creativity to modify existing code without deleting or adding a single line to the source code.
preview
Implementing a Breakeven Mechanism in MQL5 (Part 2): ATR- and RRR-Based Breakeven

Implementing a Breakeven Mechanism in MQL5 (Part 2): ATR- and RRR-Based Breakeven

This article completes the implementation of ATR- and RRRR-based breakeven mechanisms in MQL5 and develops, from scratch, a class that makes it easy to switch breakeven modes without having to enter the parameters again. To evaluate the effectiveness of each breakeven type, several backtests are run, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages in the context of algorithmic trading.
preview
MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 33): Building a Rich Content Markup Documentation System for MQL5 Programs

MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 33): Building a Rich Content Markup Documentation System for MQL5 Programs

We extend the Part 9 setup wizard to build a canvas-based, in-chart documentation system for MetaTrader 5. The panel is tabbed and scrollable, supports inline styling, images, and interactive controls, and renders with supersampled anti-aliasing. The result is a reusable engine that any MQL5 program can embed to deliver self-contained documentation directly on the chart.
preview
OrderSend retries and circuit breaker in MQL5

OrderSend retries and circuit breaker in MQL5

Volatile-market failures such as requotes, connection drops, and partial fills expose a common weakness in EAs: unclassified retries and no cumulative failure control. This article introduces CRetryExecutor with exponential backoff and explicit error classification, plus a three-state CCircuitBreaker with cooldown and half-open probes, unified in CExecutionGateway. You can plug it into an EA to stop futile retries, prevent duplicate submissions, and improve diagnostics.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: LSTM Optimization for Multivariate Time Series Forecasting (DA-CG-LSTM)

Neural Networks in Trading: LSTM Optimization for Multivariate Time Series Forecasting (DA-CG-LSTM)

This article introduces the DA-CG-LSTM algorithm, which offers new approaches to time series analysis and forecasting. It explains how innovative attention mechanisms and model flexibility can improve forecast accuracy.
preview
Engineering Trading Discipline into Code (Part 4): Enforcing Trading Hours and News Disabling in MQL5

Engineering Trading Discipline into Code (Part 4): Enforcing Trading Hours and News Disabling in MQL5

An MQL5 control system that blocks orders outside scheduled trading hours and during scheduled news releases, converting time rules into executable restrictions. It combines a permissions management mechanism, a transaction-level expert advisor, and a visual dashboard for real-time status and upcoming restrictions. Configuration is accomplished using editable files, with caching and a CSV audit log for traceability.
preview
Overcoming The Limitation of Machine Learning (Part 8): Nonparametric Strategy Selection

Overcoming The Limitation of Machine Learning (Part 8): Nonparametric Strategy Selection

This article shows how to configure a black-box model to automatically uncover strong trading strategies using a data-driven approach. By using Mutual Information to prioritize the most learnable signals, we can build smarter and more adaptive models that outperform conventional methods. Readers will also learn to avoid common pitfalls like overreliance on surface-level metrics, and instead develop strategies rooted in meaningful statistical insight.
preview
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.
preview
Reimagining Classic Strategies (Part 22): Ensemble Mean Reverting Strategy

Reimagining Classic Strategies (Part 22): Ensemble Mean Reverting Strategy

This article will illustrate to the reader how to implement a mean-reverting strategy for the EURUSD pair. The strategy follows contrarian trading rules. Our strategy implements a weekly moving average channel, with one moving average on the high-price feed and the latter on the low-price feed. We enter short positions when the price falls beneath the low moving average and long positions when the price rises above the high moving average. Additionally, we will export daily market data to build a simple ONNX model of the market to provide an additional filter for our entries. This provides the reader with a reproducible template for strategy development and backtesting.
preview
Evaluating the Quality of Forex Spread Trading Based on Seasonal Factors in MetaTrader 5

Evaluating the Quality of Forex Spread Trading Based on Seasonal Factors in MetaTrader 5

The article examines the quality of a seasonal trading approach on a daily timeframe, both for individual symbols and for spreads. Particular attention is paid to identifying recurring monthly cycles and the possibilities of their application in trading within the current year.
preview
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.
preview
MQL5 Wizard Techniques you should know (Part 88): Using Blooms Filter with a Custom Trailing Class

MQL5 Wizard Techniques you should know (Part 88): Using Blooms Filter with a Custom Trailing Class

