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🛠️ Strategy Builder
Overview

🎨 Strategy Builder - User Guide

Create algorithmic trading strategies without writing code using FlyTradr's visual strategy builder.

📑 Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. How to Access
  3. Key Features
  4. Getting Started
  5. Building Your First Strategy
  6. Understanding Indicators
  7. Creating Signals
  8. Risk Management
  9. Advanced Features
  10. Saving & Loading
  11. Tips & Best Practices
  12. Common Issues
  13. FAQ
  14. Related Guides

🎯 Overview

What is the Strategy Builder?

The Strategy Builder is FlyTradr's visual tool for creating algorithmic trading strategies without writing code.

Building Blocks:

  • 📈 Indicators - RSI, MACD, SMA/EMA, Bollinger Bands, and 16+ more
  • 🚦 Entry/Exit Signals - Define when to buy and sell with visual conditions
  • 🛡️ Risk Management - Set stop losses, take profits, and position sizing
  • 💾 Save & Test - Store strategies and send to Backtesting Lab instantly

Perfect for:

  • Beginners who want to trade algorithmically without coding
  • Active traders prototyping new ideas quickly
  • Anyone who prefers visual tools over programming

📍 How to Access

Quick Access:

  • Press Ctrl + K and type "Strategy"
  • Click Strategy Builder in top navigation
  • Visit /platform/strategy-builder

✨ Key Features

Interface Layout

Left Panel (Form Sections):

  1. Strategy Name & Intent - Name your strategy and set trading timeframe
  2. Market Selection - Choose symbol, timeframe, and data provider
  3. Indicators - Add technical indicators (RSI, MACD, SMA, etc.)
  4. Signals - Define entry and exit conditions
  5. Risk Management - Configure position sizing, stops, and targets

Right Panel:

  • Preview - View your strategy in plain English
  • Validation - Check for errors before saving

Action Buttons

  • Preview (Ctrl + S) - Generate strategy summary
  • Save - Save to your library
  • Load - Load saved strategies
  • Backtest - Send to Backtesting Lab
  • Clear - Reset all fields

🚀 Getting Started

What You Need:

  • FlyTradr account (free tier works!)
  • Basic understanding of trading concepts
  • An idea for a strategy

Form Sections (Top to Bottom):

  1. Strategy Name
  2. Market Selection (symbol, timeframe)
  3. Indicators (collapsible)
  4. Entry Signals (collapsible)
  5. Exit Signals (collapsible)
  6. Risk Management (collapsible)
  7. Action Buttons (save, preview, backtest)

🏗️ Building Your First Strategy

Let's create a simple RSI mean reversion strategy step by step.

Step 1: Name Your Strategy

  • Strategy Name: "RSI Mean Reversion" (use descriptive names)
  • Intent: Select "Trade" for short/medium-term strategies

💡 Tip: Use names like "RSI_14_BTCUSD_1H" to include key parameters

Step 2: Select Market Data

  1. Enable market selection (toggle at top of section)
  2. Choose market type: Crypto, Stocks, Forex, etc.
  3. Search for symbol: Type "BTCUSDT" or "AAPL"
  4. Select timeframe: 1h, 4h, 1d, etc.

Timeframe Guide:

  • 1m-5m: Scalping (20-50+ trades/day)
  • 15m-1h: Day trading (5-20 trades/day)
  • 4h-1d: Swing trading (1-5 trades/day)
  • 1w+: Position trading (under 1 trade/day)

Step 3: Add an Indicator

  1. Click "+ Add Indicator" button
  2. Select RSI from the dropdown
  3. Set Custom Name: "RSI_14" (required for all indicators)
  4. Configure Period: 14 (default)
  5. Choose Source: Close (default)

⚠️ Important: Every indicator needs a unique custom name before you can save

Step 4: Create Entry Signal

In the Signals section (Long side):

  1. Click "+ Add Long Signal"
  2. Set Action: BUY
  3. Click "+ Add Condition"
  4. Configure condition:
    • Left: Select "RSI_14" (your indicator)
    • Operator: "crosses below" or less than
    • Right: Type "30" (oversold threshold)

What this means: Buy when RSI drops below 30 (oversold)

Step 5: Create Exit Signal

  1. Click "+ Add Long Signal" again
  2. Set Action: SELL / EXIT LONG
  3. Add condition:
    • Left: "RSI_14"
    • Operator: "crosses above" or greater than
    • Right: "70" (overbought threshold)

What this means: Sell when RSI rises above 70 (overbought)

Step 6: Set Risk Management

In the Risk Management section:

  • Position Sizing: "Fixed %" at 1% of portfolio
  • Stop Loss: "Fixed %" at -2% (exit if price drops 2%)
  • Take Profit: "Fixed %" at +4% (exit if price rises 4%)

💡 Risk/Reward Ratio: 2:1 (risking 2% to gain 4%) is a good starting point

Step 7: Validate & Save

  1. Click "Preview" to check for errors
  2. Fix any red error messages
  3. Click "Save" (or press Ctrl + S)
  4. Your strategy is now in your library!

