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
Introduction to MQL5 (Part 27): Mastering API and WebRequest Function in MQL5

Introduction to MQL5 (Part 27): Mastering API and WebRequest Function in MQL5

This article introduces how to use the WebRequest() function and APIs in MQL5 to communicate with external platforms. You’ll learn how to create a Telegram bot, obtain chat and group IDs, and send, edit, and delete messages directly from MT5, building a strong foundation for mastering API integration in your future MQL5 projects.
Expert Advisors Based on Popular Trading Systems and Alchemy of Trading Robot Optimization (Part IV)
Expert Advisors Based on Popular Trading Systems and Alchemy of Trading Robot Optimization (Part IV)

Expert Advisors Based on Popular Trading Systems and Alchemy of Trading Robot Optimization (Part IV)

In this article the author continues to analyze implementation algorithms of simplest trading systems and introduces recording of optimization results in backtesting into one html file in the form of a table. The article will be useful for beginning traders and EA writers.
preview
Neural Networks Made Easy (Part 87): Time Series Patching

Neural Networks Made Easy (Part 87): Time Series Patching

Forecasting plays an important role in time series analysis. In the new article, we will talk about the benefits of time series patching.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: Hybrid Graph Sequence Models (GSM++)

Neural Networks in Trading: Hybrid Graph Sequence Models (GSM++)

Hybrid graph sequence models (GSM++) combine the advantages of different architectures to provide high-fidelity data analysis and optimized computational costs. These models adapt effectively to dynamic market data, improving the presentation and processing of financial information.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: Optimizing the Transformer for Time Series Forecasting (LSEAttention)

Neural Networks in Trading: Optimizing the Transformer for Time Series Forecasting (LSEAttention)

The LSEAttention framework offers improvements to the Transformer architecture. It was designed specifically for long-term multivariate time series forecasting. The approaches proposed by the authors of the method can be applied to solve problems of entropy collapse and learning instability, which are often encountered with vanilla Transformer.
preview
Overcoming The Limitation of Machine Learning (Part 5): A Quick Recap of Time Series Cross Validation

Overcoming The Limitation of Machine Learning (Part 5): A Quick Recap of Time Series Cross Validation

In this series of articles, we look at the challenges faced by algorithmic traders when deploying machine-learning-powered trading strategies. Some challenges within our community remain unseen because they demand deeper technical understanding. Today’s discussion acts as a springboard toward examining the blind spots of cross-validation in machine learning. Although often treated as routine, this step can easily produce misleading or suboptimal results if handled carelessly. This article briefly revisits the essentials of time series cross-validation to prepare us for more in-depth insight into its hidden blind spots.
preview
Developing a multi-currency Expert Advisor (Part 13): Automating the second stage — selection into groups

Developing a multi-currency Expert Advisor (Part 13): Automating the second stage — selection into groups

We have already implemented the first stage of the automated optimization. We perform optimization for different symbols and timeframes according to several criteria and store information about the results of each pass in the database. Now we are going to select the best groups of parameter sets from those found at the first stage.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: An Ensemble of Agents with Attention Mechanisms (Final Part)

Neural Networks in Trading: An Ensemble of Agents with Attention Mechanisms (Final Part)

In the previous article, we introduced the multi-agent adaptive framework MASAAT, which uses an ensemble of agents to perform cross-analysis of multimodal time series at different data scales. Today we will continue implementing the approaches of this framework in MQL5 and bring this work to a logical conclusion.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: A Multimodal, Tool-Augmented Agent for Financial Markets (Final Part)

Neural Networks in Trading: A Multimodal, Tool-Augmented Agent for Financial Markets (Final Part)

We continue to develop the algorithms for FinAgent, a multimodal financial trading agent designed to analyze multimodal market dynamics data and historical trading patterns.
preview
Quantum computing and trading: A fresh approach to price forecasts

Quantum computing and trading: A fresh approach to price forecasts

The article describes an innovative approach to forecasting price movements in financial markets using quantum computing. The main focus is on the application of the Quantum Phase Estimation (QPE) algorithm to find prototypes of price patterns allowing traders to significantly speed up the market data analysis.
preview
Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 27): Towards the future (II)

Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 27): Towards the future (II)