Our next focus in these series on ideas that can be rapidly prototyped with the MQL5 Wizard, is a Custom Trailing class that uses the Blooming Filter. Trailing Stop systems are an optional but very resourceful part to any trading system that we want to explore more in these series besides the traditional Entry Signals.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: Actor—Director—Critic (Final Part)

Neural Networks in Trading: Actor—Director—Critic (Final Part)

The Actor–Director–Critic framework is an evolution of the classic agent learning architecture. The article presents practical experience of its implementation and adaptation to financial market conditions.
preview
Neural networks made easy (Part 70): Closed-Form Policy Improvement Operators (CFPI)

Neural networks made easy (Part 70): Closed-Form Policy Improvement Operators (CFPI)

In this article, we will get acquainted with an algorithm that uses closed-form policy improvement operators to optimize Agent actions in offline mode.
preview
Self Optimizing Expert Advisors in MQL5 (Part 14): Viewing Data Transformations as Tuning Parameters of Our Feedback Controller

Self Optimizing Expert Advisors in MQL5 (Part 14): Viewing Data Transformations as Tuning Parameters of Our Feedback Controller

Preprocessing is a powerful yet quickly overlooked tuning parameter. It lives in the shadows of its bigger brothers: optimizers and shiny model architectures. Small percentage improvements here can have disproportionately large, compounding effects on profitability and risk. Too often, this largely unexplored science is boiled down to a simple routine, seen only as a means to an end, when in reality it is where signal can be directly amplified, or just as easily destroyed.
preview
MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 25): Expanding to Multiple Distributions with Interactive Switching

MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 25): Expanding to Multiple Distributions with Interactive Switching

In this article, we expand the MQL5 graphing tool to support seventeen statistical distributions with interactive cycling via a header switch icon. We add type-specific data loading, discrete and continuous histogram computation, and theoretical density functions for each model, with dynamic titles, axis labels, and parameter panels that adapt automatically. The result lets you overlay distribution models on the same sample and compare fit across families without reloading the tool.
preview
Neural networks made easy (Part 77): Cross-Covariance Transformer (XCiT)

Neural networks made easy (Part 77): Cross-Covariance Transformer (XCiT)

In our models, we often use various attention algorithms. And, probably, most often we use Transformers. Their main disadvantage is the resource requirement. In this article, we will consider a new algorithm that can help reduce computing costs without losing quality.
preview
MQL5 Bootstrap (I): Reusable Functions for Working with Positions and Orders

MQL5 Bootstrap (I): Reusable Functions for Working with Positions and Orders

This article presents a compact MQL5 utility layer for routine trade operations. It includes position existence checkers, position counters, bulk close helpers, and functions to retrieve the most recent or oldest position by symbol, magic, or type. A simple SMA crossover Expert Advisor demonstrates integration. The result is cleaner EAs, fewer inconsistencies across projects, and faster maintenance.
preview
MQL5 Wizard Techniques you should know (Part 10). The Unconventional RBM

MQL5 Wizard Techniques you should know (Part 10). The Unconventional RBM

Restrictive Boltzmann Machines are at the basic level, a two-layer neural network that is proficient at unsupervised classification through dimensionality reduction. We take its basic principles and examine if we were to re-design and train it unorthodoxly, we could get a useful signal filter.
preview
Data Science and ML (Part 48): Are Transformers a Big Deal for Trading?

Data Science and ML (Part 48): Are Transformers a Big Deal for Trading?

From ChatGPT to Gemini and many model AI tools for text, image, and video generation. Transformers have rocked the AI-world. But, are they applicable in the financial (trading) space? Let's find out.
preview
Developing a Replay System (Part 57): Understanding a Test Service

Developing a Replay System (Part 57): Understanding a Test Service

One point to note: although the service code is not included in this article and will only be provided in the next one, I'll explain it since we'll be using that same code as a springboard for what we're actually developing. So, be attentive and patient. Wait for the next article, because every day everything becomes more interesting.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: Hyperbolic Latent Diffusion Model (HypDiff)

Neural Networks in Trading: Hyperbolic Latent Diffusion Model (HypDiff)

The article considers methods of encoding initial data in hyperbolic latent space through anisotropic diffusion processes. This helps to more accurately preserve the topological characteristics of the current market situation and improves the quality of its analysis.
preview
Atmosphere Clouds Model Optimization (ACMO): Theory

