Algorithms

An algorithm is a versioned configuration that defines when to enter and exit trades, how much to risk, and how to behave between trades. This page covers every configurable option.

Algorithm Types

The type field controls which directions the algorithm can trade:

Type	Description
LONG	Only opens long positions (buy low, sell high)
SHORT	Only opens short positions (sell high, buy low)
BOTH	Opens both long and short positions based on separate entry/exit rules

When type is BOTH, you define four conditions: longEntry, longExit, shortEntry, shortExit. For LONG or SHORT, only the relevant pair is needed.

Entry & Exit Conditions

Each condition is built from two indicator groups:

Condition triggered = ALL required TRUE  AND  (no optionals OR at least ONE optional TRUE)

Required Group (AND)

Every indicator in the required group must signal true simultaneously. Use this for your core signal — the conditions that must always hold.

Optional Group (OR)

At least one indicator in the optional group must signal true. Use this for confirmation signals where any one of several alternatives is acceptable.

Example

A long entry condition with:

• Required: RSI below 30, price below lower Bollinger Band
• Optional: volume spike (CMF > 0.1) OR Stochastic oversold

Triggers when RSI and Bollinger are both satisfied, and either volume or Stochastic confirms.

Entry-Specific Options

Field	Description
buyBack	Dollar amount for buyback after exit (ValueConfig)
trailingBB	Enable trailing buyback
armedBy	Only allow re-entry after a stop loss (SL) or take profit (TP) has fired

Exit-Specific Options

Field	Description
stopLoss	Stop loss level (ValueConfig)
takeProfit	Take profit level (ValueConfig)
trailingSL	Enable trailing stop loss — SL level follows price as it moves in your favor

Indicator Configuration

Each indicator in a condition group is defined by:

Field	Description
type	Indicator name (e.g., RSI, BollingerBands, ADX)
source	Price data input — 1_open, 1_close, 1_high, 1_low, 2_typical, 2_weighted, etc.
signal	How the indicator value becomes a boolean (see signal types below)
period	Lookback period in seconds
threshold	Comparison value for threshold-based signals
valueAMAPeriod	Auxiliary moving average period (for AMA-based signals)

Signal Types

Signal	Triggers When
point_above_value	Price candle > indicator value
point_below_value	Price candle < indicator value
value_above_threshold	Indicator value > threshold parameter
value_below_threshold	Indicator value < threshold parameter
value_above_valueAMA	Indicator value > its own adaptive moving average
value_below_valueAMA	Indicator value < its own adaptive moving average

Some indicators define additional signal aliases specific to their behavior (e.g., RSI crossover signals, band touch signals).

Position Sizing

The positionSize field controls how much capital is allocated per trade:

Type	Description	Example
ABS	Fixed USD amount (capped at available equity)	{ type: "ABS", value: 500 } — $500 per trade
REL	Percentage of current equity	{ type: "REL", value: 0.5 } — 50% of equity
DYN	Dynamic, driven by an indicator value	Requires valueFactor indicator config

Dynamic Sizing

When type is DYN, the position size is modulated by an indicator:

• valueFactor — the indicator config that produces a 0–1 factor
• inverted — if true, uses 1 - factor instead
• The effective size: value * factor (or value * (1 - factor) if inverted)

Ladder Sizing

The optional ladder field enables scaled entries/exits — splitting the position across multiple price levels.

Order Types

Type	Description
MARKET	Immediate fill at current market price
LIMIT	Fill at specified price or better
TWAP	Time-weighted average price — splits execution over a duration
SMART	Platform-selected execution strategy

Stop Loss & Take Profit

SL and TP are defined as ValueConfig on the exit condition:

Absolute (ABS)

Fixed USD distance from entry price.

• Stop loss: { type: "ABS", value: 50 } — exit if position loses $50
• Take profit: { type: "ABS", value: 100 } — exit if position gains $100

Relative (REL)

Percentage distance from entry price.

• Stop loss: { type: "REL", value: 0.05 } — exit at 5% loss
• Take profit: { type: "REL", value: 0.10 } — exit at 10% gain

Dynamic (DYN)

SL/TP level modulated by an indicator (e.g., ATR-based stops):

• valueFactor indicator produces a factor (0–1)
• Effective level: value * factor
• inverted: true uses 1 - factor

Trailing Stop Loss

Set trailingSL: true on the exit condition. The stop loss level moves with price:

• Long: SL ratchets up as price rises, never moves down
• Short: SL ratchets down as price falls, never moves up

The trailing distance is defined by the stopLoss ValueConfig (ABS or REL).

Timeout & Cooldown

After exiting a trade, the algorithm enters a timeout state before it can re-enter. The timeout config controls this behavior:

Mode	Description
COOLDOWN_ONLY	Wait cooldownBars bars, then re-enter the same direction if the entry condition is still true
REGULAR	Wait cooldownBars bars. Can enter the opposite direction immediately; same direction requires cooldown
STRICT	Wait cooldownBars bars AND both entry conditions must be false before any re-entry is allowed

cooldownBars is measured in candle bars at the algorithm’s primary timeframe.

Versioning

Algorithms use immutable versioning:

• Creating an algorithm assigns an algoId and version: 1
• Each update creates a new version (version: 2, 3, …)
• Previous versions are never modified
• Backtests and live runs lock to a specific version
• You can run multiple versions simultaneously for comparison

This means you can safely iterate on a strategy without losing previous configurations.

State Machine

The algorithm execution follows a three-state machine:

         entry condition met
CASH ──────────────────────────→ POSITION
  ↑                                  │
  │                                  │ exit condition / SL / TP
  │         cooldown expired         ↓
  └──────────────────────────── TIMEOUT

States:

State	Description
CASH	No open position. Evaluating entry conditions each bar.
POSITION	In a trade (long or short). Evaluating exit conditions, scanning SL/TP.
TIMEOUT	Post-trade cooldown. Waiting cooldownBars before re-entry.

Exit reasons:

Reason	Trigger
SIGNAL	Exit condition indicators triggered
STOP_LOSS	SL price level hit
TAKE_PROFIT	TP price level hit
TRAILING_STOP	Trailing SL level hit
SHUTDOWN	Manual stop requested
MANUAL	Manual exit