Let's move on to a more complete order system directly on the chart. In this article, I will show a way to fix the order system, or rather, to make it more intuitive.
How to Cut an EA Code for an Easier Life and Fewer Errors
How to Cut an EA Code for an Easier Life and Fewer Errors

How to Cut an EA Code for an Easier Life and Fewer Errors

A simple concept described in the article allows those developing automated trading systems in MQL4 to simplify existing trading systems, as well as reduce time needed for development of new systems due to shorter codes.
preview
Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 49): The Quasimodo (QM) Reversal Pattern

Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 49): The Quasimodo (QM) Reversal Pattern

In this article, we build an automated trading program in MQL5 that detects the Quasimodo reversal pattern from a zig-zag of confirmed swing pivots. We work through swing detection, pattern arming, retrace entries at the QM line, and structural stop placement with risk-based sizing. We also add trade management with breakeven, trailing, and partial closing to handle open positions.
preview
Developing a multi-currency Expert Advisor (Part 19): Creating stages implemented in Python

Developing a multi-currency Expert Advisor (Part 19): Creating stages implemented in Python

So far we have considered the automation of launching sequential procedures for optimizing EAs exclusively in the standard strategy tester. But what if we would like to perform some handling of the obtained data using other means between such launches? We will attempt to add the ability to create new optimization stages performed by programs written in Python.
preview
MetaTrader 5 Machine Learning Blueprint (Part 6): Engineering a Production-Grade Caching System

MetaTrader 5 Machine Learning Blueprint (Part 6): Engineering a Production-Grade Caching System

Tired of watching progress bars instead of testing trading strategies? Traditional caching fails financial ML, leaving you with lost computations and frustrating restarts. We've engineered a sophisticated caching architecture that understands the unique challenges of financial data—temporal dependencies, complex data structures, and the constant threat of look-ahead bias. Our three-layer system delivers dramatic speed improvements while automatically invalidating stale results and preventing costly data leaks. Stop waiting for computations and start iterating at the pace the markets demand.
preview
Experiments with neural networks (Part 4): Templates

Experiments with neural networks (Part 4): Templates

In this article, I will use experimentation and non-standard approaches to develop a profitable trading system and check whether neural networks can be of any help for traders. MetaTrader 5 as a self-sufficient tool for using neural networks in trading. Simple explanation.
preview
Larry Williams Market Secrets (Part 9): Patterns to Profit

Larry Williams Market Secrets (Part 9): Patterns to Profit

An empirical study of Larry Williams' short-term trading patterns, showing how classic setups can be automated in MQL5, tested on real market data, and evaluated for consistency, profitability, and practical trading value.
preview
Neural networks made easy (Part 53): Reward decomposition

Neural networks made easy (Part 53): Reward decomposition

We have already talked more than once about the importance of correctly selecting the reward function, which we use to stimulate the desired behavior of the Agent by adding rewards or penalties for individual actions. But the question remains open about the decryption of our signals by the Agent. In this article, we will talk about reward decomposition in terms of transmitting individual signals to the trained Agent.
preview
News Trading Made Easy (Part 5): Performing Trades (II)

News Trading Made Easy (Part 5): Performing Trades (II)

This article will expand on the trade management class to include buy-stop and sell-stop orders to trade news events and implement an expiration constraint on these orders to prevent any overnight trading. A slippage function will be embedded into the expert to try and prevent or minimize possible slippage that may occur when using stop orders in trading, especially during news events.
preview
Developing a multi-currency Expert Advisor (Part 4): Pending virtual orders and saving status

Developing a multi-currency Expert Advisor (Part 4): Pending virtual orders and saving status

Having started developing a multi-currency EA, we have already achieved some results and managed to carry out several code improvement iterations. However, our EA was unable to work with pending orders and resume operation after the terminal restart. Let's add these features.
preview
Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 32): Creating a Price Action 5 Drives Harmonic Pattern System

Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 32): Creating a Price Action 5 Drives Harmonic Pattern System

In this article, we develop a 5 Drives pattern system in MQL5 that identifies bullish and bearish 5 Drives harmonic patterns using pivot points and Fibonacci ratios, executing trades with customizable entry, stop loss, and take-profit levels based on user-selected options. We enhance trader insight with visual feedback through chart objects like triangles, trendlines, and labels to clearly display the A-B-C-D-E-F pattern structure.
preview
MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 13): Creating a Canvas-Based Price Dashboard with Graph and Stats Panels

