Articles on strategy testing in MQL5

The ATR oscillator is a very popular indicator for acting as a volatility proxy, especially in the forex markets where volume data is scarce. We examine this, on a pattern basis as we have with prior indicators, and share strategies & test reports thanks to the MQL5 wizard library classes and assembly.

In this article, I will check and optimize binary options strategies in MetaTrader 5.

This article continues the series on category theory implementation in MQL5. Here we continue monoid-actions as a means of transforming monoids, covered in the previous article, leading to increased applications.

The article applies the A* heuristic to market structure by modeling validated swing highs and lows as graph nodes and weighting edges with ATR‑normalized distance, spread, and noise penalties. The engine searches the most efficient route to infer trade direction and targets, then filters signals by directional ratio, total path cost, and opposing swings. It anchors TP to the final node and SL to prior structure, with on‑chart visualization and configurable inputs.

Discover practical techniques to optimize memory usage in MQL5 trading systems. Learn to build efficient, stable, and fast-performing Expert Advisors and indicators. We’ll explore how memory really works in MQL5, the common traps that slow your systems down or cause them to fail, and — most importantly — how to fix them.

Depth of Market is undoubtedly a very important element for executing fast trades, especially in High Frequency Trading (HFT) algorithms. In this series of articles, we will look at this type of trading events that can be obtained through a broker on many tradable symbols. We will start with an indicator, where you can customize the color palette, position and size of the histogram displayed directly on the chart. We will also look at how to generate BookEvent events to test the indicator under certain conditions. Other possible topics for future articles include how to store price distribution data and how to use it in a strategy tester.

Fish School Search (FSS) is a new optimization algorithm inspired by the behavior of fish in a school, most of which (up to 80%) swim in an organized community of relatives. It has been proven that fish aggregations play an important role in the efficiency of foraging and protection from predators.

This article explores a method that combines Heikin‑Ashi smoothing with EMA20 High and Low boundaries and an EMA50 trend filter to improve trade clarity and timing. It demonstrates how these tools can help traders identify genuine momentum, filter out noise, and better navigate volatile or trending markets.

If we are going to automate periodic optimization, we need to think about auto updates of the settings of the EAs already running on the trading account. This should also allow us to run the EA in the strategy tester and change its settings within a single run.

We will continue to build a system for working in the FOREX market. In order to solve this problem, we must first declare the loading of ticks before loading the previous bars. This solves the problem, but at the same time forces the user to follow some structure in the configuration file, which, personally, does not make much sense to me. The reason is that by designing a program that is responsible for analyzing and executing what is in the configuration file, we can allow the user to declare the elements he needs in any order.

In this article, we will begin to stabilize the entire system, without which we might not be able to proceed to the next steps.

The article considers the Artificial Algae Algorithm (AAA) based on biological processes characteristic of microalgae. The algorithm includes spiral motion, evolutionary process and adaptation, which allows it to solve optimization problems. The article provides an in-depth analysis of the working principles of AAA and its potential in mathematical modeling, highlighting the connection between nature and algorithmic solutions.

The article considers a new population optimization algorithm - Cyclic Parthenogenesis Algorithm (CPA), inspired by the unique reproductive strategy of aphids. The algorithm combines two reproduction mechanisms — parthenogenesis and sexual reproduction — and also utilizes the colonial structure of the population with the possibility of migration between colonies. The key features of the algorithm are adaptive switching between different reproductive strategies and a system of information exchange between colonies through the flight mechanism.

The article implements a fast strategy tester for machine learning models using Numba. It is 50 times faster than the pure Python strategy tester. The author recommends using this library to speed up mathematical calculations, especially the ones involving loops.

In this article, we will continue to study the remaining optimization methods from the ALGLIB library, paying special attention to their testing on complex multidimensional functions. This will allow us not only to evaluate the efficiency of each algorithm, but also to identify their strengths and weaknesses in different conditions.

The initial goal of this article is not to cover all the possibilities of Forex trading, but rather to adapt the system so that you can perform at least one market replay. We'll leave simulation for another moment. However, if we don't have ticks and only bars, with a little effort we can simulate possible trades that could happen in the Forex market. This will be the case until we look at how to adapt the simulator. An attempt to work with Forex data inside the system without modifying it leads to a range of errors.

In this article, I will consider the Monkey Algorithm (MA) optimization algorithm. The ability of these animals to overcome difficult obstacles and get to the most inaccessible tree tops formed the basis of the idea of the MA algorithm.

Before moving forward with the development of multi-currency EAs, let's try to switch to creating a new project using the developed library. This example will demonstrate how to best organize source code storage and how using the new code repository from MetaQuotes can help us.

Do the positions of planets and stars affect financial markets? Let's arm ourselves with statistics and big data, and embark on an exciting journey into the world where stars and stock charts intersect.

The article presents a new metaheuristic optimization Circle Search Algorithm (CSA) based on the geometric properties of a circle. The algorithm uses the principle of moving points along tangents to find the optimal solution, combining the phases of global exploration and local exploitation.

Let's continue creating the system and controls. Without the ability to control the service, it is difficult to move forward and improve the system.

We have managed to develop a way to implement the market replay system in a realistic and accessible way. Now let's continue our project and add data to improve the replay behavior.

In this article we will complete the development of a simulator for our system. The main goal here will be to configure the algorithm discussed in the previous article. This algorithm aims to create a RANDOM WALK movement. Therefore, to understand today's material, it is necessary to understand the content of previous articles. If you have not followed the development of the simulator, I advise you to read this sequence from the very beginning. Otherwise, you may get confused about what will be explained here.

The article presents a detailed description of the shuffled frog-leaping (SFL) algorithm and its capabilities in solving optimization problems. The SFL algorithm is inspired by the behavior of frogs in their natural environment and offers a new approach to function optimization. The SFL algorithm is an efficient and flexible tool capable of processing a variety of data types and achieving optimal solutions.

Currently, our EA uses the database to obtain initialization strings for single instances of trading strategies. However, the database is quite large and contains a lot of information that is not needed for the actual EA operation. Let's try to ensure the EA's functionality without a mandatory connection to the database.

The article describes the principles, methods and possibilities of using the Electromagnetic Algorithm in various optimization problems. The EM algorithm is an efficient optimization tool capable of working with large amounts of data and multidimensional functions.

Many people, especially non=programmers, find it very difficult to transfer information between MetaTrader 5 and other programs. One such program is Excel. Many use Excel as a way to manage and maintain their risk control. It is an excellent program and easy to learn, even for those who are not VBA programmers. Here we will look at how to establish a connection between MetaTrader 5 and Excel (a very simple method).

In this article, we'll cover an important topic that few people understand: Custom Events. Dangers. Advantages and disadvantages of these elements. This topic is key for those who want to become a professional programmer in MQL5 or any other language. Here we will focus on MQL5 and MetaTrader 5.