Atmosphere Clouds Model Optimization (ACMO): Theory

The article is devoted to the metaheuristic Atmosphere Clouds Model Optimization (ACMO) algorithm, which simulates the behavior of clouds to solve optimization problems. The algorithm uses the principles of cloud generation, movement and propagation, adapting to the "weather conditions" in the solution space. The article reveals how the algorithm's meteorological simulation finds optimal solutions in a complex possibility space and describes in detail the stages of ACMO operation, including "sky" preparation, cloud birth, cloud movement, and rain concentration.
preview
MQL5 Trading Toolkit (Part 6): Expanding the History Management EX5 Library with the Last Filled Pending Order Functions

MQL5 Trading Toolkit (Part 6): Expanding the History Management EX5 Library with the Last Filled Pending Order Functions

Learn how to create an EX5 module of exportable functions that seamlessly query and save data for the most recently filled pending order. In this comprehensive step-by-step guide, we will enhance the History Management EX5 library by developing dedicated and compartmentalized functions to retrieve essential properties of the last filled pending order. These properties include the order type, setup time, execution time, filling type, and other critical details necessary for effective pending orders trade history management and analysis.
preview
RiskGate: Centralized Risk Management for Multiple EAs

RiskGate: Centralized Risk Management for Multiple EAs

Many MetaTrader 5 setups run several EAs on one account, so risk gets fragmented and correlated exposure slips through. The article introduces RiskGate, a centralized Service that evaluates EA intents account‑wide: EAs send a JSON signal, the Service returns approved, lot and reason. You will see the client/server wiring, example rules (daily loss, exposure and correlation caps), unit‑tested handler design, and an EA example. The result is consistent portfolio‑level risk with simpler EAs.
preview
Developing a Neural Network Trading Robot Based on Mamba with Selective State Space Models

Developing a Neural Network Trading Robot Based on Mamba with Selective State Space Models

The article explores the revolutionary Mamba/SSM neural network architecture for financial time series forecasting. We will consider a complete MQL5 implementation of a modern alternative to Transformer with linear complexity O(N) instead of quadratic O(N²). Selective State Space Models, hardware-aware optimizations, patching techniques, and advanced AdamW training methods are covered in detail. Practical test results showing an increase in accuracy from 62% to 71% while reducing training time from 45 to 8 minutes are included. A ready-made trading EA with auto learning and adaptive risk management for MetaTrader 5 is presented.
preview
How to Test and Customize Built-in MQL5 Programs:  Custom BullishBearish MeetingLines Stoch Expert Advisor

How to Test and Customize Built-in MQL5 Programs: Custom BullishBearish MeetingLines Stoch Expert Advisor

We demonstrate a practical customization path for a built-in MetaTrader 5 EA using BullishBearish MeetingLines Stoch. The workflow covers baseline testing in the Strategy Tester, parameter optimization, and code-level changes. Two modifications are implemented: exposing Stochastic thresholds as inputs and adding an optional Moving Average filter to limit counter‑trend signals. The article includes the full modified code for replication.
preview
Graph Theory: Network Flow of Commodities (Ford-Fulkerson Algorithm), Used as a Liquidity-Capacity Engine

Graph Theory: Network Flow of Commodities (Ford-Fulkerson Algorithm), Used as a Liquidity-Capacity Engine

The article presents an MQL5 Expert Advisor that adapts the Ford–Fulkerson max-flow method into a liquidity-capacity filter. Market structures—Swing Highs/Lows, Fair Value Gaps, Order Blocks, and Liquidity Pools—form a directed graph with edge capacities from volume, price reaction, distance, and structure quality. Maximum flow qualifies ICT setups, filters weak paths, and drives dynamic position sizing for a consistent, two-stage decision process.
preview
MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 37): Adding a Per-Object Property-Editing Ribbon to the Canvas Drawing Layer

MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 37): Adding a Per-Object Property-Editing Ribbon to the Canvas Drawing Layer

We add a descriptor-driven property stack and a floating ribbon that binds to the current selection on the drawing layer. The article covers the descriptor list for each tool, the engine get/set API with snapshot-and-restore live preview, and widget renderers for color, opacity, line width, line style, fonts, and level visibility. You get in-place, real-time editing of object appearance via a compact, draggable panel.
preview
Implementing Practical Modules from Other Languages in MQL5 (Part 05): The Logging module from Python, Log Like a Pro

Implementing Practical Modules from Other Languages in MQL5 (Part 05): The Logging module from Python, Log Like a Pro

Integrating Python's logging module with MQL5 empowers traders with a systematic logging approach, simplifying the process of monitoring, debugging, and documenting trading activities. This article explains the adaptation process, offering traders a powerful tool for maintaining clarity and organization in trading software development.
preview
Backtracking Search Algorithm (BSA)