MQL5 Trading Tools (Part 13): Creating a Canvas-Based Price Dashboard with Graph and Stats Panels

In this article, we develop a canvas-based price dashboard in MQL5 using the CCanvas class to create interactive panels for visualizing recent price graphs and account statistics, with support for background images, fog effects, and gradient fills. The system includes draggable and resizable features via mouse event handling, theme toggling between dark and light modes with dynamic color adjustments, and minimize/maximize controls for efficient chart space management.
preview
Neural networks made easy (Part 66): Exploration problems in offline learning

Neural networks made easy (Part 66): Exploration problems in offline learning

Models are trained offline using data from a prepared training dataset. While providing certain advantages, its negative side is that information about the environment is greatly compressed to the size of the training dataset. Which, in turn, limits the possibilities of exploration. In this article, we will consider a method that enables the filling of a training dataset with the most diverse data possible.
preview
Data Science and Machine Learning(Part 14): Finding Your Way in the Markets with Kohonen Maps

Data Science and Machine Learning(Part 14): Finding Your Way in the Markets with Kohonen Maps

Are you looking for a cutting-edge approach to trading that can help you navigate complex and ever-changing markets? Look no further than Kohonen maps, an innovative form of artificial neural networks that can help you uncover hidden patterns and trends in market data. In this article, we'll explore how Kohonen maps work, and how they can be used to develop smarter, more effective trading strategies. Whether you're a seasoned trader or just starting out, you won't want to miss this exciting new approach to trading.
preview
Integrating MQL5 with data processing packages (Part 2): Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics

Integrating MQL5 with data processing packages (Part 2): Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics

In our series on integrating MQL5 with data processing packages, we delve in to the powerful combination of machine learning and predictive analysis. We will explore how to seamlessly connect MQL5 with popular machine learning libraries, to enable sophisticated predictive models for financial markets.
preview
From Novice to Expert: Forex Market Periods

From Novice to Expert: Forex Market Periods

Every market period has a beginning and an end, each closing with a price that defines its sentiment—much like any candlestick session. Understanding these reference points allows us to gauge the prevailing market mood, revealing whether bullish or bearish forces are in control. In this discussion, we take an important step forward by developing a new feature within the Market Periods Synchronizer—one that visualizes Forex market sessions to support more informed trading decisions. This tool can be especially powerful for identifying, in real time, which side—bulls or bears—dominates the session. Let’s explore this concept and uncover the insights it offers.
preview
Encoding Candlestick Patterns (Part 2): Modeling Price Action as an Ordered Sequence

Encoding Candlestick Patterns (Part 2): Modeling Price Action as an Ordered Sequence

Developing permutation-based tools in MQL5 provides a systematic way to analyze candlestick pattern combinations for trading strategies. This article introduces a permutation calculator and generator designed to compute and enumerate all possible ordered candlestick sequences from bullish and bearish sets, with or without repetition. By generating exhaustive pattern combinations, traders can perform data-driven analysis to identify high-probability market patterns and improve decision-making in automated trading systems.
preview
News Trading Made Easy (Part 6): Performing Trades (III)

News Trading Made Easy (Part 6): Performing Trades (III)

In this article news filtration for individual news events based on their IDs will be implemented. In addition, previous SQL queries will be improved to provide additional information or reduce the query's runtime. Furthermore, the code built in the previous articles will be made functional.
preview
MQL5 Wizard Techniques you should know (Part 56): Bill Williams Fractals

MQL5 Wizard Techniques you should know (Part 56): Bill Williams Fractals

The Fractals by Bill Williams is a potent indicator that is easy to overlook when one initially spots it on a price chart. It appears too busy and probably not incisive enough. We aim to draw away this curtain on this indicator by examining what its various patterns could accomplish when examined with forward walk tests on all, with wizard assembled Expert Advisor.
preview
Chaos theory in trading (Part 1): Introduction, application in financial markets and Lyapunov exponent

Chaos theory in trading (Part 1): Introduction, application in financial markets and Lyapunov exponent

Can chaos theory be applied to financial markets? In this article, we will consider how conventional Chaos theory and chaotic systems are different from the concept proposed by Bill Williams.
preview
Creating Custom Indicators in MQL5 (Part 11): Enhancing the Footprint Chart with Market Structure and Order Flow Layers