Next: Click "Backtest" to test your strategy on historical data

📊 Understanding Indicators

Available Indicators

Trend Indicators:

  • SMA (Simple Moving Average)
  • EMA (Exponential Moving Average)
  • SuperTrend
  • Ichimoku Cloud

Momentum Indicators:

  • RSI (Relative Strength Index)
  • MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence)
  • Stochastic Oscillator
  • CCI (Commodity Channel Index)

Volatility Indicators:

  • Bollinger Bands
  • ATR (Average True Range)
  • Keltner Channels

Volume Indicators:

  • OBV (On-Balance Volume)
  • VWAP (Volume Weighted Average Price)

Common Parameters

RSI: Period (default: 14), Source (default: Close) MACD: Fast Period (12), Slow Period (26), Signal Period (9) SMA/EMA: Period (default: 20), Source (default: Close)

💡 Pro Tip: Combine trend + momentum indicators for better signals

🚦 Creating Signals

Signal Structure

Every signal has:

  1. Action - What to do (Buy, Sell, etc.)
  2. Conditions - When to do it (e.g., RSI below 30)
  3. Logic - How to combine conditions (AND/OR)

Comparison Operators

  • > Greater than (e.g., RSI above 70)
  • < Less than (e.g., RSI below 30)
  • >= Greater than or equal
  • <= Less than or equal
  • == Equal to
  • crosses above - Indicator crosses over a value
  • crosses below - Indicator crosses under a value

Available Actions

Long Side:

  • BUY - Open a long position
  • SELL / EXIT LONG - Close long position

Short Side:

  • SHORT - Open a short position
  • COVER - Close short position

Other:

  • CLOSE - Close any position
  • ALERT - Send notification only (no trade)

🛡️ Risk Management

Position Sizing Options

  • All-in - Use all available capital
  • Fixed % - Risk X% of portfolio per trade (e.g., 1%)
  • Fixed Amount - Risk $X per trade
  • Fixed Units - Trade X shares/contracts

Stop Loss Options

  • None - No automatic stop (not recommended)
  • Fixed % - Exit if price drops X% (e.g., -2%)
  • Fixed Amount - Exit if loss reaches $X
  • ATR-based - Dynamic stop based on volatility
  • Trailing - Stop that follows price up

Take Profit Options

  • None - Exit only on signals
  • Fixed % - Exit if price rises X% (e.g., +4%)
  • Fixed Amount - Exit if profit reaches $X
  • Risk Multiple - Exit at 2x or 3x your risk

⚠️ Important: Always use a stop loss! Risk no more than 1-2% per trade

💾 Saving & Loading Strategies

How to Save

  1. Complete all required fields
  2. Click "Preview" to validate
  3. Fix any errors
  4. Click "Save" (or press Ctrl + S)

How to Load

  1. Click "Load" button
  2. Select a strategy from your library
  3. Click to load it into the form
  4. Modify and save again to update

Storage Limits:

  • Explorer (Free): 5 strategies
  • Practitioner: 25 strategies
  • Operator: Unlimited strategies

💡 Tips & Best Practices

Strategy Design

✅ Start simple - Use 1-2 indicators first, add complexity later ✅ Use confirmation - Combine trend + momentum indicators ✅ Set realistic stops - Account for normal market volatility ✅ Always backtest - Test before risking real money ✅ Name everything clearly - Use descriptive names for indicators and strategies

Workflow Tips

  • Press Ctrl + S to save quickly
  • Use Preview to check your strategy logic
  • Fix red validation errors before saving
  • Build → Validate → Save → Backtest → Refine → Repeat

⚠️ Common Issues & Solutions

ProblemSolution
"Custom Name is required"Fill in the Custom Name field for every indicator
"No indicators defined"Click "+ Add Indicator" to add at least one
"Left/Right operand required"Select values for both sides of the condition
"Strategy name required"Enter a name at the top of the form
Save button disabledFix all red error messages first
Can't find saved strategyCheck that you're logged in and try refreshing

❓ FAQ

Do I need to know coding? No! Everything is form-based and visual.

How many strategies can I save?

  • Explorer (Free): 5 strategies
  • Practitioner: 25 strategies
  • Operator: Unlimited strategies

Can I share strategies? You can export strategies as JSON files and share them.

What timeframes are supported? 1m, 5m, 15m, 30m, 1h, 2h, 4h, 6h, 12h, 1d, 1w, 1M (varies by data provider)

What does "DSL" mean in the preview? Domain-Specific Language - it's the JSON format that represents your strategy. You don't need to understand it!

🔗 Related Guides

Next Steps:

  1. Backtesting Lab - Test your strategy on historical data
  2. Trading Simulator - Practice with market replay
  3. Paper Trader - Test with live data (virtual money)

📞 Need Help?

Build strategies visually, trade algorithmically! 🎨

Platform OverviewOverview