Backtracking Search Algorithm (BSA)

What if an optimization algorithm could remember its past journeys and use that memory to find better solutions? BSA does just that – balancing exploration with revisiting the tried and true. In this article, we reveal the secrets of the algorithm. A simple idea, minimum parameters and a stable result.
preview
Risk Manager for Trading Robots (Part I): Risk Control Include File for Expert Advisors

Risk Manager for Trading Robots (Part I): Risk Control Include File for Expert Advisors

Trading is characterized by high demands on risk management discipline. The article presents an analysis of the main reasons for traders' failures and proposes a technical solution in the form of the CEnhancedRiskManager class for the MQL5 platform. It includes practical testing on an aggressive grid EA.
preview
Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 71): Weekend Gap Structure Mapping in MQL5

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 71): Weekend Gap Structure Mapping in MQL5

The article delivers an object-based MQL5 implementation that detects weekend gaps from time discontinuities and renders them directly on the chart. It manages graphical objects, tracks state transitions (fresh, partial, reaction, filled), and preserves completed gaps as historical zones. The result is a reproducible framework for monitoring how price revisits and fills weekend gap structures.
preview
MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 27): Rendering Parametric Butterfly Curve on Canvas

MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 27): Rendering Parametric Butterfly Curve on Canvas

In this article, we explore the butterfly curve, a parametric mathematical equation, and render it visually on a MQL5 canvas. We build an interactive display with a draggable, resizable canvas window, supersampled curve rendering, gradient backgrounds, and a color-segmented legend. By the end, we have a fully functional visual tool that plots the butterfly curve directly on the MetaTrader 5 chart.
preview
Encoding Candlestick Patterns (Part 3): Frequency Analysis for Single Candlestick Type Structure

Encoding Candlestick Patterns (Part 3): Frequency Analysis for Single Candlestick Type Structure

This article introduces a frequency-analysis framework for encoded candlestick patterns in MQL5. By transforming candlesticks into alphabetic symbols, historical price action can be analyzed as a statistical sequence rather than a visual chart. Using GBPUSD and Gold across multiple timeframes, the study examines the occurrence frequency of individual candlestick types, identifies dominant market structures, and reveals the symmetry between bullish and bearish price movements. The results establish a quantitative foundation for pattern discovery and prepare the way for analyzing multi-candlestick sequences and their predictive potential in algorithmic trading systems.
preview
Neural networks made easy (Part 69): Density-based support constraint for the behavioral policy (SPOT)

Neural networks made easy (Part 69): Density-based support constraint for the behavioral policy (SPOT)

In offline learning, we use a fixed dataset, which limits the coverage of environmental diversity. During the learning process, our Agent can generate actions beyond this dataset. If there is no feedback from the environment, how can we be sure that the assessments of such actions are correct? Maintaining the Agent's policy within the training dataset becomes an important aspect to ensure the reliability of training. This is what we will talk about in this article.
preview
How to Detect and Normalize Chart Objects in MQL5 (Part 4): Fully Automated Analytical Objects System

How to Detect and Normalize Chart Objects in MQL5 (Part 4): Fully Automated Analytical Objects System

This part extends the series with a modular, event-driven MQL5 pipeline: swing detection feeds an object placer for trendlines, SR, Fibonacci, channels, and pitchforks; evaluators monitor interactions and generate signals; adaptive logic executes trades with valid stops per instrument. The topology manager synchronizes placement, scanning, and processing. The code is structured into reusable components for easy reuse and scaling.
preview
Developing a Replay System (Part 45): Chart Trade Project (IV)

Developing a Replay System (Part 45): Chart Trade Project (IV)

The main purpose of this article is to introduce and explain the C_ChartFloatingRAD class. We have a Chart Trade indicator that works in a rather interesting way. As you may have noticed, we still have a fairly small number of objects on the chart, and yet we get the expected functionality. The values present in the indicator can be edited. The question is, how is this possible? This article will start to make things clearer.
preview
Graph Theory: Traversal Breadth-First Search (BFS) Applied in Trading

Graph Theory: Traversal Breadth-First Search (BFS) Applied in Trading

Breadth First Search (BFS) uses level-order traversal to model market structure as a directed graph of price swings evolving through time. By analyzing historical bars or sessions layer by layer, BFS prioritizes recent price behavior while still respecting deeper market memory.