Creating Custom Indicators in MQL5 (Part 11): Enhancing the Footprint Chart with Market Structure and Order Flow Layers

This article extends the MQL5 footprint chart with market-structure and order-flow layers: volume-profile bars, point of control, value-area highlighting, stacked imbalance detection, absorption zones, and single-print/unfinished markers. We expand bar data structures, add functions for POC/value area, imbalance, and absorption, and build a fixed-order rendering pipeline. You will get ready-to-use inputs, metadata, and drawing utilities to integrate and customize these layers in your indicator.
preview
Building a Keltner Channel Indicator with Custom Canvas Graphics in MQL5

Building a Keltner Channel Indicator with Custom Canvas Graphics in MQL5

In this article, we build a Keltner Channel indicator with custom canvas graphics in MQL5. We detail the integration of moving averages, ATR calculations, and enhanced chart visualization. We also cover backtesting to evaluate the indicator’s performance for practical trading insights.
preview
Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 25): Providing system robustness (II)

Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 25): Providing system robustness (II)

In this article, we will make the final step towards the EA's performance. So, be prepared for a long read. To make our Expert Advisor reliable, we will first remove everything from the code that is not part of the trading system.
preview
Reimagining Classic Strategies in Python: MA Crossovers

Reimagining Classic Strategies in Python: MA Crossovers

In this article, we revisit the classic moving average crossover strategy to assess its current effectiveness. Given the amount of time since its inception, we explore the potential enhancements that AI can bring to this traditional trading strategy. By incorporating AI techniques, we aim to leverage advanced predictive capabilities to potentially optimize trade entry and exit points, adapt to varying market conditions, and enhance overall performance compared to conventional approaches.
preview
Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 23): New order system (VI)

Developing a trading Expert Advisor from scratch (Part 23): New order system (VI)

We will make the order system more flexible. Here we will consider changes to the code that will make it more flexible, which will allow us to change position stop levels much faster.
preview
Neural Networks in Trading: Scene-Aware Object Detection (HyperDet3D)

Neural Networks in Trading: Scene-Aware Object Detection (HyperDet3D)

We invite you to get acquainted with a new approach to detecting objects using hypernetworks. A hypernetwork generates weights for the main model, which allows taking into account the specifics of the current market situation. This approach allows us to improve forecasting accuracy by adapting the model to different trading conditions.
preview
Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 57): Developing a Market State Classification Module in MQL5

Price Action Analysis Toolkit Development (Part 57): Developing a Market State Classification Module in MQL5

This article develops a market state classification module for MQL5 that interprets price behavior using completed price data. By examining volatility contraction, expansion, and structural consistency, the tool classifies market conditions as compression, transition, expansion, or trend, providing a clear contextual framework for price action analysis.
preview
Multiple Symbol Analysis With Python And MQL5 (Part 3): Triangular Exchange Rates

Multiple Symbol Analysis With Python And MQL5 (Part 3): Triangular Exchange Rates

Traders often face drawdowns from false signals, while waiting for confirmation can lead to missed opportunities. This article introduces a triangular trading strategy using Silver’s pricing in Dollars (XAGUSD) and Euros (XAGEUR), along with the EURUSD exchange rate, to filter out noise. By leveraging cross-market relationships, traders can uncover hidden sentiment and refine their entries in real time.
preview
Neural networks made easy (Part 35): Intrinsic Curiosity Module

Neural networks made easy (Part 35): Intrinsic Curiosity Module

We continue to study reinforcement learning algorithms. All the algorithms we have considered so far required the creation of a reward policy to enable the agent to evaluate each of its actions at each transition from one system state to another. However, this approach is rather artificial. In practice, there is some time lag between an action and a reward. In this article, we will get acquainted with a model training algorithm which can work with various time delays from the action to the reward.
preview
Data Science and Machine Learning (Part 17): Money in the Trees? The Art and Science of Random Forests in Forex Trading

Data Science and Machine Learning (Part 17): Money in the Trees? The Art and Science of Random Forests in Forex Trading

Discover the secrets of algorithmic alchemy as we guide you through the blend of artistry and precision in decoding financial landscapes. Unearth how Random Forests transform data into predictive prowess, offering a unique perspective on navigating the complex terrain of stock markets. Join us on this journey into the heart of financial wizardry, where we demystify the role of Random Forests in shaping market destiny and unlocking the doors to lucrative opportunities